Hurricane Commerce, a member of the UPU Consultative Committee, was chosen as An Post’s data partner. With its specialized automated data solutions, Hurricane was able to support An Post in its transition to meet modern customs clearance challenges.
In an era where seamless cross-border e-commerce has become a necessity, An Post, Ireland's national postal service, took a bold step in 2020 to improve its data capabilities for customs clearance. Faced with evolving regulatory requirements such as Brexit, the Import Control System 2 (ICS2), and the United States’ STOP Act,An Post sought a trusted data partner to manage the increasing demand for accurate, real-time data.
After a rigorous selection process, Hurricane Commerce, a member of the UPU Consultative Committee, was chosen as An Post’s data partner. With its specialized automated data solutions, Hurricane was able to support An Post in its transition to meet modern customs clearance challenges.
Cyril McGrane, An Post’s Director of Pricing, International and QOS, emphasized the critical need for the right partner. “The number one requirement was to identify the right partner who we could trust to provide An Post and our customers with the best possible solution. Hurricane stood out due to their deep sector knowledge and the quality of their product, which was essential in providing real-time updates and utilizing advanced machine learning.”
This collaboration quickly evolved, with Hurricane’s technology enhancing inbound shipments to Irish Customs and later expanding to export operations. An Post, regarded as an early adopter in the postal sector, worked closely with Hurricane to build scalable solutions tailored to the complexities of
cross-border data flows.
The integration of Hurricane’s data solutions was not without challenges, particularly as postal customers adapted to new product description requirements and associated data such as Harmonized System (HS) codes. However, through a strong, collaborative approach, Hurricane was able to provide innovative, scalable technology that streamlined the entire customer journey.
Cyril McGrane praised Hurricane’s contribution: “Hurricane had the knowledge and expertise to deliver a product on time that An Post could never have built in-house. Over time, this product has continued to evolve, offering new capabilities across various aspects of our network.”
An Post’s innovative deployment of Hurricane’s technology now spans import, export and retail operations, including major post offices in Dublin, Limerick and Cork. This technology enables accurate data to be captured from the start of a parcel's journey, ensuring high service levels and customer satisfaction.
David Spottiswood, Co-Founder of Hurricane, highlighted the importance of this collaboration, saying, “An Post recognized early the critical need for complete, accurate and valid data. Their forward-thinking approach has set a standard for the postal sector.”
This successful partnership between Hurricane Commerce and An Post demonstrates how public and private collaboration can transform the postal industry, setting new standards in cross-border
e-commerce and customer satisfaction.
For more insights, listen to the Postal Hub Podcast interview with Cyril McGrane and David Spottiswood here.
Hurricane-An-Post-Case-Study-August-2024