Deutsche Post DHL has started operations at its first mechanised depot in Brunswick, Germany, whichis the first of 25 new facilities to go live by the end of 2013.
Built on a 16,500 sqm plot of land, the first of what will be at least 25 mechanised depotsfeatures a built-in distribution system which automatically passes parcels along to the respectivedeliverer, a process still carried out manually in traditional depots.
From the modernised facility, more than 100 staff will make deliveries to Brunswick and thesurrounding area. Meanwhile, further mechanised depots in Bochum, Dinslaken, Berlin and Aschheimare already ready for operation.
“Due to the fantastic cooperation with the landowner and the city, we were able to completethe new location in under a year, just in time for the Christmas trade,” said Uwe Brinks, Head ofProduction at Deutsche Post DHL.
“By processing the parcels directly at the delivery base we save time and allow fasterdeliveries to the customer. The new system is better ergonomically as well and has met withapproval among the employees,” commented Brinks.
The introduction of mechanised depots is part of a larger investment of €750 million thatDeutsche Post DHL is making to modernise and expand its German parcel network. By 2015, DHL aims tosubstantially increase performance capacities for parcels by means of new technology and upgradedoperational processes.
Alongside the mechanised delivery bases the expansion of the existing delivery centres hasbeen expedited. In 19 of the 33 parcel centers in Germany the sorting capacity has been increasedto 28,000 parcels per hour – at peak times this can reach 30,000 parcels per hour.
Landowner Aurelis Real Estate as well as representatives of the municipality also attendedthe official start of operations at the so-called “MechZB” in Brunswick today.
