Evri is merging with DHL eCommerce UK in a major deal that will create one of the biggest parcel delivery companies in the UK. The combined business will handle over a billion parcels and a billion letters a year, putting it closer to Royal Mail’s volumes.
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The deal gives Evri a big boost in both services and international reach. It also marks the first time Evri will offer a letter delivery service, thanks to DHL’s UK Mail operation becoming part of the group. DHL’s e-commerce arm will be rebranded as Evri Premium, a DHL eCommerce network, and will continue focusing on faster, more secure deliveries of high-value items like electronics.
“This merger brings together two highly complementary UK businesses,” said Evri CEO Martijn de Lange. “By combining Evri’s scale, innovation and DHL eCommerce’s best-in-class premium van network, we are creating the pre-eminent parcel delivery group in the UK.”
Evri delivers large volumes of lower-cost items like clothing using self-employed drivers, while DHL handles fewer but more valuable packages with its own fleet. Together, the companies will run a network of 15,000 pickup points and lockers across the country.
De Lange said the deal will help Evri grow even more in global e-commerce markets. “Over the last decade Evri has grown ten-fold in size and this transaction will further expand our access into the European and global e-commerce markets.”
DHL will take a minority stake in the combined group. Financial details weren’t shared. DHL Express and other parts of DHL’s UK business are not part of the deal.
Once the deal is approved, the new company will have 12,000 employees, more than 30,000 couriers and van drivers, and a fleet of over 8,000 vehicles. Stu Hill, CEO of DHL eCommerce UK, will stay on as Managing Director of the new Evri Premium business.
The merger still needs approval from UK regulators.
