In Ghent, people can now send and collect parcels day and night via the country’s largest parcel locker. The record is now held by a bpost bbox weighing 4 tonnes, measuring 13 metres in length and featuring 244 lockers. The record-breaking parcel locker was officially inaugurated by the Mayor of Ghent, Mathias De Clercq.
To make 24/7 parcel collection and sending easier than ever, bpost is once again stepping up its roll-out this year, with more than a thousand additional bpost bboxes to be installed nationwide. By the end of the year, the total number should reach 3,500 units. bpost aims to have a bbox within five minutes of every resident. This expansion is necessary, as the use of bbox parcel lockers in Belgium has increased by 62% over the past 12 months. Returning or sending parcels via bbox is also becoming increasingly popular, with a 42% rise over the same period.
The latest addition to this network is the bbox that was put into operation today in Ghent. It is the largest parcel locker in the country, across all parcel delivery companies. The bbox consists of 26 modules with space for 244 parcels and is located in Klipperstraat in Ghent, next to the bpost distribution centre.
Mathias De Clercq, Mayor of Ghent: “This is a great day for Ghent and for our residents. Especially for this densely populated neighbourhood, where many people already live and where thousands more residents will be added, such a bbox is a major asset. It is great that bpost considers it important to have pickup points close to all our city residents.”
In addition to its size, the wide range of locker formats is also noteworthy. Alongside the smallest lockers, the bbox also features three XL lockers. These can accommodate items up to 175 cm in height, which is particularly useful for deliveries of technical equipment for businesses.
Laurens Himpe, Chief Automated Parcel Officer at bpost: “We are pleased that cities and municipalities increasingly see bpost as a reliable partner that puts citizens at the heart of its approach. We do so whenever we offer logistical services or roll out infrastructure, such as our bboxes or bbox boutiques. Here in Ghent, we are taking an important step by working together with the city to reflect on the future of parcel logistics in its neighbourhoods.”
Source: bnode