Introduction. PostNL

The Dutch postal administration is possibly one of the main European mail companies that has undergone more changes and transformations in recent years, reflecting a rapidly changing postal business (More information, see article, also published in VARIABLE 3).

In May 2011, TNT Post (formerly TPG Post), was split into two independent companies; TNT Express, dedicated to the express business, and PostNL, the new postal company. PostNL also operates in Germany, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom, offering mail and parcel services, as well as e-commerce solutions.

Following the significant drop in mail volumes in the Netherlands, PostNL started, a major restructuring plan for the company in 2012. Between 2012 and 2013, PostNL closed almost all post offices in the country and replaced them with small post shops integrated into other commercial establishments, such as bookstores, tobacconists, supermarkets, etc. These new post offices are usually run by the establishment's own employees and offer all PostNL products and services. The only non-integrated post office is located in The Hague in the city centre (left image).

The new postal kiosks and the automaatpostzegels

Beginning in the early 2000's, the then TNT Post decided to stop selling single stamps at its counters and sale points in order to improve customer service and efficiency in its branches. Instead they offered booklets of ten stamps that customers could keep for use later or whenever. After several years with the change in postal habits the company has again considered the possibility of selling individual stamps via postal kiosks.
Apart from the 'traditional' stamp vending machines, this is not the first time that the Dutch postal administration has installed self-service equipment issuing variable value stamps. At different times, between 1989 to 2010, the company installed or tested various types of stamp vending machines and postal kiosks. Starting in late 2006, the former TNT Post launched various interesting trials which, in the following two years, led to the installation of a large number of postal kiosks from three different suppliers (Wincor Nixdorf, aCon and Gunebo) in post offices and supermarkets across the country. Changes in the postal company, the closure of post offices and / or the minimum success of some of these trials, ended with the gradual withdrawal of all equipment a few months or years after their installation.
More information: The new postal self-services of TNT Post (article). See also the dossier published in VARIABLE 3.

In 2017, PostNL has launched a new one-year trial with four 'Post & Go' kiosks, originally developed by the British company Intelligent AR, for Royal Mail.
(On this website and in VARIABLE issues, we have published dozens of articles on these machines and their issues in different countries).

The first machine was temporarily installed, as a demonstration of the technology, in the Filateliebeurs 2017. This national philatelic fair was held in January 28th/29th 2017, in the Dudok Arena hall, in Hilversum.

The new kiosk, with the logo of the Dutch postal administration and code NL01, was installed next to the PostNL philatelic stand.

During the first trial period, the kiosks used rolls of 1500 labels with two different designs, used on the issue of domestic and international stamps, respectively. On the left, the design features two Plebejus argus butterflies. On the right, one of the most representative flowers of the country, the tulip, being the variety Tulipa Jannekes Orange. This design already incorporates the symbol of international priority mail.

Both designs are by Frank Janse, Frank Grafisch Ontwerp, a Dutch graphic design studio that has already designed other philatelic products for PostNL. Self-adhesive thermal labels were manufactured by Walsall Security Printers. These labels have the same size and characteristics as the 'Post & Go' issues produced for other countries. The size is 56 x 25 mm. and has perforations resembling 'traditional' stamps.  Like the labels produced for Spanish Post, there is a pre-printed number on the back of each label, on the silicone paper, for inventory control. This number shows the number of labels remaining on the roll.

During the initial trial period, kiosks only offered two types of stamps or automaatpostzegels, sold individually or in strips of five. The machine prints the country name (Nederland) and the face value indicator (1, letters up to 20 g.). On the left, at right angles to the normal text we find the usual 'Post & Go' unique code for each stamp and, in the case of the stamps below, the 'Hilversum 2017' temporary imprint. The stamps for international mail, printed on labels with the 'tulips' design also include the text 'INTERNATIONAAL'.

The kiosks also print marks or sorting 'hooks', designated by two small right angles of varying length depending on the postage rate (domestic rate stamp, see upper left corner - international rate stamp, lower left corner). These indicators have been included on all stamps issued by Dutch Post since 2010. Postal sorting equipment can 'read' these marks and check if the weight and destination of the postal item match the stamp rate.

The stamp code is made up by four blocks. In the first block, 'B' indicates that it is a philatelic issue, '1' for the month of issue (January), 'NL' for the country where the issue was printed (The Netherlands), and '17' for the year of issue. The second block corresponds to the machine code (NL01). The third block of four digits corresponds to the session number, followed by a block of three digits indicating the stamp number within the purchase transaction. As can be seen in the images, these last two blocks of digits are not always visible, as some of the information is printed on the dark coloured area of the label design. This is especially the case with the domestic rate design.

On completion of purchase, the machine issues the stamps and a receipt printed on thermal paper. The right image shows the receipt issued by the NL01 kiosk, on the first day of issue at the Hilversum fair, for the purchase of the two domestic and international stamps.
	The new kiosk and its issues aroused great interest among visitors.  The offer limited only to 2 stamps, and the printing speed, helped to reduce the queues in front of the machines.

On the 1st January 2017, PostNL decided to withdraw all handstamps used in post shops throughout the country, to the subsequent annoyance of the philatelic community. Consequently, on the date of issue of the new stamps there were only two postmarks available at the Hilversum fair PostNL stand. These were, a postmark with the city name and the date of the first day of the fair (maximum card, right), and a special pictorial postmark (images below).

Although initially announced for Monday, January 30th, the second kiosk (NL02) went into operation the same day, on January 28th, at the Collect Club Winkel, a philatelic shop in Bussum, north of Hilversum. This equipment includes an additional unit with a set of scales, which allows the purchase of stamps according to the destination and weight of the shipment.

The stamps issued by this machine include a permanent imprint with the name of the city, 'Bussum' and, as an operational kiosk, the stamp code starts with the letter 'C'.

In addition to the two direct purchase options for domestic and international stamps, the main menu of this equipment offers the 'Posten een item' (Post an Item) option. Using the scales and selecting the destination (domestic or international), the screen shows the available shipping options and the corresponding postal rate. During this first trial period, and since the current postal rates in the Netherlands are multiples of tariff 1 (1 stamp = shipment up to 20g, 2 stamps = up to 50g, 3 stamps = up to 100g, etc.), the kiosk issues various stamps with this indicator until the corresponding postal rate is reached. e.g. the image below, corresponds to a national shipment of 86 g; In this case,the machine issued three stamps of tariff 1.

During the first day of issue and until the afternoon of Monday, January 30th, stamps issued with the 'Post an item' option did not include the name of the city. Also for a brief period on the first day, the session number printed on the receipts was six numbers higher than that printed on the stamps.

Left, first day receipt for the direct purchase of the two stamps available at the NL02 kiosk. Right, receipt for the purchase of the two stamps, using the option 'Post an Item' option. In this case, the machine prints the initials PAI ('Post An Item') next to the destination and weight of each issued stamp.

	The third kiosk (NL03) was installed on Monday January 30th in the new (and only) PostNL shop, located in The Hague city center (see image at the beginning of the article). This operational equipment includes a side unit with scales. Since the installation, most of the postal operations that were previously carried out at the counters are now processed by the postal kiosk.

As in the case of the machine installed in Bussum, the stamps issued include a permanent imprint with the name of the city, 'Den Haag', and the stamp code begins with the letter 'C'.


And also in this case stamps without the name of the city, were issued during the first few hours of operation when selecting the 'Post an Item' option. From 14:30 onwards, all stamps issued by the machine included the city name.

Left, first day receipt for the direct purchase of the two stamps available at the NL03 kiosk. Right, receipt for the purchase of the two stamps, using the 'Posten an Item' option.

The image depicts a first day cover mailed to Spain, franked with a domestic stamp issued by the kiosk, with additional postage made up using a definitive variable value stamp issued at the post office's counter.
On the date of issue, The Hague post office did not offer any (handstamp) postmarks. All mail is mechanically handled at various sorting centers throughout the country.

In addition to these three public kiosks, PostNL has a fourth equipment for use in-house, with code NL00. This machine was used for the large-scale printing of stamps with both motifs, issued in rolls of 250 stamps, which were initially sold, as a trial, in two post shops located in commercial establishments, in Amersfoort.

These stamps were also sold by the philatelic service, in the form of booklets of four stamps (image below) together with first day covers (right image). Unlike the stamps issued by the postal kiosks, the rolls used by the NL00 machine have perforations between the labels, to make it easier selling single stamps. All the stamps have the same code, B1NL17 NL00-0001-001.

The NL01 kiosk at the Multilaterale Hertogpost 2017

After its launch at the Hilversum Filateliebeurs 2017 (see article, also published in VARIABLE 44) and its first international appearance at the Internationale Briefmarken-Messe in Essen, Germany (article and VARIABLE 45), PostNL installed the NL01 kiosk at the Multilaterale Hertogpost 2017.

The Multilaterale is a large philatelic event created on the initiative of the seven philatelic associations of German-speaking European countries (Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Switzerland), as well as Slovenia and The Netherlands. Every two or three years, one of the member countries organizes a large international philatelic exhibition.

	The 2017 Multilateral Exhibition was held over the weekend of August 25th to 28th at the Maaspoort Sports & Events multipurpose pavilion in 's-Hertogenbosch, in the south of The Netherlands. It was organized by the KNBF (Koninklijke Nederlandse Bond van Filatelistenverenigingen), the Dutch Federation of philatelic associations in collaboration with PostNL.

Without doubt, the Multilaterale Hertogpost was the largest philatelic event held in The Netherlands in 2017.  This major international philatelic exhibition brought together more than 1,000 frames submitted by 160 collectors. Alongside the exhibition there was a large philatelic fair with 55 commercial stands, among them 11 European philatelic services, in addition to various philatelic groups promoting their work and study. As a sponsor of the event PostNL, the postal administration of The Netherlands, issued several commemorative philatelic products. Among them, various sheets, one of which is a joint issue with Luxembourg post, the country that will organize the next Multilaterale, in 2019.

The NL01 kiosk was installed next to the Collect Club stand, the PostNL's philatelic department. As on previous occasions, during the three days of the exhibition, the machine issued stamps with the two definitive designs; 'butterflies' and 'tulips'. These were only programmed with face value indicators for domestic and international mail, respectively.

	All stamps issued at 's-Hertogenbosch include the 'Multilaterale 2017 ' special imprint, and the unique vertically printed code begins with B8NL17 NL01- followed by the session and stamp numbers.

With no changes in the program, the machine only offered stamps for domestic mail as singles and in groups of two or five stamps, as well as stamps for international mail as singles or in strips of five.


The PostNL's Collect Club had two special postmarks on its stand, a special commemorative postmark, and another s-Hertogenbosch postmark with the date of the first day of the exhibition.

The NL02 kiosk at The Read Shop Apon

Almost nine months after the installation at the Collect Club Winkel philatelic shop in Bussum (see article, also published in VARIABLE 44), PostNL decided to move the NL02 kiosk to a new location, The Read Shop Apon in The Hague.

The Read Shop is a well-known Dutch franchise of shops selling books and magazines, cards, office supplies and other service products. Many of these shops include a PostNL Postkantoor, a small post office within the shop, run by the establishment's own employees. This is the case with The Read Shop Apon, located in a quiet neighbourhood northeast of The Hague (image). With a significant volume of postal business, the shop has two counters for postal services, and even an area for post boxes zone at the back of the shop.

The kiosk was installed in October 19th 2017. If as in the Bussum shop location, the NL02 machine was mainly used by philatelic customers, in its new location it should have had a greater postal use, like the NL03 kiosk installed in The Hague main post office. However, and unlike the NL03 machine, which is well located in the centre of the office, the NL02 kiosk was installed in a very out of the way place,
in the small access corridor to the post box area making it totally invisible to visitors to the shop. And it does not appear that the attitude of the establishment's employees will help to make this new postal service known to potential postal users. Unless therefore something changes, it is unlikely that this machine will be used by many customers.

In addition to the usual direct purchase options for domestic and international mail, the main menu of the NL02 kiosk offers the 'Posten een item' (Post an Item) option. By using the scales, the machine can print stamps according to the destination and weight of the shipment. All the stamps issued in the new location include the post shop identifier, ' Den Haag THS ', corresponding to the city and address of the shop - The Hague Theresiastraat.

First day receipts in The Read Shop Apon for the purchase of two stamps for domestic and international mail, using the direct purchase options (left), and the 'Post an Item' option (right). In this case, the machine prints the initials PAI ('Post An Item') next to the destination and weight of each issued stamp

The Read Shop Apon has two desktop Hytech Postal Vision terminals at its postal counters, used for the issue of immediate use stamps, as well as a new dated postmark with the city's name (s-Gravenhage, the official name of The Hague) and the office's code (61).

These hand postmarks (all withdrawn on January 1st) were reintroduced in all post shops throughout the country as a result of the numerous complaints received from the philatelic community a few months after their official withdrawal.
Detail of an international letter mailed from The Read Shop Apon on the first day of operation of the kiosk. Mixed postage with a domestic IAR stamp and franking complement with a Hytech variable value stamp.

The NL01 kiosk at POSTEX 2017

Another major philatelic event in a small but particularly philatelically active country. POSTEX is the annual national philatelic exhibition that is held in Apeldoorn, organized by The Netherlands philatelic associations of collectors and dealers in collaboration with PostNL.

	In 2017, the 19th POSTEX was held as usual over the third weekend of October, from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd at the Americahal congress and conference center. This was the last time it would be held there as from 2018 the show will move to the nearby Omnisport Apeldoorn.

This philatelic event brought together a large national exhibition, a stamp fair and various promotional stands of philatelic associations. And, of course, the PostNL's Collect Club stand with its NL01 philatelic kiosk.

As in previous philatelic events, PostNL programmed a special imprint on all the stamps issued by the machine in Apeldoorn, ' Postex 2017 '. The unique code begins with BONL17 NL01-, followed by the session and stamp numbers.



Also at POSTEX 2017, Collect Club had two special postmarks on its stand, an Apeldoorn postmark with the date of the first day of the exhibition, and a pictorial exhibition postmark.