Third party logistics (3PL) provider DHL Supply Chain today said it has acquired the reverse logistics specialist Inmar Supply Chain Solutions, a division of Inmar Intelligence that provides returns solutions for the retail e-commerce industry.
The move will add 14 return centers and around 800 associates to the DHL Supply Chain business, which currently stands at over 520 warehouses supported by 52,000 associates. That combined total will make DHL Supply Chain the largest provider of reverse logistics solutions in North America, the company said.
In addition, buying Inmar Supply Chain Solutions will bring several new capabilities to DHL Supply Chain’s catalog, adding product remarketing, recall management, and supply chain performance analytics.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Inmar Supply Chain Solutions’ parent company—Inmar Intelligence—will retain its pharmaceutical reverse distribution business.
From Inmar Intelligence’s point of view, selling off its Supply Chain Solutions division allows it to prioritize its two core business areas of healthcare and marketing technology (martech). “This divestiture reflects our commitment to investing in areas where we can deliver the greatest value,” said Spencer Baird, CEO of Inmar Intelligence. “By narrowing our focus, we’re accelerating innovation in AI-driven solutions throughout our Healthcare and Martech divisions, addressing the complex needs of our customers.”
In turn, DHL said it made the deal because returns are an increasingly important touchpoint for retail customers, both in store and online, in the light of a rapidly growing e-commerce market and changing consumer behavior. Specifically, consumers increasingly expect retailers to provide a seamless returns process while retailers are faced with new challenges such as returns abuse and rising operational costs, DHL said.
“The returns market is valued at over $989 billion but retailers continue to struggle with the evolving consumer behavior towards the process,” Kraig Foreman, President eCommerce for DHL Supply Chain, North America, said in a release. “By adding Inmar’s reverse logistics expertise, dedicated team of experts, and its technology-driven suite of returns services, DHL Supply Chain will be able to provide data-backed, innovative solutions that help returns to be a positive experience for consumers and protect profitability in a competitive marketplace for the retailer.”
