Creating a uniform brand across DPD Group's multiple van fleets
DPD Group is one of the fastest growing and innovative parcel delivery service providers in the world. Its businesses were previously a mix of uncoordinated brands across its operating network in several countries. After various acquisitions and mergers in the last 25 years, the time came for consolidation.
We first started working with DPD in the UK back in 2012. We helped it address major performance issues and material failures on its vehicle livery, which was the result of incorrect specifications. This branding issue was not good for the reputation of the business which was trying to increase its market share in the UK.
After successfully addressing these problems and supplying the correct vehicle graphics for the job along with accident damage replacement parts servicing, we began to help DPD's parent company (then branded GeoPost) with the project to bring clarity and unification to its European businesses.
We were on hand to provide our expertise in the development of a global material specification and rollout of the UK fleet rebrand project of DPD vans.
Maintaining brand standards in large fleet rebrands
Our initial involvement with DPD was to take over the supply and installation of its original livery. Not long after taking on the maintenance of the existing fleet branding, we became aware of the pending rebrand to the current DPD "box" design and started to assist in the early stages at a European level.
Key Objectives:
- Consultation on product specification & implementation options for a pan-European livery rollout
- Prototyping, technical design services and fleet audit assessments
- Manage the UK manufacture of new livery designs
- UK nationwide installation to company-owned, franchise-owned & owner driver vehicle assets
- Accident damage livery repairs to UK fleet to minimise critical vehicle off-road time
- Ensure ongoing consistency and brand presentation of all fleets
After successful implementation of the main DPD fleet rebrand and its ongoing management, attention turned to the next chapter of DPD's brand consolidation. Already a client of ours, Interlink Express — also owned by DPD Group — was next on the rebrand list. It became 'DPD Local' using a blue variant of the now familiar DPD "box" design.
Fleet sizes: DPD — over 4,500 | DPD Local — over 1,500
Effective planning & project management is key to livery rollout
In both projects, our design and technical teams were instrumental in working with both client and creative agency to develop practical and cost-effective liveries for all vehicles. A key part of this was specification. Our direct relationships with all the leading material suppliers and our access to global partners benefited the client in its material selection and wider implementation options.
We carried out significant prototyping and colour profiling to reach a final graphics specification, which provides full warranty cover. This was achievable only by our status as a manufacturer-approved converter and installer. From here, we moved on to the multi-site rebrand rollout phase.
With fleets of such a significant size, good planning and communication are critical. The vehicle mix (in type and age), spread across so many different locations and operating continuously brings many challenges to projects like this. Careful project management and collaboration with the client ensured the success of this vehicle fleet rebrand.
Our experience and resources helped us in managing the initial re-livery volumes and the continuous churn of new and old vehicles. Our online ordering and accident management service continue to keep the vehicle branding in top condition and vehicle downtime to a minimum. As one of the largest parcel delivery companies in the UK, this is highly important for DPD.
