Deutsche Post DHL plans to invest up to €150 million annually in personnel, automation and the expansion of its mail and parcel network in Germany to further improve its delivery quality, following a successful Christmas season in 2018.

“We were very well prepared for the 2018 holiday season as a result of quality improvements implemented last year,” said CEO Frank Appel. “The success of the peak season shows that our top-quality service is the critical factor, which is why we will continue to work hard on improving service and fulfilling our customer promise. This also responds to demands currently being voiced by lawmakers in Germany.”

A major component of the quality programme is the investment in employees. Last year, Deutsche Post DHL created some 5,000 new permanent, full-time jobs in mail and parcel operations in Germany. These are secured under collective labour agreements with remuneration significantly above the minimum wage. In 2019, the Group also plans to add at least another 5,000 jobs in this field to significantly improve the service quality on the last mile.