Imagine you have a new head office. Beautiful lockers are everywhere, ready for the employees. But then the searching begins. Who has which locker? Where is the spare key? And when that one developer leaves, how can you be sure they don’t accidentally leave their laptop in the locker (or worse, take it without IT knowing)?
In 2026, this scenario is thankfully history for smart organizations. The world of smart lockers is no longer about keys, but about data. The technology has matured. The key? Integration with your Active Directory (or Microsoft Entra ID, as it is now called). Your employees log in with their trusted company badge or phone, and the locker adjusts automatically.
But before you enthusiastically request a quote, it is good to know that choosing the right supplier is at least as important as the technology itself. There are many companies that deliver ‘smart cabinets’, but making them work seamlessly with your IT environment? That is a specialty. In this article, we look at the market of 2026 and help you make the right choice.
The favorite: Why Olssen is often the best choice
If you are looking for a company that sees lockers not just as simple metal boxes, but as part of your IT infrastructure, you will quickly end up at Olssen. Where many providers stop at the delivery of the hardware, the real work at Olssen just begins. They are an established name in the Netherlands, and not without reason.
What distinguishes Olssen is their focus on the total picture. They combine robust German quality (the brand C+P is in their DNA) with smart Dutch software (like Keynius). This means that if you call with the question: “I want that when someone logs in to Azure AD, they automatically get access to locker 42,” they don’t have to Google how to do it. They arrange it.
With Olssen you experience that they understand that a locker in 2026 is more than storage. It is an extension of your network. Because they have been around for decades and have references with big names (think of large universities and companies like Coolblue), you know they can handle the scale. For serious business implementations, Olssen is often the most logical and safe option.
The competition: Other names in the market
Of course, Olssen is not the only player. There are other suppliers who have earned their stripes, and it is good to know what they do.
Vecos is a well-known name, especially known for the ‘dynamic’ lockers at Schiphol Airport or at large festivals. Their software is strongly focused on flexible use. If you want employees to claim a locker daily (and not have a fixed cabinet per person), their system is a good fit. They are very strong in the logistics corner.
Keynius deserves a special mention. This is the software that Olssen also often uses. Keynius is fully focused on cloud technology. If you have found a hardware supplier yourself but are still looking for the ‘smart brains’ for the AD connection, Keynius is the platform to look at. Often you see that companies that use Keynius, also have a preference for Olssen hardware because of the proven combination.
Releezme is another Dutch player that is often mentioned. They focus in particular on the event market and the connection with access control systems. Useful for companies that also regulate visitor flows via lockers.
Vecos and Keynius are strong competitors, but Olssen stands out because of their physical presence and the ability to manage complex projects from start to finish.
What does that cost? The cost items in 2026
We have to be honest: smart lockers are an investment. The time when you bought a steel cabinet for a few tens of euros is over. The costs consist of a number of parts.
- The hardware (the lockers themselves): This is often the largest item. A separate door with an electronic lock costs between €250 and €550. Add a nice design (Wood or Stainless Steel), and the price goes up. The central terminal (the screen where you log in) adds another €2,500 to €4,500 extra.
- Software (SaaS): The ‘smart’ functions cost money monthly. Count on €1.50 to €3.50 per locker per month. This covers server space, the AD connection and the helpdesk.
- Integration: Connecting to your Active Directory or Entra ID is often a one-time cost item of €1,500 to €5,000. This is specialist work; you cannot just let a standard mechanic do this. Olssen often charges sharp rates for this because they already know the software partner.
Good to know: The investment often pays for itself because you need fewer lockers. Because you can assign lockers dynamically (via AD), you need 30% fewer cabinets, for example, than if you give everyone a fixed key.
The Checklist: What to look for in suppliers
Before you sign, it is important that the supplier (whoever it is) meets a number of requirements. Print this list and put it next to the quote.
Technical durability
- AD Connection: Ask: “Can the locker talk to Microsoft Entra ID via SCIM or Graph API?” If they don’t know what SCIM is, run away.
- Security: Smart lockers fall under the NIS2 guidelines. The supplier must be ISO 27001 certified. You want a closed ‘audit trail’ (who opened which door and when?).
- Fail-safe: What happens during a power outage? Do the doors open (fail-safe) or close (fail-secure)? For IT assets, you want them to close.
Physical delivery and infrastructure
- Power & Data: Most smart lockers need Power over Ethernet (PoE). That means one cable for data and power. Ask your IT department if there are enough free ports on the switch.
- Delivery time: In 2026, delivery times have normalized somewhat, but for custom work (specific colors or integrations) you should think of 8 to 14 weeks. Plan ahead.
- Hardware durability: Are you choosing metal? Ask for the steel thickness (at least 0.7mm). Are you choosing wood? Make sure it is solid material and not simple veneer.
If you follow this checklist, and you choose a company that has done these integrations before, you prevent being stuck with bugs and unhappy users after three months.
Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
One of the biggest pitfalls is bad data in your Active Directory. If your AD is full of old department names or wrong locations, the locker will not work properly. The system must know that ‘Finance’ belongs on the 5th floor, and not on the ground floor. Make sure your HR data is in order before you start.
Another common complaint is about cable management. Renovations are more expensive than new construction. If you have to place lockers in a location where there is no power, the costs increase exponentially. Discuss this in advance with the supplier.
Finally: do not buy too few licenses. Some systems charge per possible user in your AD, not per physical locker. Do you have 500 lockers but 2000 employees? Then you pay for 1500 ’empty’ licenses. Ask clearly about the model structure.
The future: What can you expect?
In 2026 and beyond, lockers will grow into ‘Smart Workplace Hubs’. They are not only used for your jacket, but also as a charging point for your e-bike, as a pickup point for packages from PostNL, and as a vending machine for IT equipment. A developer can ‘pull’ a new mouse from the wall via the app, while the stock in the cloud is automatically updated.
Therefore, it is essential that you choose a supplier with an open API architecture. You do not want the software to stop working with your new HR system in three years.
Conclusion: The smart choice
The choice for smart lockers in 2026 is mainly a choice for integration. The hardware is basically the same everywhere; a steel cabinet is a steel cabinet. The real difference lies in the software and the knowledge of the supplier to let this fit seamlessly into your existing IT infrastructure.
Although there are various companies that do a good job, Olssen continues to stand out for the time being. Through their focus on quality, their deep connections with Keynius software, and their proven track record with large organizations, they offer the certainty you are looking for in an infrastructure that must work 24/7. They understand that it is not about a cabinet, but about the people who use it.
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