The group earned a profit of 7 million euros in the first quarter, a 33-fold increase compared with the same period in 2020. The result was primarily impacted by the significant increase of e-commerce incomes in both Baltic parcel services and international business.

If in the year prior the parcel volumes that increased during the restrictions applied towards the end of the first quarter, then this year the volume grew by another 60%. This year’s volume growth is also affected by the fact that international parcel movement has resumed, which almost stopped during the first wave of the virus last year.

According to Omniva member of the management board Charlie Viikberg, the record positive result is due to the company’s capability to keep pace with the boosting demand. “This is the major effort of all employees, well-planned work and prior investments into the logistics centre and expanding the parcel machine network,” Viikberg said.

To cope with the record e-commerce volumes, the company expanded the parcel machines in light of growing parcel volumes, opened additional parcel points and hired additional workforce to ensure parcel delivery.

According to Viikberg, in addition to the consistently record-breaking parcel services, it is equally important to provide traditional postal services and to find synergies and new opportunities for delivering parcels, letters and newspapers.It is also essential to update the network used for providing postal services, to ensure it meets the clients’ expectations, preferences and changed manner of use.

“The current requirements for providing universal postal service and for the quality requirements were set before the parcel machines. At the same time, Estonia is the leader when it comes to parcel machine numbers and the clients prefer using contact-free services. We are constantly receiving requests from local governments and communities for installing parcel machines, proposals on how the postal network should consider the client’s preferences and modern technological options,” Viikberg said.

To modernise the postal service and test the automated service model suitable for smaller places, Eesti Post started the post machine pilot project in 12 Estonian settlements. The pilot project will also test the open network potential for expanding the businesses of local entrepreneurs, and using the machines as points from where the local mail carriers can retrieve the mail to deliver, to ensure faster delivery and shorter carrier rounds. 

An important milestone in the first quarter was the launch of the first parcel machine network operating with Omniva parcel machine software in Croatia. Cooperation with Croatia post is the first major step in exporting our technology.

In the first quarter, the company issued six postal stamps, including the heart-shaped Valentine’s Day stamp, cornflower stamp and Letipea lighthouse stamp.

At the beginning of the year, Omniva also organised the “A New Home for Teddy” campaign, during which families were able to donate toys which were collected and delivered to new owners via charity organisations.

We also launched a pilot project together with the start-up VokBikes, to test environmentally friendly electric bicycles adapted for goods delivery.

The main area of activity of AS Eesti Post is the provision of postal and logistics services and the handling of e-invoices. In addition to the parent company, the group includes subsidiaries and related companies. The principal activity of SIA Omniva and UAB Omniva LT is the provision of parcel machine and courier services in the Latvian and Lithuanian markets. The area of activity of AS Maksekeskus is the provision of payment solutions for e-commerce companies in the Baltic states. Finbite OÜ offers e-invoice and fintech solutions across the Baltic states. Post 11 offers online merchants international logistics solutions for delivering goods worldwide.

AS Eesti Post is a company owned by the state. The group employs 2300 people across the Baltic states, and turnover for 2020 was 135.6 million euros.

Source: Omniva