Evri announces multi-million pound acquisition of Irish customs clearance and logistics firm Coll-8

UK parcel delivery company, Evri, has announced the acquisition of Coll-8, an Irish customs clearance and logistics specialist.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, although a press release states that this is a multi-million pound move.

The aim is strengthen Evri’s end-to-end capabilities in the Republic of Ireland and wider European Union by integrating its parcel delivery services with Coll-8’s bespoke, digital customs clearance platform, which automates and streamlines cross-border trade.

Currently, while Evri can guarantee next-day delivery within the UK, deliveries into the Republic of Ireland can take up to five days. By leveraging Coll-8’s technology, it expects to reduce delivery times to two days, boosting its end-to-end service proposition with coverage across first mile, middle mile and customs clearance for international customers.

The deal closely follows a proposed merger between Evri and DHL eCommerce UK which will lead to the combined Evri business delivering over one billion parcels and a further one billion business letters annually.

Coll-8 has more than 500 drop2shop pickup and drop-off (PUDO) locations in the Republic of Ireland, many of which are at premises managed by BWG, Ireland's largest operator of convenience stores. These will complement Evri’s PUDO network that utilises third parties there.

Coll-8 was founded in 2021 by Dave Field and currently serves retailers and postal providers including Boots, THG, Boohoo, An Post, Holland & Barrett, and River Island which are all also Evri clients.

Martijn de Lange, CEO at Evri, says: “This landmark acquisition will significantly accelerate the speed of Evri’s parcel delivery and return times for our customers in the Republic of Ireland. We look forward to collaborating with Coll-8’s talented team to elevate our end-to-end service offering across the region, as their cutting-edge customs clearance platform will give Evri a seamless gateway into European markets. This transaction will be a win-win for our customers and clients.”

He adds: “This will make Evri the delivery solution of choice for both UK and Ireland and our first ever acquisition signals our intent to build on our significant organic growth which has seen us triple in size in a short space of time. Our new owners, Apollo Funds, have backed our plans and are investing to meet our target to deliver more than a billion parcels a year, bolstered by our recent landmark merger agreement with DHL eCommerce UK – and cement our position as a powerhouse of the parcel delivery sector.”

Field says: “When we launched, we wanted to offer brands and consumers a better, more cost-effective and more environmentally-friendly way of getting the very best out of the massive opportunities which e-commerce represents. I’m convinced that, together with Evri, we can now take our respective momentum to another level entirely. We have the combined experience, technology, the infrastructure and the ambition to succeed."

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Online delivery will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.