The “new reality” has become the driver of the e-commerce market’s rapid development. During the three months of spring this year, online sales have reached levels experts had predicted reaching in three years. Lockdowns and shopping center closures pushed consumers to buy their food, household products, and cosmetics on online platforms.
Due to the nature of the spread and transmission of the COVID-19 virus, the World Health Organization has recommended limiting personal interactions. The measures introduced have stimulated an increase in the demand for online banking and contactless delivery for online purchases. Following sanitary and epidemiological requirements, consumers have increasingly chosen to receive their goods via innovative, automated postal stations.
Such special postal stations or pedestals first appeared in Germany in 2001 as a result of cooperation between an Austrian automation company and a German courier service. Today, post offices are used for small parcels in Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Russia and beyond.
To help modernize postal services across the Baltic region, the AsstrA corporate group handled the last-mile delivery of 150 automated postal stations and associated components. The number of automated postal stations will increase in Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.
“A client in China made the request for the delivery of postal stations from the Polish boider city of Malaszewice to all three Baltic countries. The Chinese railway lines delivered two consignments from the Chinese city of Wuhan to the European Union border. In Malaszewice, the AsstrA team organized the transshipment of goods to 25 container ships and delivery to their final destinations” says Vladislav Martin, Trade Lane Manager China - EU at AsstrA.
AsstrA-Associated Traffic AG specialists prepared certificates of conformity and remotely organized customs clearance of the consignments to Lithuania and Latvia.
“The recipient was the Estonian national postal operator. When a governmental organization is involved, the “sender - logistics provider - receiver” supply chain requires impeccable accuracy and punctuality. Thanks to our 25 years of experience working with both private and state-owned companies, AsstrA experts understand how to serve demanding customers like this,” adds Vladislav Martin.