Fortidia announced on 6 January 2026 the acquisition of ParcelValue with the aim of strengthening its Italian parcel shipping activities and extending coverage beyond national borders through a model that is more digital and lighter than traditional networks. The deal forms part of the group’s consolidation strategy. In Italy, Fortidia is already present with Mail Boxes Etc and operates a network of 3,200 centres in 57 countries, with more than 14,000 employees and 850,000 professional customers served worldwide.
Founded in 2011, ParcelValue is a company with its registered office in Chiasso, in Canton Ticino, operating as an independent broker specialising in express shipments for businesses, with a multi-carrier approach. Its commercial network in Italy is developed through seventeen entrepreneurs who operate without physical premises, while the company has also established a presence in France, led by Aurelio Balconi.
ParcelValue’s distinguishing feature is independent intermediation. Rather than offering the service of a single carrier, the platform allows companies to compare in real time the solutions and tariffs of different international and domestic couriers, selecting each time the most suitable option based on urgency, destination, weight and dimensions. The list of integrated carriers includes names such as Dhl, Ups, Fedex, Poste Italiane and Gls. For a pool of companies that often lack the volumes needed to negotiate direct terms, this model aims to turn into a standard process what normally requires commercial time and operational expertise: comparing offers, booking collections, producing documentation and managing exceptions.
The advantages that ParcelValue highlights in the market focus on cost transparency, shipment control and simplification of operational work. The company promotes an “all inclusive” pricing model, presented as a price that includes ancillary costs in order to reduce discrepancies between quotations and final charges, a sensitive issue in express shipping where surcharges can have a significant impact on final accounts. In terms of delivery control, the company offers proactive tracking with repeated checks throughout the day and multiple daily status controls, with the aim of identifying anomalies before they turn into complaints and unmanaged delays. This is complemented by a multi-level support offering, updated in 2025 with a dedicated project.
In 2025, ParcelValue focused part of its activities on innovation and customer service, in particular with the launch of Blue, a virtual agent based on generative artificial intelligence developed in collaboration with Responsa. Blue was designed as continuous support, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to handle repetitive requests, check shipment status, monitor support tickets and provide operational guidance, including on customs and documentation matters, leaving the human team to manage more complex cases.
The acquisition by Fortidia brings together two models that could prove complementary over time. On one side is the physical network of Mail Boxes Etc, based on service centres and proximity; on the other, a network of entrepreneurs without retail outlets and a digital platform for comparing and managing shipments autonomously. Paolo Fiorelli, chairman and chief executive officer of Fortidia, frames the transaction as a step towards “building a global reference platform in solutions for businesses”, with the aim of enriching the shipping offering and generating long-term value for customers and partners.
According to data from Agcom (Italian Communications Authority), in the twelve months to March 2025 revenues in the Italian parcel sector reached €6.858 billion, up 3.8%, with volumes of 1.144 billion consignments, an increase of 6% on the previous period. In the first quarter of 2025, parcel revenues amounted to €1.726 billion, up 4.6% compared with the first quarter of 2024, while the international component is reported to have grown by 8% in revenue terms. In a market driven by e-commerce and the growth of cross-border shipments, multi-carrier brokers aim to reduce complexity and cost variability for businesses, particularly in flows requiring customs expertise and exception management.
