Finnish postal operator Posti is setting up a pickup point network in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The network will have 1200 item pickup points and will eventually be the largest pickup point network in the Baltic countries.

Head of Posti’s parcel services and the service point network, Riku Kuusisto said, “We will introduce the pickup point concept, which has been tried and tested in Finland, in order to strengthen our parcel services in the Baltic countries.

“The pickup point network opens an excellent channel for Finnish companies and especially online stores to serve Baltic customers. Established at shops and kiosks, the new pickup points offer consumers generous opening hours and a convenient way of picking up parcels.”

Posti Group has been working in the Baltic countries for quite some time. In Estonia it already has 85 parcel pickup points under the name Itella Logistics since 2006, but this is a major expansion of the company’s network across the three countries.

The Finnish postal operator is building its network through partnerships with established retail companies, including the Topo centras chain in Lithuania, Aibe that works in Lithuania and Latvia, R-kiosk in Estonia, and Pastastacija in Latvia. R-kiosk in turn operates in Finland where it already has 112 Posti service in the country.

Posti said in a statement, “The first items were received from the new pickup points in January. The pickup point network will be further expanded in the Baltic countries with new partnerships.”

Regional operations among postal operators are a good move and benefits people in like cultures, while reducing the costs for customers who may engage in cross border regional trade. Given the European Commission’s interest in the digital single market, such moves by national postal operators may be a good jump before being pushed by regulation.