“The branch network is growing, not shrinking,” said Jürgen Gerdes, head of branch network for Deutsche Post. “Our service is improving, not getting worse. What we’re offering is increasing, not the other way around.”

Deutsche Post will also build more smaller “Postpoints,” and offer door-to-door pick up services, he said.

The company is no longer required to maintain branches after a full liberalization of the postal market began at the beginning of 2008, but Gerdes said Deutsche Post won’t reduce the 13,500 branches across the country during the reorganization. By law Deutsche Post must keep 12,000 branches open.

For the last few years Deutsche Post has slowly turned branches of to partner agencies for economic reasons, spokesperson Martin Dopychai said. There are already some 7,200 privately operated locations.