DHL Supply Chain has announced the acquisition of Inmar Supply Chain Solutions, a division of Inmar Intelligence and a leading returns solutions provider for the retail e-commerce industry. The strategic acquisition will make DHL Supply Chain the largest provider of reverse logistics solutions in North America.
The acquisition will result in 14 return centers and around 800 associates joining the DHL Supply Chain business expanding the company’s North American footprint which currently stands at over 520 warehouses supported by 52,000 associates. Additionally, DHL Supply Chain will now strengthen its returns capabilities to include product remarketing, recall management, and supply chain performance analytics. Inmar Intelligence will retain its pharmaceutical reverse distribution business.
In the light of a rapidly growing e-commerce market and changing consumer behaviour, returns are an increasingly important touchpoint for retail customers, both in store and online. These solutions will expand the value-added services available to DHL customers and create a more strategic delivery of holistic solutions for their most complex supply chain needs.
The acquisition of Inmar Supply Chain Solutions will also contribute to DHL’s strategic goal of decarbonising its business by 2050. In the company’s recently announced Strategy 2030, sustainability is a strategic priority, recognising its growing role as a key differentiator in the logistics sector. Assisting global customers to become carbon neutral is crucial, and DHL Group aims to achieve this by remaining the frontrunner in low-carbon logistics operations.
At the core of returns management is the need to drive sustainability, and Inmar’s technology-driven reverse logistics solutions are recognised across the industry for reducing cost and eliminating the waste generated from returned consumer goods. Emphasis is placed on re-commerce, which has diverted 99% of consumer returns from reaching a landfill; an approach that aligns with DHL’s commitment to make customers’ supply chains more sustainable, said a release.