Durham, N.C. – With the rapid increase of e-commerce and rising expectations for expedited delivery, many college and university mailroom operations face logistical and physical obstacles to accepting and storing parcels until they are picked up. One solution that has been well received in Europe is intelligent parcel terminals, also known as smart lockers. 

Bell and Howell has partnered with Estonian technology company Cleveron to introduce convenient and accessible smart locker solutions to college housing, e-commerce, and retail and logistics operations throughout North America. The company is a Bronze Level Sponsor of the College and University Print Management Association of Canada’s 49th Annual Conference (June 26-29 in Waterloo, Ontario), and will exhibit in Booth 149 at the Association of College and University Housing Officers – International’s Annual Conference & Exposition (July 9-12 in Seattle).  

The annual CUPMAC conference is an opportunity for print managers and staff from post-secondary institutions across Canada to gain and share knowledge through participation in workshops, meetings and informal networking among members and with conference sponsors.

ACUHO-I's Annual Conference & Exposition brings together campus housing professionals from around the globe for four days of invigorating speakers, engaging educational sessions, and invaluable networking opportunities.

Bell and Howell is the exclusive distributor of Cleveron parcel systems, including PackRobot and CleverBox intelligent parcel terminals, in North America and will feature live demonstrations of CleverBox at both events. Mailroom staff can place parcels in PackRobot or CleverBox, and notify recipients that their parcels can be picked up at any time – day or night – by manually entering a code into the terminal or scanning an electronic barcode from their smartphone screen. 

The versatile PackRobot features numerous benefits:

• Environmentally hardened design with internal climate control allows for use indoors and outdoors
• Efficient use of available space, with a dynamic storage system that holds up to 500 variable-sized parcels within a small footprint
• With a touch-free user interface, integrated smartphone app and high-speed lift, recipients can retrieve a parcel in as little as 10 seconds
• Every parcel is photographed, automatically weighed and measured to ensure the right package is delivered to the right recipient 

CleverBox is designed with e-commerce in mind, with state-of-the art features:

• Unique drawer slots to allow for maximized capacity per square-meter footprint
• A modular column design that provides highly usable flexibility and configuration adjustments
• Improved ergonomics to meet requirements for users with disabilities
• Clean lines and simple design easily fit into modern commercial interiors
• Flexible software platform designed for straightforward integration into logistics systems

“We are in discussions with a number colleges and universities about implementing smart lockers that can free up cramped mailroom space and provide a secure, automated means of parcel pickup in a convenient central location,” says Bell and Howell CEO Ramesh Ratan. “It’s a win-win for mailroom operations and for students and staff, who can’t always make it to the campus post office during regular hours.”