In the first half of 2017, Swiss Post generated a profit of CHF394m (US$411m), compared with CHF313m (US$326m) the year before, representing an 21% increase year-on-year. This was driven by improved results in the financial services market, ongoing efficiency measures, and the restructuring of its post office network.

While the post’s traditional businesses remain well-performing, it is also resolutely ‘future-facing’ with its growth strategy. The impressive range and innovative nature of the new products and services Swiss Post has launched in the past year, combined with its sound business performance, goes some way to explaining how it topped this competitive category.

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Dutch automation specialist Prime Vision has enjoyed a busy year, with the realization of several innovative projects and record growth. In terms of financials, the group recorded sales of €16.1m (US$19m) in 2016, a 56% increase over the €10.3m (US$12.2m) recorded in 2015. This was largely attributed to the installation of Prime’s next-generation MMS automation platform for DHL’s hub in Obertshausen, Germany.

“We spend a lot of time and resources in R&D to prepare our business for tomorrow; innovations are fuel for the future,” explains Eddy Thans, CEO of Prime Vision.

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Post Logistics is a service from An Post, in partnership with logistics firm DB Schenker, that enables Irish SMEs to easily export their goods to the rest of Europe.

Launched in November 2016, the pallet collection and delivery service enables Irish retailers to fulfil a B2B delivery function. The venture represents the first time An Post has diversified into the area of logistics for SMEs. It came about after research identified that a simple service to help Irish SMEs export goods, particularly in rural locations, would help grow Ireland’s economy.

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In a bid to simplify the parcel returns process for consumers, DPD Germany introduced a digital ‘Return’ button for its smartphone app in March 2017. When selected, the function creates a digital 2D label on the phone’s screen, which can then be scanned at the chosen DPD parcel shop, eliminating the need to print and fasten a physical label.

“DPD is convinced that the delivery of parcels should link up seamlessly with online shopping,” says Michael Knaupe, director customer experience and communications at DPD Germany.

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Fit Things developed the Slimbox and its app to easily make custom-sized cardboard boxes for shipping. The bespoke packaging increases the efficiency of sending parcels and makes e-commerce more environmentally friendly.

The starting point of Slimbox’s development was the founders’ family printing company, where finding a correctly-sized box was always a struggle. The father and son team of Kristof, Filip and Rik Roose, with the help of advisors including Peter Somers, Kristof Braem, Pieter Verbeke and Luc Roose, developed a machine that could automatically and quickly produce a cardboard box the correct size for a shipment.

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SingPost’s SAM is an omnichannel platform that offers consumers anytime, anywhere access to postal and other consumer services through a network of self-service kiosks, a web portal and a mobile app.

The project is the result of significant investments in technology by SingPost, aimed at delivering services that improve the customer experience, including shortening queues at post offices. SAM provides digital channels through which customers can buy stamps, weigh parcels, track mail, pay bills, make donations and conduct other transactions.

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Working in partnership with PostNL, Prime Vision and Genuin Engineering have developed an easy to install, scalable device to help improve the efficiency of the final manual sorting process as parcels leave the automated sorter. Projection Sorting reads the barcodes and addresses of multiple packages as they leave the final chute, and then beams the relevant roll cage number directly onto the packages, helping the handler to quickly place them in the corresponding roll cage or sorting container.

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France’s La Poste has had a busy year. Much of that has been spent transforming the business, helping it to achieve better profits and strong growth, fending off the competition and readying itself for further improvement. “Our aim is to reinvent the group,” confirms Nicolas Routier, deputy director general, corporate institutional strategy and regulation. “This is part of our plan, La Poste 2020: Conquering the Future.”

The group annual revenue increased by 4% to €23m (US$26m) in 2015, which was a 2.5% rise on a like-for-like basis.

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Why did French company Solystic triumph in this year’s Supplier of the Year category? One word: innovation. “We look at innovation as a way to bring a real, concrete value to our customers and partners,” says Maurizio Puppo, Solystic’s director of marketing and communications. “We always try to think creatively.” Solystic has many satisfied customers from the past 12 months, all happy to verify the company’s innovative approach. “We assist in lots of ways, but key is our ability to help others make the best use of their existing industrial assets,” says Puppo.

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Finland’s Posti Group launched the Home Services division in May 2016 to expand its last-mile services. A specific division was created to distance the new offering from the existing corporate structure. “Posti is a big corporate operation, so we wanted to establish a separate division, which followed a startup mode,” explains Petri Kokkonen, vice president of Posti’s Home Services division. “It is not part of the same corporate setup as Posti and does not follow the same processes, so we can get ideas to market much quicker.”

Home Services, very simply, is services for the home, offered to Posti customers, with bookings taken via the operator’s website.

Continue reading New Business Diversification of the Year: POSTI’S HOME SERVICES DIVISION at Parcel and Postal Technology International.