DPDgroup

Before DPDgroup: the creation of an express transport network within Le Groupe La Poste

DPD delivery van in Germany

DPD delivery van in the United Kingdom

In the 1980s, Le Groupe La Poste originated its express transport activities with the creation of Chronopost in 1985.

In 1999, Le Groupe La Poste created GeoPost to consolidate its express transport and parcel delivery businesses. In the 2000s, GeoPost carried out a series of acquisitions concerning transport operators in various European markets.

Geopost bought the UK-based Parceline and Ireland's Interlink parcel service in November 2000, for around $277 million.^[4] In 2008 it was rebranded as Dynamic Parcel Distribution.

In 2001, GeoPost became the main shareholder of DPD, a company created in 1977 in Aschaffenburg, West Germany (Deutscher Paketdienst until January 2008, then Dynamic Parcel Distribution).^[5] In the same year, GeoPost acquired the British company Parceline which was rebranded DPD in March 2008.

GeoPost then made successive acquisitions:

• In 2004, 40% of Seur Internacional, the number 1 private operator in Spain.
• In 2006, Exapaq (now DPD France).
• In 2009, Pickup Services, a company specialised in managing pick-up and drop-off points.
• In 2011, 75% of DPD Laser in South Africa and 35% of Lenton in Hong Kong.
• In 2013, 40% of DTDC, the second largest parcel delivery network in India.
• In 2014, Siodemka, the leading operator in the Polish market.

2015: creation of DPDgroup

In 2015, GeoPost combined its DPD, Chronopost and Seur brands under one umbrella: DPDgroup.^[6]

On this occasion, Exapaq became DPD France and the logo of Chronopost was modified to show it was part of DPDgroup.

In 2016, DPDgroup increased its equity investments within the DPD network - including taking 100% control of DPD in Germany - and acquired a 60% stake in JadLog (a Brazilian company).

In 2017, DPDgroup increased its stake in the Seur network to 87%, completed the acquisition of Stuart (a French company)^[7] and took a 37.5% stake in BRT (an Italian company).

Types of services

DPDgroup operates in the light-weight parcel delivery market (less than 31.5 kg), which is typically referred to as the “CEP” market (Courier, Express and Parcel).

The CEP market differs from courier services (that do not require a sorting centre) and from freight (that requires several people or equipment to handle the parcels).

DPDgroup operates in the different sub-segments of the CEP market, which are defined according to the following criteria:

• delivery time: DPDgroup operates in the standard or deferred parcel segment (without guaranteed delivery times, which ranges from 24 to 72 hours depending on the destination) and in the express parcel segment (guaranteed next-day delivery in the domestic market, and next-day to two-day delivery for international)
• geographic coverage: DPDgroup is specialised in domestic deliveries in the markets in which it is present (nationwide delivery), and in intra-European deliveries. It is also expanding in the intercontinental market.
• nature of the sender and recipient: DPDgroup covers parcel flows between businesses (BtoB), between consumers (CtoC), from business to consumer (BtoC) and from consumer to business (CtoB)

International presence

DPDgroup mainly operates in Europe, with a direct presence in 22 countries (via wholly owned or controlled subsidiaries)

• under the DPD brand (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia)
• under the Chronopost brand (in France and Portugal)
• under the Seur brand (in Spain)

The company also operates through stakes in companies or commercial partnerships in other European countries.

DPDgroup is also present in Brazil (60% stake in Jadlog).

Lastly, regarding international import and export flows, DPDgroup is positioning itself in the freight forwarding market through its Tigers subsidiary (72% owned), an international freight forwarder that operates in Asia (China), in Australia, in the United States and in Europe.

Management

In September 2001, the company became chaired by Paul-Marie Chavanne (CEO), also Executive Vice-President of Le Groupe La Poste.

Financial data

• Turnover: €6.8 billion (2017, +11% compared to 2016)^[8]
• Operating profit: €430 million (2017)

Operational data

• International: 78% of turnover from outside France (2017)
• BtoC: 37% of turnover and 39% of the volume (2017)
• BtoB: 63% of turnover and 61% of the volume (2017)
• Number of parcels delivered worldwide: 1.2 billion (2017)
• 7.5 million parcels delivered on peak day (18 December 2017)

Human resources data

• Staff: 38,000 employees (in full-time equivalent), including 32,000 out of France (in 2017).

Corporate social responsibility

In 2012, DPDgroup committed itself to carbon-neutral deliveries. CO2 emissions are gradually being reduced and offset, through support for renewable energy projects in multiple countries. In 2017, DPDgroup reduced its CO2 emissions generated by road transport by 10% per parcel compared to 2013.

Offset of the remaining transport emissions is made by purchasing carbon credits. DPDgroup appears in top position in ranking of companies in the CEP (Courier, Express, Parcel) sector in terms of voluntary offsetting.^[13] DPDgroup's investment accounts for almost 5% of the European voluntary carbon offset market.

For inner-city deliveries, DPDgroup is testing new solutions via a partnership with Altemobil (electric mobility) in Toulouse in 2016; electric vehicles and bicycles in Barcelona; an urban hub in Madrid;^[14] and 500 alternative-energy-powered vehicles (electricity or gas) in Bordeaux.

In February 2018, DPD faced widespread criticism in the UK due to the treatment of Don Lane, one of its couriers. Lane had previously been fined £150 by DPD UK for attending a medical appointment to treat his diabetes and ultimately collapsed and died of the disease. According to Lane's widow, he had missed appointments with specialists because he felt under pressure to cover his route. Frank Field MP, Chairman of the House of Commons' Work and Pensions Select Committee, said "DPD have been told time and again that their punitive regime is totally unjust, particularly as their workers are labelled ‘self-employed’. Such mistreatment of workers smacks of sweated labour from the Victorian era." In March 2018, DPD UK announced that they would be offering all of their UK workers the opportunity to be classed as employees, and that they would abolish the fines for missing work. Plans were announced in March 2018 to create a DPD Driver Code later in the year, and to introduce a "self-employed worker" contract, which will offer drivers an alternative to working as a direct employee of DPD UK or working with the company on a self-employed basis.^[15]