PostNL Modernizes Parcel Notifications with Real-Time Kafka Platform

Challenges

• PostNL, the largest postal and logistics provider in the Netherlands, was still relying on a stack of legacy applications to track parcel statuses.
• These systems ensured delivery, but they could not send real-time notifications to customers or stakeholders, such as delivery personnel. 
• The fragmented system was also difficult to maintain and scale.
• PostNL partnered with integration consultancy AppyThings to find a solution that would centralize parcel tracking and notification services, handle the real-time processing of updates, and support future migration to their private AWS cloud infrastructure, all while being scalable, fault-tolerant, and secure.

Why PostNL Chose Axual

AppyThings and PostNL identified Axual as the ideal partner. Axual built PostNL a modern, event-driven architecture that could scale with growing parcel volumes and evolving operational needs: 

• A cloud-native, open-source-based Apache Kafka platform designed for high-volume, mission-critical applications. 
• Support for no-code self-service interfaces and API-based integrations aligned perfectly with PostNL’s automation goals.
• KSML (Kafka Streams Markup Language), a low-code Python-based framework for processing and transforming Kafka streams, handles transformation logic for parcel status events and enables real-time notifications to be sent to customers and delivery personnel.
• This combination provided PostNL with a modern, event-driven architecture that could scale with growing parcel volumes and evolving operational needs.

Results

Results at PostNL were immediate and impactful:

• 100+ million messages processed daily with no performance degradation
• Seamless real-time notifications triggered by parcel status changes
• Rapid implementation timeline, enabling faster time-to-value
• Confidence in the scalability and reliability of Axual Cloud and KSML
• PostNL is now in the process of migrating its Kafka platform to a private AWS cloud environment, ensuring long-term control and compliance.

What’s Next

PostNL is actively progressing toward a full-scale migration of the Axual Cloud instance to their private AWS cloud. With the foundation in place, the organization plans to:

• Expand real-time capabilities across additional logistical workflows
• Integrate more operational systems into the Kafka backbone
• Leverage low-code stream processing (KSML) to rapidly develop new use cases
• Deliver even more personalized customer experiences through real-time data

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