Orlen Paczka, a parcel delivery service, is once again up for sale, with Allegro reportedly expressing interest at the last minute. Just over a year has passed since the first attempt to sell the company, which saw Poczta Polska and Orlen signing a preliminary agreement in late September last year. However, those plans fell through due to financial constraints.
Despite the setbacks, both Orlen and Poczta Polska remain committed to the sale, with Wojciech Balczun, the Minister of State Assets overseeing both companies, eager for the acquisition to proceed. Balczun believes that a successful transaction could lead to the establishment of a national logistics operator, which he considers vital for national security.
In recent weeks, Balczun has been pressing for the deal, emphasizing the need for Poczta Polska to regain a significant foothold in the courier services market. He stated, “I cannot envision a scenario where Orlen Paczka is not owned by Poczta Polska, which needs to re-emerge as a key player in the CEP (courier and express delivery) services sector. This is our goal and strategy, but negotiations are ongoing.”
Sources indicate that the government’s pressure on Orlen to sell its parcel business is significant. Some suggest that Balczun may be seeking a success story for the ministry, especially as Poczta Polska faces strong competition in courier services.
Last summer, Orlen had initially shown disinterest in acquiring a troubled investment from Grupa Azoty, only to later commit nearly 1.2 billion PLN to the project. This move was regarded as crucial for the rescue of Grupa Azoty.
As for the financial viability of the sale, Poczta Polska has reportedly improved its financial situation through restructuring, with a net profit of 103 million PLN in the first five months of this year. However, the company has not disclosed how it plans to finance the acquisition, which is estimated to be valued at over one billion PLN. Orlen has not revealed the exact worth of Orlen Paczka but has indicated that any buyer would need to secure substantial external funding to complete the purchase.
Allegro, the e-commerce giant, may be interested in Orlen Paczka, seeing it as an opportunity to expand its network of parcel collection points. The platform currently operates over 11,000 Allegro One Box machines and plans to increase this to over 12,000 by the end of 2026.
Allegro utilizes a network that includes around 40,000 parcel lockers and approximately 35,000 collection points, although many of these include machines from Orlen Paczka and InPost. Allegro has been negotiating with InPost to extend their collaboration until 2031, potentially lowering delivery costs.
Orlen Paczka features over 15,000 collection points, including 8,000 parcel lockers, and covers nearly all towns in Poland, ranging from large cities to smaller locales. This business segment has its roots in a press distribution company, Ruch, which Orlen acquired in 2020. However, Orlen’s leadership now views this investment as a misstep, with reported losses nearing one billion PLN associated with Ruch.
As negotiations continue, the future of Orlen Paczka remains uncertain, especially with Allegro’s last-minute interest and the pressures faced by Poczta Polska to secure funding for the acquisition.
