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Swiss Post launches Switzerland’s first crypto stamp

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Swiss Post launches Switzerland’s first crypto stamp. Image: Swiss Post
Swiss Post launches Switzerland’s first crypto stamp. Image: Swiss Post
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On 25 November, Swiss Post is launching the Swiss Crypto Stamp – the first stamp of its kind in Switzerland. The crypto stamp consists of two parts. While it is a physical stamp worth 8.90 francs, every crypto stamp also has a related digital image. This digital image shows one of 13 possible designs, is stored in a blockchain and can be collected, exchanged and traded online. With the Swiss Crypto Stamp, Swiss Post is bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds in philately, too.

Swiss Post issues around 50 different new stamps each year. These stamps feature a wide variety of designs, are made from different materials and even come in various forms. On 25 November 2021, Swiss Post will launch a very different type of stamp, representing a milestone in Swiss stamp history – the Swiss Crypto Stamp, the first of its kind in Switzerland. The launch will enable Swiss Post to bridge the gap between the physical world of stamps and the digital crypto-universe.

At first glance, the Swiss Crypto Stamp looks like any ordinary stamp. It is self-adhesive, shows the Matterhorn and the moon on a blue background, and has a face value of 8.90 francs. Owners can use it to frank postal items just like any other stamp. But the actual crypto stamp is digital. and it is a digital collector’s item. Every physical Swiss Crypto Stamp provides access to a digital stamp stored in a blockchain.

Digital stamps for collecting, exchanging and trading

When purchasing a Swiss Crypto Stamp, customers don’t know which digital design is linked to it. Buyers only discover what the digital twin of their physical stamp looks like when they go online. This is accessed via a QR code printed next to the physical stamp. By scanning this code, customers can view their digital crypto stamp online. What is remarkable is that the digital crypto stamps come in 13 different designs. Some are more common, while others are much rarer and more coveted. There are 65,000 copies of the most common digital design, but just 50 of the rarest. One thing is clear: the Swiss Crypto Stamp means collecting, exchanging and trading stamps has gone digital, too.

The Swiss Crypto Stamp is being launched on 25 November 2021 in an issue of 175,000. Switzerland’s first crypto stamp will be available from this date at selected Swiss Post branches.

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Logistics & Supply Chain

DHL Group to acquire Turkish parcel delivery company MNG Kargo

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DHL Group to acquire Turkish parcel delivery company MNG Kargo. Image: DHL
DHL Group to acquire Turkish parcel delivery company MNG Kargo. Image: DHL
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DHL Group has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Turkish parcel delivery company MNG Kargo Yurtiçi ve Yurtdışı Taşımacılık A.Ş. and its subsidiaries. MNG Kargo is one of the leading parcel delivery companies in Turkey, where the parcel and e-commerce market is growing rapidly. In addition to securing a leading position in this strongly developing domestic parcel market, this acquisition will create additional synergies for DHL Group, and its customers will benefit from unique logistics offerings within Turkey as well as cross border through the collaboration of the various DHL divisions already present in Turkey.

“Alongside sustainability, globalization, and digitalization we identified e-commerce as a megatrend in logistics and therefore made it an area of focus in our DHL Group Strategy 2025 over the last years,” says Tobias Meyer, CEO DHL Group. “E-commerce remains one of the biggest growth drivers for logistics services and especially for parcel volumes. We, therefore, continuously work to expand our footprint in the e-commerce sector – whether through organic or inorganic growth. MNG Kargo complements our business portfolio and will help further to strengthen our position in this sector.”

For DHL eCommerce, the newly acquired parcel network, with 27 mid-mile sorting centers and over 800 last-mile branches in all relevant cities of Turkey, is a perfect addition to the European parcel delivery network and thus becomes part of the business unit. Mainly driven by a young, dynamic population with a high affinity for digital communication, the e-commerce market in Turkey is expected to see double-digit growth in the coming years – significantly higher than in the EU markets. By combining DHL eCommerce’s network and digital expertise with MNG Cargo’s local footprint, DHL Group will be perfectly situated to benefit from the enormous growth potential of the Turkish market.

“Our aspiration at DHL eCommerce is to provide our customers with reliable, affordable, and sustainable e-commerce delivery services,” says Pablo Ciano, CEO DHL eCommerce. “The backbone of this is our extensive network operated by us or through partnerships and our digital expertise and capabilities. The acquisition of MNG Kargo will strengthen our network and help us connect our customers with the Turkish market, and vice versa.”

Amongst others, Turkey benefits from manufacturers’ strive for a more resilient supply chain setup and already has an established strong manufacturing base, such as the e-commerce-driven textile industry. DHL Express inaugurated a new, state-of-the-art hub at Istanbul Airport in 2021, and only recently, DHL Global Forwarding announced it would be intensifying its cooperation with Turkish Cargo. Despite MNG Kargo becoming part of DHL eCommerce, all DHL divisions and their customers will profit from the synergies of the newly acquired company. MNG Kargo, in turn, will benefit from DHL Group’s international logistics expertise and extensive global network.

The transaction is subject to merger control clearance by the Turkish Competition Authority as well as approval of the Turkish Information and Communications Technologies Authority.

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Logistics & Supply Chain

GEODIS announces integration of GEODIS eLogistics and Happy Returns

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GEODIS announces integration of GEODIS eLogistics and Happy Returns. Image: Geodis
GEODIS announces integration of GEODIS eLogistics and Happy Returns. Image: Geodis
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GEODIS, a world leader in transport and logistics, announced the integration between GEODIS eLogistics, the company’s digitally centered, truly scalable e-Commerce distribution and fulfillment solution, and Happy Returns, a PayPal company and leading returns software and reverse logistics company, is now live. With this integration, GEODIS eLogistics retailers will now have additional ways to recognize the entire e-Commerce lifecycle and enable a seamless post-purchase returns process to enhance the overall customer experience.

Happy Returns, a PayPal company, provides end-to-end returns solutions for online merchants through a unique combination of returns software and reverse logistics. With Happy Returns, shoppers can easily initiate returns and exchanges and drop off box-free, label-free returns using its network of nearly 9,000 Return Bar locations nationwide. Merchants using Happy Returns can provide seamless, intelligent returns experiences that encourage shoppers to make exchanges and complete new orders during the returns process, which has helped enable brands to retain up to 50% of revenue1.

As part of its commitment to delivering exceptional reverse logistics solutions, GEODIS eLogistics has joined Happy Returns’ Preferred Partner Program as its inaugural Elite member. The custom integration provides GEODIS eLogistics retailers with visibility into the journey of each return, including status updates on Return Bar returns as they are dropped off, consolidated at a Happy Returns Hub and then shipped back to the merchant. Because return shipments are aggregated with Happy Returns, GEODIS eLogistics customers can efficiently track return shipments and streamline processing once the shipments are received.

“Joining forces with Happy Returns reflects a shared commitment to providing a more seamless reverse logistics process for retailers and shoppers alike,” said Michael Lamia, Senior Vice President of GEODIS MyParcel and GEODIS eLogistics. “We see the integration with Happy Returns as a major competitive advantage for our GEODIS eLogistics customers as it allows brands to balance cost and speed while saving money and retaining revenue. This collaboration is truly a win-win solution for both parties.”

“We are always thrilled to power easy returns for shoppers and remove a traditional friction point of the e-Commerce journey,” said Andrew Pease, Senior Director of Growth for Happy Returns. “Our integration with GEODIS eLogistics helps deliver an intuitive returns and reverse logistics solution to merchants that can help boost shopper satisfaction and optimize operations for merchant teams.”

The benefits of this strategic relationship provide GEODIS eLogistics customers with a simple, intelligent returns experience and greater visibility throughout the return journey. Additionally, Happy Returns aligns with GEODIS customer service goals by initiating immediate refunds to shoppers and the company’s sustainability goals by offering box-free, label-free returns that are then aggregated and shipped from the Return Bar in reusable totes to reduce cardboard waste compared to traditional mail returns.

In an e-Commerce landscape where a difficult returns process can negatively impact customer loyalty and repeat purchases, the convenience and security that this integration offers GEODIS eLogistics retailers is a major competitive advantage in strengthening brand loyalty in today’s marketplace.

Introduced in late 2021, GEODIS eLogistics is a digitally centered, truly scalable e-Commerce distribution and fulfillment solution for e-Commerce businesses. GEODIS eLogistics offers innovative, tailored-made and simple fulfillment solutions for brands. Leveraging its 80-year history with large, enterprise brands, GEODIS introduced this innovative e-Commerce solution to cater to small and medium-sized businesses as well as enterprise brands that may require a faster, more nimble e-Commerce fulfillment solution to support their unique needs in today’s dynamic environment. With four strategic nodes in Nashville, Indiana, California and New Jersey, GEODIS eLogistics provides two-day shipping to 91% of the U.S. mainland population using standard shipping services. GEODIS eLogistics facilities complement the company’s more than 230 sites across the U.S. alone.

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Logistics & Supply Chain

Hongkong Post and Geek+ to deploy first robotic package sortation system

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Hongkong Post and Geek+ to deploy first robotic package sortation system. Image: Geek+
Hongkong Post and Geek+ to deploy first robotic package sortation system. Image: Geek+
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Hongkong Post and Geek+ have teamed up to implement its first robotic package sorting system. Combining Geek+’s advanced sorting and moving solutions with the development blueprint of the Hongkong Post project team, the new technology promises to transform and streamline the package sorting process in order to improve the efficiency for mail handling.

Geek+’s proprietary sorting and moving robots enabled Hongkong Post to simplify the overall workflow and achieve a more efficient and accurate sorting process in comparison to the traditional manual sorting process which is more labour intensive. The sorting capacity of the robotic system can reach up to 1,000 packets per hour, enhancing efficiency and maximizing output.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Hongkong Post on this groundbreaking project,” said Billy Siu, Business Development Director of Hong Kong and Taiwan at Geek+. “Our smart robots are transforming the logistics industry, and we’re excited to see how they’re helping to streamline package sorting operations with adaption of robotics technology and improving overall efficiency.”

“The robotics system with smart technology assists in sorting mail packages to individual delivery points throughout the territory, enabling more efficient and flexible postal operation. We seek to leverage robotics technologies to meet the booming of eCommerce opportunities,” Clare CHIU, General Manager (Management Services) of Hongkong Post said.

Geek+ is a global leader in robotic solutions for logistics. The company develops Autonomous Mobile-Robot (AMR) solutions to realize flexible, reliable, and highly efficient automation for warehouses and supply chain management. Geek+ is trusted by over 700 global industry leaders and has been recognized as the world leader in autonomous mobile robots.

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