Global logistics service provider Aramex has invested in last mile mobile-based companies Grab.in and Logisure to strengthen its last-mile delivery service in the ecommerce segment in India.

The company has committed to invest Rs 20 crore in Zomato backed last-mile delivery company Grab a Grub, which does on-demand hyperlocal deliveries as well as first mile and reverse logistics across 10 cities. It works with Snapdeal, Zomato, McDonalds, Pantaloons and Grofers among others. The investment in Logisure, which has developed a platform for intelligent urban freight management, has not been disclosed.

“Ecommerce’s contributions to our overall revenue are on the rise,” Percy Avari, Country Manager for Aramex India, told. “Due to the rise of the Omni-channel shopping model, we believe customers will be soon looking for new and more delivery solutions, especially for same-day deliveries of ecommerce sales.”

Dubai-based Aramex is expanding its ecommerce footprint across West Asia, Asia and Africa. The investments in Grab and Logisure are part of its recently launched ‘Rapid Scaling-Up’ model that aims to leverage partnerships with mobile-based startups to improve last-mile delivery solutions.

As part of the initiative, the logistics company had also announced an investment of $2.94 million in a Series-B round of the UK-based what3words, which is creating a global grid of three word addresses. In India Aramex works with all major ecommerce marketplaces as well as shipping India-bound orders on Amazon.com.

For Grab, the Series-A round has seen participation from all of its existing investors.

Source: The Economic Times