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Swiss Post upgrading parcel centres

As part of its e-commerce campaign, Swiss Post is upgrading its parcel centres in Härkingen, Frauenfeld and Daillens. In order to continue handling parcels to the usual high standard even at peak times, Swiss Post is expanding its sorting capacity. And the first phase at the Härkingen parcel centre recently involved commissioning an additional, even more powerful sorting system.

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Extending the sorting capacity of its parcel centres is part of a strategy Swiss Post is using to further expand its online retail services and accommodate customers’ needs for more flexibility when receiving parcels. Even now, 46 percent of customers want their parcels to be delivered the next day, and the number of returned parcels is steadily increasing. In addition, at peak times such as the Christmas period over one million parcels are processed every day. Up until now, the Härkingen parcel centre has been able to sort a maximum of 20,000 parcels an hour. Thanks to the more efficient system expansion, this figure will rise to over 25,000 parcels an hour on peak days.

Considerable investment in parcel processing

The new conveyor and sorting system was first installed during ongoing operations over the three existing sorters at a height of six metres and then connected to them. Another sorting system of the same type is currently being installed at the Frauenfeld parcel centre. The upgrade in Daillens is scheduled to start next year. At 2.5 metres per second, the new sorting system runs much faster than the existing systems, which peak at around 1.7 metres per second. When utilization is low, parts of the system can also be shut down if not required, consuming up to 80 percent less energy. In total Swiss Post is investing around 20 million francs in expanding the sorting system in the Härkingen parcel centre.

Wide range of services for online retailers and shoppers

Online retail influences the volume of parcels processed by Swiss Post and requires new logistics solutions. With YellowCube, a logistics solution which commenced operations at the end of May 2014, Swiss Post is able to handle all the tasks along the e-commerce process chain for its business customers, including order processing, marketing, consignment packaging, returns management and payments. The demand among private customers for more flexibility when receiving and returning consignments is also being addressed by Swiss Post with the introduction of new services. These include, in addition to My Post 24 parcel terminals, PickPost, pick@home, evening and Saturday deliveries, and e-mail and text message notifications for parcels.

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