2021 was a year of rapid development for the company, Omniva management board chairman Mart Mägi said according to a company press release.

"We launched the automatic customs declaration system, expanded our package terminal network in the Baltics, and introduced the 'several packages in one locker' solution," Mägi highlighted. "We successfully managed package and mail volumes that increased several times during shopping holidays at the end of the year."

Omniva also managed to increase its profit and turnover while making investments and working to make the company's services more customer-friendly, he noted.

"Growing e-commerce had a positive effect on the volume of package services and increased revenue both in the Baltics and domestically," he said, adding that Omniva is optimistic about the new year.

The Omniva group's 2021 operating income totaled €148.7 million, marking an increase of 10 percent on year. The increase was affected primarily by the increase by €14 million in revenue from package services, including package services in Latvia seeing a 47 percent increase in revenue and package services revenues in Lithuania going up by 40 percent. The result was also affected by increased e-commerce revenues in all three Baltic countries, including global and local shopping holidays at the end of the year that saw increases in the group's domestic and international package service volumes. Almost 40 percent of Omniva's annual volume of registered domestic letters was sent in November and December. Estonia's local elections in October was likewise linked to an increase in the volume of direct mail.

Omniva's 2021 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) totaled €28.2 million, increasing by 36 percent on year. The group earned an operating profit of €16 million, up by 68 percent on year and significantly surpassing forecast results. Operating expenses totaled €132.7 million, up 5 percent on year.

Strategic changes

At the beginning of 2021, Omniva began restructuring with the aim of moving from a business area-based view to a unified solution for customers. The structural, financial accounting and other changes supporting the new strategy entered into force at the beginning of the second quarter, and Omniva confirmed the group's new vision, strategic goals for 2022-2026 and primary development directions at the end of the year.

Omniva also developed an automatic e-declaration solution for customers declaring packages not subject to customs duties (i.e. worth less than €150), as the VAT change for postal packages ordered from third countries entered into force in the EU on July 1, 2021.

Continuing COVID-related restrictions significantly boosted e-commerce ordering and increased Omniva's package volumes throughout the Baltics at the beginning of last year. As a result, the use of package terminals as a contactless outdoor channel of delivery continued to grow. The pandemic situation also had a strong impact on package volumes during the peak holiday period at the end of the year as well.

By the end of the year, the package terminal network expanded in 11 counties in Estonia. Omniva currently operates 286 package terminals throughout Estonia and 937 in total in the Baltics. The group also operates 265 post offices and services 1,470 mailboxes in Estonia.

AS Eesti Post is a company owned by the Estonian state, the main activity of which is the provision of postal and logistics services. Subsidiaries and related companies include SIA Omniva and UAB Omniva LT in Latvia and Lithuania, respectively, e-commerce payment solutions provider AS Maksekeskus, e-invoicing and fintech solutions provider Finbite OÜ and international e-commerce logistics solutions provider Post11. The group employs more than 2,500 people throughout the Baltics.

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