As part of the deal, 14 return centers and approximately 800 associates will join DHL Supply Chain’s North American operations, which already include over 520 warehouses and a workforce of 52,000. The acquisition enhances DHL’s reverse logistics capabilities, including product remarketing, recall management, and supply chain performance analytics. However, Inmar Intelligence will retain its pharmaceutical reverse distribution business.
The acquisition highlights the increasing relevance of reverse logistics in response to the growth of e-commerce. Returns management has become a key component of retail operations, both in physical stores and online. The enhanced services are designed to offer customers more integrated and efficient solutions for managing returns.
“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,” commented DHL Supply Chain Global CEO Oscar de Bok.
Patrick Kelleher, CEO of DHL Supply Chain North America, emphasized the strategic benefits, noting,
“This acquisition strengthens our existing capabilities, allowing us to offer our customers a single-source solution for their entire supply chain, including the critical and complex area of returns management.”
In addition to operational enhancements, the acquisition supports DHL Group’s broader sustainability goals. Reverse logistics, particularly through recommerce initiatives, can significantly reduce waste generated from consumer returns. Inmar’s approach has already diverted 99% of consumer returns from landfills, aligning with DHL’s commitment to decarbonize its operations by 2050.