Background

Swiss Post ensures everything runs smoothly on the building site

The building site at Kreuzplatz in Zurich is a hive of activity. In the middle of it all is Swiss Post employee Patric Hunziker. In his role as a dispatch planner, he ensures everything runs smoothly, providing the site management team with invaluable support.

Anita Suter

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Lots of materials, little space. The building site at Kreuzplatz in Zurich.

The sun is shining brightly when we visit the building site at Kreuzplatz in Zurich. A five-storey building for Migros is being built here in the midst of all the hubbub of traffic and city life. This would not be anything out of the ordinary if it were not for the tight spatial constraints and complex transport structures.

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Lots of materials, little space: well-coordinated processes are vitally important on the Kreuzplatz building site. (Copyright: Alessandro Della Bella)

Patric Hunziker, the construction site dispatch planner in a Swiss Post uniform.

“Normally we’d have an office container, but there’s simply no space here,” explains Patric Hunziker, the construction site dispatch planner wearing a Swiss Post uniform.

His workplace is in the open air on the only access road. From here he coordinates deliveries, supplies, waste disposal and private and passenger transport, ensures the safety of passers-by and covers the back of Katrin Bachmann, the site manager. He enjoys his job despite being exposed to some inclement weather. He has to deal with everyone from tradespeople to the client and is a point of contact for them all.

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Patric Hunziker, the construction site dispatch planner in a Swiss Post uniform. (Copyright: Alessandro Della Bella)

Construction site logistics – a new area of business

The construction site at Kreuzplatz. A crane brings material to the desired location.

“Building sites have become increasingly complex since the adoption of the Spatial Planning Act. We can only build upwards but at the same time have increasingly little space available,” points out Nick Weishaar, Swiss Post’s construction industry sector manager. On top of that there’s also the constant increase in urban traffic and the restrictions this imposes.

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The final push at Kreuzplatz in Zurich: the building will be completed by the autumn. (Copyright: Alessandro Della Bella)

Men working on the building site at Kreuzplatz.

The spatial constraints present challenges, especially when external work and interior fit-out are taking place at the same time like here in Kreuzplatz and lots of material arrives all at once, but little storage space is available. While concrete is still being poured on the top storey, the flooring is already being laid and the escalator installed in the future supermarket. Sophisticated planning skills are required to coordinate all of this. Swiss Post with its logistics expertise is the ideal partner.

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Lots of materials, little space: well-coordinated processes are vitally important on the Kreuzplatz building site. (Copyright: Alessandro Della Bella)

A dependable partner

Stefano Ghisleni and Nick Weishaar shake hands.

Stefano Ghisleni from the general contractor Ghisleni Partner AG is also full of praise. “Swiss Post has brought organization and calm to the building site on our behalf,” he explains. The logistics is well scheduled and organized. Combining forces has ensured that the delivery of materials, storage and waste disposal are managed optimally. Finally, Stefano Ghisleni reveals that he would recommend cooperation with Swiss Post to clients for future projects.

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“Swiss Post has brought organization and calm to the building site on our behalf,” remarks Stefano Ghsileni (right) from Ghisleni Partner AG, seen here with Nick Weishaar, Swiss Post’s construction industry sector manager. (Copyright: Alessandro Della Bella)

written by

Anita Suter

Logistics market and innovation