Parcel+Post Expo 2023 opens in less than two weeks (October 24, 25 & 26) at the RAI Amsterdam in the Netherlands. With more than 220 international exhibitors showcasing the latest, most innovative technologies ranging from sortation systems and robotics to planning software and last-mile delivery vehicles, this year’s event is shaping up to be the biggest and best yet.
Tried-and-tested features will once again be incorporated into this year’s event, including the PIP Startup Innovation Award Competition and the Parcel and Postal Technology International Awards, both taking place on Day 1. A special extended edition of the UPU World Leaders Forum will take place on Days 1 & 2, with the theme of ‘Across borders and beyond limits: Blueprints for lasting innovation’.
New features at the expo include the free-to-attend Parcel+Post Expo Innovation Forum, which will feature presentations from 50+ leading technology providers and innovators showcasing the latest technologies and solutions within the industry. Also new for this year is the connect2posts (c2p) event, taking place on Day 3.
If you haven’t already, register here for your free entry pass.
See the latest innovations from more than 220 exhibitors
Visitors to the expo – which will feature over 220 exhibitors – will be able to meet with the major parcel delivery industry technology suppliers, as well as some of the most exciting new startups, disruptors and young innovators, to discover the latest in robotics and automation, e-commerce fulfilment and intralogistics, plus autonomous and electric vehicle last-mile solutions. With more than 50 first-time exhibitors, new supply chain partners and business solutions await. Read the latest exhibitor news here.
Innovations on show include Enjoy Automation’s XL-Belt robot – an efficient solution for sorting objects up to 3m long and 1.2m wide and weighing up to 50kg. With adaptable handling and removable sides, it accommodates different package shapes while maximizing loading capacity. Independently controlled onboard conveyors enable swift static and dynamic loading/unloading operations, reducing time spent on these tasks.
Making its expo debut this year, Deed will be showing how its last-mile delivery operating systems combine all essential functionalities required by a delivery company into one user-friendly platform, resulting in streamlined operations and improved efficiency. The systems have been proved to reduce failed deliveries by over 40%, achieving substantial cost savings in delivery while minimizing in-house technology expenses. By eliminating the need for separate tools and hardware, Deed simplifies processes for drivers, delivery hubs and customers, ensuring a seamless and efficient delivery experience.
Vuf Bikes will be in Amsterdam this year to talk about its XXL transporter e-trike, which features the powerful Cyclee engine from Valeo and boasts a 150kg/1.5m3 carrying capacity with an excellent power-to-weight ratio. This special cargo bike is ideal for transporting big and small parcels and heavy loads. It can negotiate parking ramps and 18% slopes, even when fully loaded. The same 70° angle for the head tube and seat makes it comfortable for users from 1.6m-1.9m tall.
Elsewhere, Arka will present the future of secure storage with its AK 500 EKO solar-powered autonomous battery locker. Equipped with a global system for mobile communication (GSM) module supporting 4G connectivity and GPS, the locker offers seamless communication and real-time tracking. The company has incorporated features such as a QR scanner, LED light system and keypad into the locker, and will soon also offer a touchscreen monitor.
VaultGroup, one of Africa’s largest electronic locker suppliers, offers an all-encompassing hardware and software solution for various smart locker applications and will be at Parcel+Post Expo to showcase its PopVault lockers.
With PopVault there is an opportunity to create an added revenue stream while offering a value-added service to customers by displaying digital advertising on the LED locker doors. Users also benefit from the full functionality of a traditional electronic smart locker.
CONFERENCES AT A GLANCE …
UPU World Leaders Forum
The theme for the 2023 UPU World Leaders Forum is ‘Across borders and beyond limits: Blueprints for lasting innovation’. During this special extended edition of the UPU World Leaders Forum, CEOs from national postal operators and the wider postal sector will come together to define and align their common business goals across four dimensions: logistics and cross-border e-commerce, diversification strategies, trust and security, and sustainability. Experts will gather to discuss how to emulate these successful models and advance interconnection between developing and developed national postal operators and private-sector players, via the Universal Postal Union’s global ecosystem.
This year’s UPU World Leaders Forum gives delegates the chance to hear from the following CEOs and industry-leading experts: Charles Brewer, CEO at Pos Malaysia; H.E. Eng. Anef Abanomai, president of Saudi Post; Isaac Gnamba-Yao, CEO at La Poste Côte d’Ivoire; Assel Zhanassova, chairwoman of the board at Kazpost; Hanna Arayaselassie, CEO at Ethiopian Post; Abdulla M Alashram, group CEO at Emirates Post Group; João Bento, CEO of CTT Portugal Post; Sharif Farouk, chairman of Egypt Post; Marsha Price, Postmaster General, Belize Postal Services; Brody Buhler, CEO at Escher Group; Anneli Aljas, CEO at Eurora; Andreas Thöni, EVP group strategy, digital and innovation, at Austria Post; Dr Fadi Albuhairan, deputy CEO at Saudi Post (SPL) and acting CEO at Naqel; Colin Campbell, SVP of sustainability at Posten Norge; Nermin Hassan, head of the international cooperation sector at Egypt Post and chairperson of the Postal Union for the Mediterranean (PUMed); and Elena Fernández-Rodríguez, deputy director for international affairs and sustainability at Correos and chairperson of the board of directors at PostEurop.
Innovation Forum
Three full days of technology-focused and innovative presentations from industry-leading exhibitors at the Parcel+Post Expo Innovation Forum! Taking place alongside the UPU World Leaders Forum is the free-to-attend Parcel+Post Expo Innovation Forum, which will feature 50+ presentations from leading technology providers and innovators showcasing the latest technologies and solutions within the industry! Visit the website to register for your FREE pass and to view the speaker line-up.
Connect2posts
Also new for this year is the connect2posts (c2p) event (free to attend, open to anyone), taking place on Day 3. c2p members – including postal and logistics companies, industry partners and other stakeholders – will gather in the Startup Zone to network, exchange knowledge and collaborate throughout the day. During the c2p day, innovation leaders from postal and logistics companies will share insights into current trends, business needs, challenges and strategies. They will explain the needs and challenges they currently face, how they want to engage with startups and what the cornerstones of successful cooperation are.
In the pitching sessions, the startups will present their solutions and technologies to leaders within postal and logistics companies and will receive direct feedback from the industry in a moderated question-and-answer format. Participants will also get the opportunity to network in facilitated networking and matchmaking sessions (Only startups that are c2p members will be able to join the matchmaking sessions) and identify opportunities for collaboration.
PIP Startup Innovation Award Competition
This year, 25 startups will pitch their solutions and technologies for the parcel and postal sector – live at the event. The annual PIP Startup Innovation Award Competition will bring together innovation and strategy leaders from postal and logistics companies to select the winning startups in the following three categories: First & Last Mile; Processes, Digital & Data; and E-commerce, Retail & Cross-Border. From these three winners, the judges will select one startup as the most outstanding solution or technology.
Parcel and Postal Technology International Awards 2023
The Parcel and Postal Technology International Awards, now in their 15th year, recognize and reward the latest achievements and developments in the postal sector. The awards cover various areas of the industry, and the categories comprise: Service Provider of the Year, Supplier of the Year, Business Diversification of the Year, Last-Mile Delivery Innovation of the Year, Transport Innovation of the Year, Environmental Achievement of the Year, Sorting and Fulfillment Technology of the Year, and Packaging Innovation of the Year.
This year’s finalists have now been announced! Shortlisted entries are:
The 2023 shortlist
Business Diversification of the Year
Kazpost – Diversification of the product line
Geomain Inc – Universal Digital ID
Modern Expo – Loko App parcel locker software
Qatar Post – Lost & Found Service during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Tiramizoo – Diverse SaaS-platform for the last mile
Cainiao Group – Regional EHubs for global connectivity
Last-Mile Delivery Innovation of the Year
Cleveron – Cleveron 354 with 24/7 online capabilities
Parcel Pending by Quadient – the Drop Box
VaultGroup – PopVault LED electronic smart locker
Scurri Track Plus – post-purchase experience software
ARKA – AK 500 EKO Solar Powered Autonomous Battery Locker
Mily Technologies – Out-of-Home Delivery Analytics
Transport Innovation of the Year
SEW – Truck Tower, with more parking spaces for trucks and trailers
CEVA Logistics and Toyota Motor Europe – hydrogen truck trial
Royal Mail – launch of fully electric drone deliveries in Orkney
DPD – deployment of mobile EV charging solution with OnCharge Energy
Clevon – launch of Europe’s first autonomous delivery robots on public roads
VUF Bikes – VUF XXL Valeo Transporter E-trike for large parcels
Environmental Achievement of the Year
PostNord – Green Corridors initiative
DHL Express UK & Ireland – Sustainable Aviation Fuel deals
Bpost – Sustainable sending service
Team Global Express (TGE) – Project Cobra, Australia’s largest trial of electric trucks
SICK – Monitoring Box FTMg Premium, compressed air monitoring (warehouse)
Kyburz Switzerland – New battery made partly from recycled material
Sorting and Fulfillment Technology of the Year
PostNord – Digital Twin – Sorting Terminal
Vanderlande – Auto Induct, robotic singulation solution
Cainiao Group – RFID tags and IATA One Record platform
Wayzim – Algorithm based on a deep learning network and RGB-D camera positioning
SICK – Pallet Classification System
Packaging Innovation of the Year
CMC – CMC Hybrid Advance right-size packaging solution
SwipBox – Intelligent labeling to enable circular packaging
Nova Poshta – Packaging service at parcel lockers
Swiss Post – Acquisition of sustainable packaging company Kickbag
Sparck Technologies – CVP Everest support for ultra-slim boxes
Macfarlane Packaging – Rapid box assembly system
Service Provider of the Year
Correos Spain – Supporting Rural Development initiative
Cainiao Group – DHL Group partnership to launch largest out-of-home (OOH) delivery network in Poland
Qatar Post – Digital transformation and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 initiatives
Omniva – Streamlining operations and upgrades to private customer platform my.Omniva
Bpost – Launch of free sustainable sending service
Kazpost – Diversification of the product line
Supplier of the Year
Bloq.it – Deployment of a Smart Locker network for Vinted Go
Vanderlande – New projects and installations in North America, Europe and Asia
Anansi – Goods-in-Transit Insurance
Modern Expo – Launch of Loko App software and Conveniq locker
Scurri – Scurri Track Plus post-purchase experience software
FarEye – Grow self-serve merchant portal
Award winners will be announced at Parcel+Post Expo 2023 on October 24. Full coverage of the awards will be included in the December 2023 issue of Parcel and Postal Technology International magazine.