Dive Brief:
- Parcel carrier GLS US has integrated its services with its parent company's European network, giving customers access to direct parcel delivery between the U.S. and Europe as of April 1, according to an announcement earlier this month.
- A single system ties together the various countries the carrier delivers to, allowing domestic customers to more easily access these markets through GLS US.
- "We're getting a lot of attention because there's folks who tried to access it in the past, and they just struggled because they are not very Europe-savvy, and they don't need to be anymore," GLS US President Steven Bergan told Supply Chain Dive.
Dive Insight:
Easy access to European markets could give GLS US an edge in a crowded market of FedEx and UPS alternatives, many of which focus only on domestic deliveries. The capability has already received early interest from shippers, with GLS US already shipping about 5,000 parcels daily into Europe, according to Bergan.
The integration offers speedy transit times from the U.S. to Europe by leveraging GLS Group's robust ground network. Depending on the shipment, Bergan said a pickup in California on Monday could be delivered as early as Thursday in countries like the U.K., Germany and the Netherlands.
"We're really looking at a four-to-six-day service, depending on distance," Bergan said.
GLS US has also been expanding its reach domestically, launching partnerships with other delivery providers like Better Trucks last year. The collaborations allow customers of the involved carriers to access additional coverage areas.
GLS US will offer coverage for every U.S. ZIP code by June by leveraging these partnerships and injecting deliveries into the U.S. Postal Service's network as needed, according to Bergan.
By tapping into partnerships and its international parent company's European network, GLS US has tossed aside the label of a carrier limited to servicing the western U.S.
"We're not really a regional player anymore," Bergan said. "We're putting on the mantle of what we really are, which is a global player."
