When you are an online retailer, you need a logistics company to send your parcels to the end customers. In Europe, there are several big ecommerce logistics companies, some of which deliver all across the continent. In this overview, you will find the most important ecommerce logistics companies in Europe.
Europe is home to several major ecommerce logistics companies that operate in many countries. These players are very interesting for online retailers that sell cross-border. But it’s not only important that you partner with a logistics company, it can also be very handy to use dedicated shipping software, as these solutions can you save lots of time and money.
List of European ecommerce logistics companies
Below you will find a list of major ecommerce logistics companies in Europe. This list isn’t complete, as there are hundreds of couriers, parcel service providers and logistics firms. But this list should give you a simple overview of some players that you may already know, that you want to know when you’re looking to start an online store somewhere in Europe or when you’re just looking for a company to take care of sending your parcel.
Deutsche Post/DHL Express/DHL Parcel
Deutsche Post DHL is the world’s biggest courier company. This German corporation has almost half a million employees all over the world. It has several divisions, of which DHL Express and DHL Parcel are the most important ones for online retailers. DHL Express delivers packages for business and private customers locally and worldwide, while DHL Parcel is responsible for package delivery on the road in the Benelux for both business as private customers.
DPD/DPDgroup/Geopost
DPD is another major express and parcel service provider that’s originally from Germany. In 2006, DPD became the international brand of GeoPost, the parcel and express subsidiary of Le Groupe (which acquired DPD in 2001). DPD, rebranded to DPDgroup in 2015, processes 3 million parcels every day and is said to be the second-largest international parcel delivery network in Europe.
FedEx/TNT Express
FedEx is an American company, which has a separate service for cross-border shipping. FedEx Cross Border (formerly Bongo International) has distribution centers in the United Kingdom and Belgium and offers solutions for online merchants looking to expand to international markets. In April 2015, FedEx acquired Dutch delivery company TNT Express. Back then, FedEx processed just 10 percent of its logistics in Europe. With the acquisition, FedEx becomes an important player in Europe.
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the biggest postal service provider in the United Kingdom. It owns parcel business General Logistics Systems (GLS), which has a huge parcel delivery network across Europe. UK Parcel, International and Letters, or UKPIL, is responsible for delivering within the UK.
GLS Parcel Service
This Amsterdam-based company offers shipping solutions both nationally and internationally in Europe and beyond. In Europe, GLS covers 41 states with its parcel services. It has several subsidiaries spread across Europe, but it also works with partner companies.
Hermes UK
Hermes is a major logistics player in the United Kingdom, where it handles more than 245 million parcels each year. In this country, it operates a network of over 10,000 couriers and 4,500 ParcelShops. Hermes UK is owned by the German company Hermes Logistiek Gruppe Deutschland.
Parcelhub
Parcelhub is a multi-carrier shipping and ecommerce customer services solution. It integrates with order management systems, providing hundreds of multichannel retailers, global brands, and wholesalers with one access point to many of the largest UK and international parcel carriers.
PostNL
PostNL is the major postal service provider in the Netherlands. It’s big within the country, but it also offers international mail and parcel solutions for businesses. Its service EU-Pack Special is meant especially for online retailers that often send parcels to European customers.
Mondial Relay
Mondial Relay is a French ecommerce shipping specialist that offers parcel delivery at home or in a parcel shop. It has over 5,300 of these so-called Points Relais in France, which lets customers pick up or drop their parcels.
Asendia
Asendia is a joint venture of La Poste (France) and Swiss Post, after these two combined their mail activities in 2013. It offers international mail and several cross-border ecommerce solutions and is active in twelve European countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
BRT Corriere Espresso
BRT Corriere Espresso is a leading express parcel company in Italy and distributes mail and parcels to consumers. It also delivers to customers in Europe through DPD and the courier network of EuroExpress.
Bpost
Bpost is the biggest mail and parcel delivery service in Belgium. It once was fully owned by the government, but in 2006, Post Danmark and CVC Capital Partners acquired 49.99 percent of the company’s shares. Almost two-thirds of its revenues come from domestic mail, while domestic and international parcels account for 14 percent. Under the new brand name Landmark Global, Bpost handles the international parcels.
UPS/Kiala
UPS is the largest package delivery company in the world. This American company is also active in Europe, where it offers import and export shipping in almost every country and domestic shipping in all major markets. In 2012, it acquired the Belgian company Kiala, which has a network of pick up points across Europe. Kiala is now part of UPS Access Point.
Direct Link
Direct Link is part of PostNord and offers cross-border ecommerce solutions. The company, which was founded in 1986, provides mail and parcel distribution worldwide and has offices in several countries, among them are Germany and the United Kingdom.
Omniva/Eesti Post
Omniva, previously called Eesti Post, is an Estonian post and logistics company that operates in the entire Baltic region and sends parcels to 23 European countries. The company is also responsible for the Post24 automatic parcel machines, ELS courier service, Kirjakeskus mail center, and eArvekeskus e-invoicing center. Traditional postal services now make up only one third of their business.
DB Schenker/DB SCHENKERparcel
DB Schenker is a German logistics company, part of Deutsche Bahn. It offers logistics services in over 130 countries worldwide. With DB SchenkerParcel it offers a solution for small shipments (<30kg). In March 2016, GLS started delivering parcels for the DB affiliate in Germany, while DB Schenker will transport part loads (pallets) for GLS in the future.
Heyworld
Heyworld is a 100% subsidiary of Lufthansa Cargo. The German logistics company, founded in 2019, focuses on cross-border ecommerce logistic solutions. Heyworld has five hubs in Europe and offers first and last-mile delivery, customs clearance, return solutions, and air transportation through the Lufthansa Group network.
Whistl
Whistl is a British delivery management company that provides mail, parcels, leaflet advertising, fulfilment and contact center services in the UK and internationally. Headquartered in Marlow, the Whistl group of companies operate across the UK, and handles over 3.6 billion items a year.
