The German operation of Hermes has increased its stake in same day delivery company Liefery. It originally bought a 28.5% stake in 2015 but has upped this to a majority holding of 67%.

Liefery works with 2500 couriers in more than 50 German cities. Hermes has been using this collaborative system to extend its range of parcel related services for commercial shippers. Hermes clients have been able to use the Liefery same day service as an additional delivery option right across the country.

Hermes has stated that the increased investment and stake in the same day delivery business is designed to help expand its offering and reach across Germany.
Franz-Joseph Miller, Chairman and founder of Liefery, said that the company sees “tremendous opportunities for the future” – especially in the food delivery sector.

Until this move by Hermes the Liefery network was focused around 50 metropolitan areas where the 2500 couriers worked around the clock, offering collection and delivery within 90 minutes of a defined time on the same day.

Online shops with the Liefery option can allow customers to have very fast collection and delivery, with the goods picked up at their nearest branches to the customer. Typically a courier will collect the goods at the shop counter in much the same way as the customer would should they walk through the door. Customers then get live tracking of the goods between the store and the goods’ destination.

Hermes is not the first major delivery player to invest heavily in a same day service. With current trends for online shopping to be as fast as bricks and mortar shopping, the Liefery deal by Hermes is not likely to be the last on the part of the big players.  
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