Deutsche Post DHL plans to invest a double-digit million euro sum in what it claims will be thelargest parcel sorting centre in Germany as part of its ongoing €750 million parcel capacity
expansion programme.The new 40,000 sqm sorting centre, on a 140,000 sqm plot of land at Obertshausen, nearFrankfurt, will be the first in Germany with capacity to sort up to 50,000 items per hour. DeutschePost DHL said it is investing a double-digit million euro sum in the facility, located close to theA3 motorway, which is scheduled to begin operations in spring of 2014.
“This investment represents another important milestone for our new parcel concept and ournetwork capacity,” said Uwe Brinks, Chief Production Officer at Deutsche Post DHL. “The result willbe one of the largest and most modern parcel centres in Europe. We have already submitted thebuilding application to the Obertshausen municipality and want to begin construction this year.”
The new location will create some 600 new jobs, both in parcel sorting and delivery. Adelivery base connected directly to the sorting centre will also be built in Obertshausen and helpfurther shorten parcel transit times.
Brinks added: “The new centre will not only create an additional platform for further growthin the parcel sector, it will also safeguard jobs in the Frankfurt metropolitan area and create newemployment opportunities there.” The region’s logistics sector was recently hit by the closure ofmail-order company Neckermann, with the loss of 2,000 jobs, including many in its logistics andwarehousing operations.
Deutsche Post DHL’s project partner, Alpha Industrial, will be responsible for developing thenew plot of land. Alpha Industrial currently manages more than 650,000 sqm of property and is aleading asset manager in the logistics and commercial property sector in Germany.
The new construction project in Hessen is part of a larger investment of €750 million thatDeutsche Post DHL is making to modernise and expand its parcel network. By 2015, the new technology– machines, individual modules and new IT applications – as well as some updated productionprocesses will have substantially increased performance capacities in parcel production.
The measures already taken by the company have resulted in a jump of more than 15 per cent innetwork capacities as a whole.
