UK express parcel carrier City Link has invested £600,000 (€750,000) in upgrading the cages thatlie at the heart of its secure nationwide network.
The company believes the cages are one of the strengths of City Link’s network as they ensurethat each parcel is handled the fewest number of times possible, minimising the chances of it beingaccidentally damaged, mislaid or misdirected, placing it in the “premium” category in terms ofparcel delivery companies. At the earliest stage of its journey, each parcel is sorted by postcodedestination into one of City Link’s cages, which is then moved around the network, beingtransferred from trailer to van by forklift trucks.
City Link said the system had proved popular with customers who appreciate that it reduces humanerror, as parcels are “seamlessly” transferred at City Link’s hubs in their cages to their finaldestinations. The company said the 2,600 new cages, which are being rolled out across City Linkfrom April through to the end of July, have additional features that will ease their handling andensure the health and safety of City Link employees.
Tim Brown, sales and marketing director of City Link, commented: “We are justly proud of ourcaged network that helps to protect consignments, giving our customers peace of mind that theirparcels will arrive safely to their own customers’ satisfaction. The caged network is especiallyappropriate for smaller and valuable packages, which could otherwise go astray in a less securenetwork.”
He said City Link’s investment in upgrading the cages was proof of the company’s commitment toits customers. “We aim to get delivery right first time, every time, and the caged network helps usto do that. It is a vital part of our operation,” Brown added.
Safety features on the new cages include sophisticated “rise and fall” hinges on the upper cagedoor that ensure the door will never swing shut accidentally, but will remain where it is put whileemployees are loading and unloading cages. Additional improvements include a more solid bottomfloor, complete with drain holes, to prevent debris falling through the cage and space for labelson both the front top door and the rear of each cage to make its final postcode destination highlyvisible.
Besides the security inherent in its caged network, City Link has invested in new technologyincluding electronic Trailer Trackers that automatically alert City Link’s control room withinminutes if a trailer deviates from its set route or makes and unauthorised stop, pinpointing wherethe trailer is. All of City Link’s depots and hubs are also covered by CCTV 24 hours a day and thecentral control room has a “Big Brother” style ability to issue warnings to suspected intrudersthrough loudspeakers installed at every site which are directly connected to the control room.
The carrier has also introduced “VanCams”, which record activity both inside and outsidedelivery vans and relay the images back to the central control room where they are recorded.Combined with the drivers’ hand-held GPS system, the VanCam can definitively identify where a vanwas when a parcel was removed for delivery.
Brown concluded: “City Link takes security extremely seriously and the cages form the veryfoundations upon which our network is based. From the design of our cages through to the efficiencyof our tracking systems, we aim to continue to live up to our reputation of being the most securecarrier in the industry and without exception ensure the safe delivery of our customers’parcels.”
