Package deal: Evri to merge with DHL ecommerce arm
Parcel delivery company Evri is set to merge with DHL eCommerce UK, the e-commerce logistics specialist of DHL Group, in yet another example of consolidation in the sector.
The merged Evri business is set to deliver over a billion parcels and a further billion business letters annually, with 30,000 couriers and 12,000 office staff, DHL said.
As part of the deal DHL Group will acquire a “significant” minority stake in the combined new Evri Group.
“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,” Martijn de Lange, CEO of Evri, said.
“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,” de Lange said.
Evri reported £1.68bn in revenue last year, up from £1.46bn the year before, boosted by high demand for fast e-commerce shipping as online ordering continues to grow.
Evri, which ranked bottom in Ofcom’s latest customer satisfaction survey, was acquired by private equity firm Apollo from Advent International in 2024 for £2.7bn.
Advent bought the parcel firm in 2020 (then called Hermes), acquiring its UK operations from German mail-order company Otto.
More parcels and quicker shipping
The new group will leverage DHL eCommerce’s network for faster global transit, it said, with Europe, the US and selected Asian markets – including India – to benefit.
Pablo Ciano, CEO of DHL eCommerce, said: “DHL eCommerce and Evri both stand for top service quality, reliability, and sustainability, which makes this partnership a great fit for our customers.
“Together, we’ll be able to offer more efficient, far-reaching, and innovative solutions to keep up with the fast-paced e-commerce market. By joining forces in the UK, we’re creating a one-stop shop for all our customers’ parcel needs here and giving them better delivery options from around the world.”
The Evri-DHL tie-up is the latest merger in a sector which has seen significant activity recently.
In April, Poland-based InPost acquired competitor Yodel to become UK’s third-largest delivery firm.
InPost said the deal would its market share to eight per cent, and rapidly increasing its capacity to more than 300 million parcels annually.
Royal Mail’s parent company, International Distribution Services, was acquired by Daniel Kretinsky’s EP Group in April for £3.6bn.
The UK’s second-biggest parcel delivery company, DPD, acquired same-day delivery firm Citysprint in 2022, and final mile courier company Absolutely in 2023.