French parcel firm Ciblex is spending €6 million on four broadband sorters as part of an extensive investment programme focused on the modernization of infrastructure.
It follows its acquisition last September by the Eurotranspharma (EHDH) Group.
Ciblex specialises in express deliveries of light parcels up to 30kgs and is strongly positioned in overnight services for the healthcare and optical sectors. It also serves high-tech, automotive and e-commerce sectors.
The new equipment, which is being supplied by Vanderlande, a specialist in sorting systems for parcel and postal services, will be rolled out between January and August 2016 at Ciblex's three key hubs of Paris' Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport, Lyon and Chilly-Mazarin, in the suburbs of the French capital.
Following the installation of the new sorters, the three sites will be able to process up to 7,000 parcels per hour and 15,000 mail items per hour at the Roissy site, doubling their current capacity.
Ciblex posted 10% volume growth in the first half of 2015, compared to the same period in 2014.
Other developments this year include Ciblex becoming a member of the European Eurodis network "to offer manufacturers a high-performance and competitive transport solution in 34 European countries." It has also set up a new head office at Ivry-sur-Seine in the Paris suburbs.
Earlier this week, Ciblex was among 20 French parcel firms to be fined from the country’s competition watchdog, the Autorité de la Concurrence (CFA), following its investigation into price-fixing over a period running from 2004 to 2010.
It was one of six firms who, on providing proof of financial difficulties to the regulator, saw their fine significantly reduced. In Ciblex's case, the fine was cut from almost €4.4m – the amount theoretically due – to €250,000.
