Omniva has launched a pilot project in Rae municipality in Estonia to test the installation of private Picapac parcel lockers at residential properties.
The pilot will allow residents and businesses in Peetri, Järveküla and Uuesalu to apply to have a Picapac locker installed next to private houses and terraced homes. A limited number of units will be deployed as part of the trial.
Martti Kuldma, CEO of Omniva, said consumer surveys and company data indicate strong demand for parcel lockers in Estonia, with proximity to home cited as the most important factor when choosing a locker location.
“Omniva’s goal is to bring its network significantly closer to every person. This year, we will begin installing smaller parcel machines in villages and small settlements across Estonia and will take a larger step toward expanding the network of Picapac private lockers designed for home use,” Kuldma reported.
Picapac lockers can be used to receive, return and send parcels. According to Omniva, the units are open to multiple service providers, including other parcel companies and food couriers.
Aleksei Kolesnikov, head of product for Picapac at Omniva, said the pilot aims to assess whether the solution could become a larger part of the company’s last-mile infrastructure in densely populated residential areas.
“Our aim is to test whether Picapac could become a large-scale part of Omniva’s last-mile infrastructure in densely populated residential areas,” Kolesnikov explained. “We want to assess demand in the area, expected usage levels, whether a dense Picapac network would increase Omniva’s operational efficiency, and whether it would be economically viable.”
Applications for the pilot opened on February 20. Omniva said it will contact selected applicants directly and make individual offers.
If the pilot is successful, the company plans to expand the Picapac network to other residential areas with high parcel volumes.
In related news, Bpost installs largest parcel locker facility in Belgium
