Escher : signs five year contract with DPDHL

8 September 2014

Escher Group Holdings plc

Escher signs five year contract with Deutsche Post DHL

Escher Group Holdings plc (AIM: ESCH, 'the Group'), a world-leading provider of digital point-of-service solutions to the postal industry, has secured a key contract with Deutsche Post DHL ("DPDHL") to supply Escher's innovative Enterprise Mobile solution to DPDHL's network of Paketshops in Germany. The five year subscription license agreement is based on a minimum of 15,000 mobile devices for DPDHL.

Escher's Enterprise Mobile solution, which encompasses Windows CE, Windows phone, Apple's IOS and Google's Android platforms is designed to support the rapidly growing ecommerce market. Escher has adapted its software to support transactions running on mobile devices used by posts and logistics companies.  E-commerce currently represents about 10% of all retail purchases in Germany and is expected to grow to 20% over the next decade*.

Deutsche Post DHL is the world's leading postal and logistics services group generating revenue of more than 55 billion euros in 2013. Using Escher's software will allow DPDHL to streamline its Paketshop network by introducing easier collection and delivery of parcels.  The agreement allows for further worldwide expansion.

DPDHL's Paketshops offer convenient and flexible options for consumers in the growing global e-commerce market. Paketshops are generally existing retail outlets offering parcel collection services and returns and other services provided through Escher's Riposte software.

Today the Group has also published its results for the six months to 30 June 2014.

Liam Church, CEO of Escher Group, said:

"This is a significant development for Escher as it clearly demonstrates that our core Riposte software platform has the flexibility to be utilised by our customers in the rapidly growing and evolving e-commerce market.

"DPDHL is a long standing Riposte customer and this innovative solution allows DPDHL to expand its network. The subscription based revenue model will spread the expected license revenues over a five year period."

* German E-commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association

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About Escher Group

Escher is a world leading developer and provider of outsourced, point-of-service software for use in the worldwide postal industry. Its core software, RiposteEssential™, enables post offices to expand upon their traditional offering, providing additional new services, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. Riposte® is a messaging middleware that enables applications operating on different computers to communicate with each other. The Riposte® software manages data, monitors the system status and communicates across the network. Escher Group operates across two divisions - a Retail Software Division and a Message Based Communications Division.

The Retail Software Solution (RiposteEssential™) serves the postal and courier markets. Transactions include mail and financial services and the system is integrated with utilities and financial services companies, banks and central and local governments.

Escher's Message Based Communications Division (RiposteTrEx™) is based on a digital post office box model and is designed to provide a national digital infrastructure linking governments, businesses and citizens via a secure platform.