Category «Business»

Viable business models for city logistics: exploring the cost structure and revenue streams of fourteen European cases

A new paper examines the role of the business model in city logistics, explicitly focusing on cost structures and revenue streams. City logistics aims to manage urban goods movement while balancing environmental and societal impacts with economic development. The complexity of this field necessitates effective management, and scholars recognize the business model as a valuable …

Zedify stops: “This isn’t the end for cargo bike deliveries”

Zedify announced that their journey might be coming to an end. Cambridge-based cargobike delivery service company Outspoken Logistics—trading as Zedify—has been placed in administration with the appointed administrators hoping for a quick sale to protect 38 out of 139 jobs. In March 2023, Outspoken Logistics secured $6.4 million in funding from institutional and angel investors. …

The transition to zero emission transport faces substantial financial barriers

The shift to zero-emission mobility, driven by regulatory mandates in Europe and North America, presents opportunities and challenges. Europe, for example, aims for a 43% reduction in emissions from new vehicle sales by 2030 and 90% by 2040. However, financing the transition remains challenging due to the high upfront costs and the lack of large-scale …

Building Europe’s electric-truck charging infrastructure

Charging infrastructure has become a crucial aspect of electric trucking. Companies are vying to provide comprehensive solutions, but significant challenges related to vehicles, charging networks, and the electric grid still need to be addressed at scale. According to McKinsey, expanding electric trucks will necessitate a robust charging network in Europe, where an estimated 300,000 public …

Dutch cargo bike company Cycloon is laying off 440 employees

Dutch mail and parcel service Cycloon is laying off 440 employees as part of a reorganization. The cargo bike courier from Zwolle is discontinuing the delivery of parcels that do not fit through the mailbox. As a result, the company has announced the closure of sixteen bicycle courier branches and the central parcel sorting center, …

DHL eCommerce and Poste Italiane launch Locker Italia

DHL eCommerce and Poste Italiane are celebrating the launch of Locker Italia, a joint venture dedicated to creating a modern and convenient parcel locker network across Italy. This milestone marks one year since the two companies formed their strategic partnership in the Italian and international parcel market. The official launch event occurred on September 16 …

Frankfurt (D): the Gütertram is a tram used exclusively for parcel transport

Amazon is working with partners to use a tram to deliver parcels to the center of Frankfurt, where electric cargo bikes complete the delivery, creating a zero-tailpipe emission journey from the delivery station to the customer. In collaboration with partners, Amazon is launching a pilot project in Germany: the Gütertram – a tram used exclusively …

JD Ochama expanding in Paris (F)

Ochama, the European omni-channel retail brand of JD.com, has recently expanded its pickup point network in Paris, aiming to boost fulfillment efficiency across France. Using JD Logistics’ Paris-based warehouse, this expansion allows customers to pick up their orders as early as the day after placing them. In addition, Ochama now offers next-day home delivery for …

Dutch Budbee stops home deliveries

Budbee, part of Instabee, is making a bold move in the Netherlands by redefining parcel delivery: “We’re no longer doing home deliveries,” says General Manager Jørgen Höppener. The company aims to make parcel delivery both genuinely sustainable and profitable. Budbee plans to deliver parcels exclusively to its approximately 1,000 parcel lockers nationwide. This shift is …