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Swiss Post ups capacity at Frauenfeld parcel center

Swiss Post has installed an additional, even more efficient sorting system at Frauenfeld parcel center. Following on from Härkingen parcel center’s upgrade, Frauenfeld is the second of three sites that Swiss Post has expanded. The center’s capacity has now increased by 25 percent, meaning that Swiss Post maintains its ability to process parcels to the usual high standard of quality – even with growing volumes and faster delivery speeds. This measure is part of Swiss Post’s e-commerce strategy.

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Up until recently, the Frauenfeld parcel center was able to sort 20,000 parcels an hour. After the successful system upgrade, this figure will rise to over 25,000 parcels an hour on peak days. The new conveyor and sorting system was first installed during ongoing operations over the three existing sorters and then connected to them. At 2.5 metres per second, it runs considerably faster than the existing systems, which peak at around 1.7 metres per second. When utilization is low, parts of the system can also be shut down if not required, consuming up to 80 percent less energy.

Growing parcel volumes and changing customer habits

Parcel volumes have been increasing for years. This is in no small part due to the growth seen in e-commerce. In 2014, Swiss Post delivered a record number of almost 112 million parcels. Processing times are also becoming ever shorter: Almost 50 percent of customers now want their parcel to be delivered the next day. This figure has increased by around 30 percent in the last 15 years. At peak times such as the Christmas period, over one million parcels are handled every day.

Swiss Post is investing around CHF 60 million in expanding the sorting systems in its three parcel centers. This will allow it to guarantee that parcels are processed and delivered reliably and on time, even with increasing parcel volumes and faster delivery speeds. The expansion of Härkingen parcel center was completed in autumn 2014; work to expand Daillens parcel center began this summer.

More flexibility when receiving and shipping parcels

The increases in capacity are part of Swiss Post’s e-commerce strategy. This strategy includes new services that offer customers even more flexibility when receiving and sending their parcels. For example, customers can now request a second attempted delivery in the evening for missed consignments. Another new feature is a single Swiss Post login that allows customers to register in various online shops. This means that personal data and delivery addresses only need to be entered once. The network of My Post 24 terminals and services available are also being expanded. And, during the course of 2016, Swiss Post will launch the individual management of parcels and registered letters. As soon as a consignment is on its way, the customer can use the consignment cockpit on the Swiss Post website to select whether the consignment should be delivered to a home address or to an alternative address.

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