New parcel delivery ecosystem Lockars has announced its launch in the UK. The Lockars network will transform the way that packages are sent and received while solving some of the biggest issues that carriers, retailers and consumers face during the delivery journey.
Lockars is challenging the traditional way to deliver packages to urban and dense areas with innovative, convenient and environmental solutions. Carriers, retailers and customers can use the open network of lockers for collection, delivery and shipment from multiple locations installed across the UK.
The business plans to introduce a network of lockers across the country, which will be able to service 25 million people. Starting in London, with a roll-out of 1,000 lockers during 2021 and 10,000 planned in total for London, with a national total of 25,000 across the capitol and other major UK cities.
An industry first, Lockars’ revolutionary lockers are solar panelled. The resulting reduction in delivery vans, when fully deployed, will be of 14,500 - removing 6,000 from the streets of London alone. In turn, the corresponding decrease in CO2 particulates will be of 70%, compared to home deliveries.
Lockars then plans to expand its network into Europe starting in 2023, and will be supporting organisations in the sustainability sector via its Lockars Green Program.
Developed by leading executives in the carrier industry, the Lockars ecosystem allows access to any carrier or retailer, regardless of size, to benefit from its infrastructure. Parcel lockers in cities have been proven to significantly alleviate the impact that logistics and transport vehicles have on the environment and congestion. By consolidating last mile deliveries via a locker and removing all additional delivery attempts after failed journeys, fewer vehicles will be needed on the roads. This, as well as the lockers being powered by solar energy, result in the creation of a new ecosystem, which is a greener alternative to traditional delivery methods, and perfectly aligned with the Smart City movement.
The open network of connected lockers will help meet the growing demand for B2C deliveries, making it ultra-convenient for a modern consumer’s lifestyle while adhering to the new green agenda. With ecommerce growth driving an unprecedented increase in shipments and home deliveries, as well as costly and limited options for consumers, there is a huge demand to change the way parcels are received and returned.
Juan Sotolongo, CEO of Lockars, commented, “2021 is the time to innovate the way we deliver and receive parcels. With both the significant increase in home-based delivery and the need to reduce carbon emissions in cities, a new ecosystem is required. Our story started 20 years ago from working within the industry and studying the best approach which will benefit consumers, retailers and carriers. We anticipated the exponential growth in B2C parcel delivery that we are seeing today, but there were infrastructure problems in addressing the last mile deliveries, that being the cost of building a dense locker network is prohibitive for any single carrier. By building an open network, all parties can benefit from this infrastructure.”
“Lockars was born to address the many issues that carriers, consumers, city planners and retailers now face, such as unanswered doors, heavy traffic and failed journeys. We have reengineered parcel delivery, examining every detail to develop a system that benefits all parties. We are building urban infrastructures to solve a growing problem and a new world of home deliveries.”