Smartmile launches cool lockers in Finland
Parcel technology specialist Smartmile, automated material handling company Konecranes Agilon and Finnish retailer K Group are jointly launching the first robotic parcel machines with integrated cold storage in Finland.
The parcel machines allow customers to pick up their groceries and their online orders from one pick up point at any time of the day. This service is the first of its kind and will be initially available in two K-stores in Finland, one in Pajala (40 km north of Helsinki) and the other in Vantaa, close to the Finnish capital.
With this innovative solution customers can pick up their groceries and all their other parcels around the clock as the robotic parcel machines are installed outside for easy access. Consumers can order their weekly groceries to the parcel machine by using the K Group’s application for online grocery orders. When the order has been placed the groceries are collected and inserted to the parcel machine by the store personnel.
The solution has been created through the collaboration of three companies; an international growth company Smartmile that offers an innovative parcel service, a world-leading group of lifting businesses Konecranes, and one of the largest retail chains in Finland, K Group.
With Smartmile, customers can pick up, return, and send all their parcels from one location. Smartmile’s cloud-based software platform connects parcel machines of any type to any online buyer, courier and retailer.
Aku Happo, CEO of Smartmile, commented: “We wanted to revolutionize customer experience by making daily shopping as easy and convenient as possible. Together with our partners we created a solution that combines daily grocery shopping and picking up online orders. This saves the customers’ time and makes everyday life easier.”
Based on a completely new solution developed by Konecranes, the parcel machine combines storage at room and refrigerator temperatures. Groceries and parcels are stored in closed, temperature-controlled compartments until pick up. Frozen products are packed into packages that maintain the freezer temperature.
When customers pick up their purchases, the robot working inside the system delivers groceries and all other parcels to a pick-up point that fulfils all accessibility requirements.
Tapani Tilus, vice president and head of the Agilon business at Konecranes, explained: “We regard automating online grocery shopping as an attractive and constantly growing sector. We would like to thank K Group, retailers and Smartmile for their seamless cooperation, resulting in a completely new automated parcel machine that combines room-temperature and refrigerated compartments.”