DHL has acquired the reverse logistics division of North Carolina-based Inmar Intelligence.

The division provides returns supply chain offerings for the retail ecommerce industry. The acquisition will make DHL the largest provider of reverse logistics in North America.

The acquisition will result in 14 return centres and around 800 employees joining DHL, expanding the company’s North American footprint which stands at more than 520 warehouses supported by 52,000 staff. Additionally, DHL will 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 ecommerce market and changing consumer behaviour, returns are an increasingly important touchpoint for retail customers, both in store and online. This acquisition will expand the value-added services available to DHL customers and create more delivery holistic options for complex supply chain needs.

“DHL’s market-leading logistics expertise and the addition of Inmar’s suite of returns services and its talented workforce will enable us to provide best-in-class logistics services to our industry customers,” said Oscar de Bok, global CEO of DHL Supply Chain. “Together, we will create a returns business in North America that is unmatched in its depth, breadth, capabilities and talent to fuel long-term growth.”

Patrick Kelleher, CEO of DHL Supply Chain in North America, added: “As companies strive to simplify their supply chain strategies and enhance their operational agility, DHL continues to innovate to provide comprehensive and integrated options. This acquisition strengthens our existing capabilities, allowing us to offer our customers a single source for their entire supply chain, including the critical and complex area of returns management. This enhances the value we deliver to our customers by streamlining their operations, reducing complexity and improving their overall supply chain efficiency.”

He said the growth opportunities the returns market brought would put DHL on the path to achieve 50% revenue growth by 2030 compared with 2023.

Spencer Baird, CEO of Inmar Intelligence (www.inmar.com), said: “Inmar and DHL share a deep commitment to customer-focused innovation. Because of that, we are confident DHL will build even greater things on top of the Inmar supply chain foundation we developed over time. As well, we are thrilled Inmar associates will have an even broader set of supply chain experiences available from which they can continue to learn and develop over time at DHL. For Inmar Intelligence, this deal sets the stage for us to apply an even deeper level of focus and investment into our core businesses that are expanding rapidly.”

Consumers expect retailers to provide a seamless returns process while retailers are faced with difficulties such as returns abuse and rising operational costs. Thus, the acquisition marks a logical step to foster DHL’s customer centric approach that involves collaboration, expertise and integration to solve supply chain problems.

The acquisition will also contribute to DHL’s goal of decarbonising its business by 2050. In the company’s recently announced Strategy 2030, sustainability is a priority, recognising its growing role as a differentiator in the logistics sector. Assisting global customers to become carbon neutral is crucial, and DHL (group.dhl.com) aims to achieve this by remaining a 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 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. This approach aligns with DHL’s commitment to make supply chains more sustainable.