Pitney Bowes has expanded its regional delivery services to the Midwest, according to a March 18 announcement.
The added region means brands and retailers using the services will be able to reach 90% of the U.S. population within 1 to 3 days if the origin and destination are in the same region. The service leverages Pitney Bowes' sort centers as regional delivery hubs.
Pitney Bowes offers shippers a volume analysis to determine which parcels best fit with the regional service model, per the announcement.
The delivery provider first launched the service in 2022 in the Northeast, along with the Northern and Southern California regions. The following year, it expanded the service to the Southeast and Southwest regions.
The Midwest is a strong market for Pitney Bowes to extend its regional delivery services into, given the region's strength as an efficient entry point into Canada for cross-border shipments, Vijay Ramachandran, Pitney Bowes’ vice president of go-to-market enablement and experience, said in an interview with Supply Chain Dive.
It also features a significant population center in the Chicagoland area, where other delivery providers like OnTrac are pursuing growth in.
While Pitney Bowes already offers national shipping options, Ramachandran said the company has seen strong interest from its regional delivery service despite a competitive carrier environment. It provides fast shipping without the need for a customer to figure out the best regional carrier fit for multiple regions. By breaking up a national delivery model into chunks, users can expect highly consistent service, he added.
"Now we can say with certainty when exactly something is going to be delivered for 90% of the U.S. population," Ramachandran said.
