Latch Partners with UPS for Smart-Access Deliveries

Latch, a smart access products company, has partnered with UPS for an unattended delivery system aimed at residents of multifamily properties. The companies already completed preliminary tests in Manhattan and will expand the partnership’s pilot phase in Brooklyn, with other markets to follow soon.

Latch gives residents and building managers remote control of building and apartment access, via a smartphone app or a keypad combination. A UPS driver would receive a unique credential to their Delivery Information Acquisition Device, enabling them to enter the building. Latch records the entry and creates an audit trail, identifying the user and time of access. The UPS credentials work only in buildings where a package is expected, and only to enter lobbies or delivery rooms, not individual apartments.

Smart access benefits

Devices provided by Latch are equipped with wide-angle cameras and motion sensors, recording all non-resident interactions. Users of the Latch app can see photo captures, unlock doors throughout the building and customize guest access. To manage deliveries, they use the UPS My Choice phone app or website.

“The use of smart access devices on doors of apartment and condominium buildings is a big step forward for the package delivery business. It can be difficult to securely deliver packages in high-density, multifamily urban residences, especially when people are not at home. Smart access devices give us a keyless way to deliver packages to buildings and leave them safely in lobbies or building delivery rooms,” said Jerome Roberts, vice president of global innovation, UPS, in a prepared statement.

Earlier this year, Latch entered a partnership with Niido, a hybrid financial model for rental home sharing opportunities. Guests can book Niido apartments and receive Latch credentials for accessing the community, enabling seamless access sharing.

Video courtesy of Latch