Logistics automation firm Vanderlande has signed a new contract to install sorting technology at one of DHL Group’s “MechZB” last-mile depots at Regensburg in southern Germany, building on a long-standing programme which has seen Vanderlande already equip 74 of these depots across the country since 2014.
The new contract was signed this week at Parcel+Post Expo 2024 in Amsterdam, where Vanderlande also picked up the Parcel & Postal Technology International Award for Sorting Technology of the Year for its Parceltrax small parcel handling solution.
The DHL contract
The latest MechZB contract marks the 75th project of this kind with DHL and aligns with Vanderlande’s own 75th anniversary. The sorting solution will be installed at the Regensburg depot, with a go-live date of autumn 2025, and will be capable of sorting 4,500 parcels per hour from four infeeds with belt unloading telescopics to 37 buffer chutes.
MechZB (mechanised delivery bases) last-mile depots were developed to help DHL meet increasing demand from online orders. The sorting solution includes a unique bulk chute design developed through a collaboration between Vanderlande and the parcel delivery company. This improves productivity, because it allows for up to 200 parcels to be buffered without any action required by operators.
The MechZB transport and sortation systems have also been designed so that parcels do not need to be scanned or sorted by hand. Formerly, parcels had to be loaded manually into roll containers, and then unloaded by hand into delivery vans at the output of the system. This process is now automated by the chutes right up to the loading of the vehicles, ensuring less handling and improved ergonomics.
Supporting business growth
“We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Vanderlande to extend our regional network of sorting depots,” said Dietmar Doll, VP of Engineering with the DHL Group. “The MechZB programme has supported our business growth, and the sortation technology has also greatly improved working conditions for our operators by automating many manual tasks.”
Patrick Verhoeven, Vanderlande’s Executive Managing Director APS EMEA LATAM, added: “It’s fitting that as Vanderlande celebrates its 75th anniversary, we can extend our collaboration with DHL Group by joining forces on the 75th MechZB project. The original programme has proved to be a huge success, helping DHL to increase the speed and efficiency of its last-mile operations.”
Sorting Technology of the Year
Meanwhile, Vanderlande is celebrating triumphing in the Sorting Technology of the Year category at the Parcel & Postal Technology International Awards – the winners of which were announced during Parcel+Post Expo.
Vanderlande’s new-to-market Parceltrax solution has been designed to automate small parcel handling, which is traditionally a time-consuming manual operation, the firm noted.
Parceltrax is an auto bagging system that consolidates small items into parcel bags, before closing and sending them to labelling and zipping stations. This solution makes the most of a sorting centre’s footprint because it fits neatly underneath the existing smalls sorter.
In addition, Parceltrax incorporates a belted-conveyor rail system and 3D-printed metal and plastic hangars, which make it capable of transporting bags weighing up to 35kg. System configuration means that bags no longer need to be transported on rails above the sorter, helping to prevent accidents related to the movement of pouches.
