Boomerang

Boomerang is a Hamburg-based company operating in the sustainable logistics sector, providing a circular economy solution for e-commerce packaging. Founded in 2021 by journalist Marc Engelmann, alongside co-founders Christian Putz (COO) and Katherina Kreutzer, the company was born from Engelmann's frustration with the escalating waste from online shopping. The founding team was so convinced of the business idea that they left their previous jobs and relocated to Hamburg to launch the venture.

The core of Boomerang's business is a full-service system that replaces single-use shipping materials with reusable packaging designed for online retailers. The business model is centered on an intelligent deposit system and comprehensive return logistics. When making a purchase, consumers can opt for Boomerang's packaging for a deposit, typically around three euros. After receiving their items, customers can easily fold the packaging down to a standard letter size and return it free of charge via any public mailbox. Once Boomerang receives the returned package, the deposit is automatically refunded to the customer.

The company offers two main types of physical products: flexible 'PACKS' and more rigid 'BOXES', made from recycled plastics. These packages are designed to be reused up to 50 times, which significantly reduces CO2 emissions, resource consumption, and the volume of packaging waste generated by the e-commerce industry. Boomerang also develops and operates the underlying software solutions, including the digital deposit system that manages the process. This integrated approach targets a broad market, from small online shops to major corporations, with services also extending to intralogistics for store deliveries and spare parts shipments. The company has secured over 60 customers and partners, including large German companies.

Financially, Boomerang has demonstrated early growth, raising approximately €3 million in venture capital. This includes a pre-seed round of €1.1 million in 2022/23 and a subsequent seed round of nearly €3 million, which was partly funded through a successful crowd-investing campaign that exceeded its goal. This capital is being used to expand the company's sales, IT, and product development teams to further establish its position in the reusable packaging market.

Keywords: reusable packaging, e-commerce logistics, sustainable shipping, circular economy, deposit return scheme, green logistics, returnable packaging, packaging-as-a-service, logistics technology, sustainable e-commerce, recycled packaging, carbon footprint reduction, return logistics, waste reduction, reusable mailers, shipping solutions, B2B packaging, supply chain sustainability, intralogistics solutions, digital deposit system