Smartmile and KEBA partner for outdoor parcel lockers

Parcel locker companies Smartmile and KEBA have teamed up to install joint outdoor parcel machines in Finland, with more deployments set to follow across Europe over the coming year.

The two companies installed their first two collaborative ‘Smartmile-enabled KEBA’ machines at locations in Tampere and Oulu in July. Like all Smartmile parcel machines, the terminals are open and shared, meaning that multiple couriers, hardware providers, and retailers can be integrated into the Smartmile software and use the machines to exchange parcels.

The cooperation between the two parcel locker specialists comes as retailers face rising demand for 24/7 delivery but struggle with limited indoor space. Outdoor lockers allow for installations of 24/7 higher capacity machines that solve these struggles and meet consumer demands better, according to the two companies.

Dutch-based Smartmile decided to partner with Austrian firm KEBA because they believe it is a company with long-term experience that can provide high-quality outdoor machines. The rapid system integration and machine installation “shows the open nature and scalability of the Smartmile software while illustrating the expertise of KEBA expanding Smartmile's portfolio of hardware providers”.

Smartmile has big ambitions

Smartmile, which currently operates 150 lockers in the Netherlands and Finland, aims to create the world’s largest ‘open and shared’ terminal network with 30,000 machines by 2026.

"Seeing that each of our parcel machines serve multiple carriers and retailers, they have to manage very high volumes. Coping with high volumes means we have to look for ways to install high-capacity machines. Through outdoor machines, we offer more compartments to partners and consumers. We are happy to partner with KEBA to meet the demand for outdoor solutions and are very satisfied with their innovative solution and solid after-sales support,” said Aku Happo, CEO at Smartmile.

KEBA is premium supplier

For its part, industrial automation company KEBA Group’s Handover Automation division is one of the longest-established parcel locker hardware suppliers and sees itself as the ‘premium’ market leader. The company has supplied more than 15,000 KePol lockers to customers across Europe and beyond, including more than 7,000 PackStations to Deutsche Post DHL in Germany.

“We know that availability in the self-service area is one of the most important features for best customer acceptance. Therefore, numerous features guarantee smooth operation even under the harshest climatic conditions in Northern Scandinavia. Furthermore, we believe that Smartmile’s innovative open platform approach suits our KePol FLIP system just perfectly and we are looking forward to a long-term partnership,” commented Jürgen Kusper, CEO at KEBA Handover Automation.