15 December 2010 at 08:30 CET - Amsterdam, Paris – TNT Express and the French publishing company Spir Communication have signed a memorandum of understanding on a partnership in business-to-consumer (B2C) standard parcel deliveries. The two partners intend to quickly take a strong position in the fast-growing domestic French market for e-commerce and B2C deliveries.

Under the agreement, TNT Express will take a 50% stake in Adrexo Colis, the B2C standard parcels subsidiary of Spir Communication, pending approval by relevant authorities. Once finalised, the partnership will allow TNT Express France and Adrexo Colis to speed up the development of an offering of standard home parcel delivery services with 48/72 hour guarantee. The offering will be primarily aimed at merchant websites. It will build on the two companies’ strengths, such as:

The expertise of Adrexo Colis in guaranteed, domestic parcel deliveries to residential addresses (or service points) with full track and trace. Adrexo Colis delivered 22 million parcels and had revenues of €52.8 million in 2009. It employs 300 permanent staff and relies on a subcontracted network of 1,700 deliverers.
TNT Express France’s sales force of 450 people, who will market the new offering operated by Adrexo Colis throughout the country. This offering will complement TNT’s existing B2C express delivery services within 24 hours in France.
The density and performance of TNT’s transportation network in France (120 hubs, depots and sorting centers, 620 scheduled road connections, 14 daily air connections), which will strengthen the quality and coverage of Adrexo Colis’ service. Adrexo will only make use of TNT’s network in few places where its own network is not developed.
The French e-commerce market for products and services reached €25 billion in 2009, up 26% compared with 2008*. During the same year, the number of online stores rose 35% to 64,100. One French out of three regularly shops online.

* Source: 2009 e-commerce report, 2 February 2010, Fevad (French National E-commerce Federation) and the Office of the French Secretary of State for Commerce, Artisanal industry, Small and Medium-sized Businesses, Tourism, Services and Consumption.