BOX NOW plans to significantly expand its operations by 2027, targeting turnover of €150 million, up from around €100 million in 2026. It also aims to increase the number of parcels handled to 100 million, from an expected 65 million this year.
The business plan also provides for €18 million in investment in infrastructure, automation and service improvements. The company’s growth strategy and prospects were presented by Group CEO Dimitris Andriotis and BOX NOW Greece CEO Lefteris Papadimitriou.
Mr Andriotis said that, five years after beginning operations, BOX NOW was evolving into a regional last-mile logistics provider (last mile logistics). The company now operates in five south-eastern European countries: Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Bulgaria and Slovenia. It entered the Slovenian market last May, while the company made its first delivery on 29 October 2021.
€18 million investment programme focused on Greece
The group’s investment programme for 2027 totals €18 million, with more than half of that amount earmarked for the Greek market. Of this, around €2.8 million is intended for automation and infrastructure, with the aim of improving efficiency and parcel-handling safety.
Particular importance is attached to Greece’s role as the group’s administrative and operational centre. IT, sales, marketing and logistics operations for all the markets in which the company operates are coordinated from Athens.
The central team currently has 25 employees, with plans to grow to around 35 people in 2027.
How the company aims to improve deliveries
Executives also outlined measures to improve delivery quality. Refresher training for employees and partners is now conducted monthly rather than quarterly, while practical training for newly hired drivers and warehouse staff has increased from five to 15 working days.
According to the figures presented, incidents of damage account for just 0.05% of parcels handled. Meanwhile, 97.8% of deliveries are made within the promised timeframe, which in Greece is one day for the mainland and up to three days for the islands, from the time the parcel is collected from the online retailer.
In addition, the company says 93% of consumers rate its services 9 or 10 out of 10, based on more than two million reviews.
50% drop in parcels from Asian platforms
The head of BOX NOW also discussed the impact of new charges on imports of parcels from third countries, particularly China.
He noted that, since 1 June, the volume of shipments from Asian e-commerce platforms has fallen by around 50% in all the countries where the company operates. The impact on turnover, however, has been smaller.
In Greece, in particular, the fall in turnover attributed to these platforms was limited to around 10%, as some of the losses were offset by new partnerships and the growth of domestic online retailers.
BOX NOW now works with more than 12,000 business customers, reducing its reliance on individual platforms.
Greece as a regional logistics hub
Mr Andriotis stressed that BOX NOW’s presence in five countries creates new opportunities for Greek e-commerce businesses to expand abroad, giving them access to more markets through a single distribution network.
At the same time, through its parcel-sending service across Europe, Greek consumers can send parcels to around 28 European countries.
He noted that Greece has the potential to develop into a regional logistics hub, provided investment in ports, rail infrastructure and distribution centres is combined with efficient last-mile delivery networks.
BOX NOW’s further growth reflects the changes taking place in the courier market, as the expansion of e-commerce increases demand for speed, reliability and flexibility in deliveries. For the company, the challenge in the period ahead is to ensure that growth in parcel volumes is matched by a corresponding improvement in service quality.
Source: ANA-MPA