Bloq.it has announced its latest innovation with the launch of Next, a battery-powered smart locker that combines all the features of an electrical locker with the freedom and efficiency of deployment of a battery locker.
The locker offers a swappable battery system – batteries can last up to two years on a single charge and can be replaced in seconds, meaning the locker can operate virtually anywhere, either in sunlit or shaded areas, dense urban centres or remote populations.
Bloq.it CEO Miha Jagodic explained, “Next comes as a natural step for us as we knew we wanted to create a solution that offered our clients more flexibility, with the same capabilities.”
Bloq.it Next was engineered in-house by the company’s product team and is manufactured in Europe, ensuring high-quality construction that results in a reliable product, reducing maintenance costs. Being built geographically close to its main markets also bypasses all global supply-chain risks.
“All our solutions are carefully designed to answer the actual needs of the industry. We didn’t need to be the first battery-powered solution in the market, we wanted to provide the best one,” said Bruno Figueiredo, Bloq.it hardware product manager.
The locker’s concrete base enables deployment in under 15 minutes, removing the need for outdoor site preparation, eliminating transportation complications and reducing deployment costs up to 88%.
“We know that site preparation is one of our clients’ biggest pains as it delays expansion and complicates processes, so it was important for us to solve this,” said João Lopes, Bloq.it CRO. “With Next you simply need to select a location and place the locker. It’s that simple.”
The Next locker was launched today (June 5) at Deliver Europe 24, where attendees are able to see it first-hand and experience the battery-swap process.
Ricardo Carvalho, CTO at Bloq.it, said, “We see Bloq.it Next becoming the new industry-standard as it combines all the advantages of energy-driven smart lockers with the operational efficiency of off-grid smart lockers. You get the best of both worlds. We prioritized our partners’ user experience, empowering efficient operations for couriers, while making sure the solution is adaptable enough to provide a pleasant and customizable user experience to the final user.”
For more information about Next, visit bloq.it/next.
Read an exclusive interview with Miha Jagodic in the March 2024 issue of Parcel and Postal Technology International.
