First mechanized Deutsche Post DHL delivery site now running

by Press Release on 2012-12-08 03:19:04

Braunschweig first of 25 new locations going live by the end of 2013
Productivity of the delivery network further increased


A total of 16,500 square meters were required in Braunschweig for the first of at least 25 mechanized delivery bases.

Deutsche Post DHL has officially put its first mechanized delivery site into operation today at the former main freight depot in Braunschweig, along with the landowner, Aurelis Real Estate, and representatives of the city.  

"Due to the fantastic cooperation with the landowner and the city, we were able to complete the new location in under a year, just in time for the Christmas trade," says Uwe Brinks, Head of Production at Deutsche Post DHL, at the press conference on the commissioning of the new location. A total of 16,500 square meters were required for the first of at least 25 mechanized delivery bases across the country that Deutsche Post DHL hopes to realize by the end of next year. Further locations in Bochum, Dinslaken, Berlin and Aschheim are already ready for operation. Installation of the technology required for the building won't be finished until some time in 2013.

Complementing the parcel centers, the so-called "MechZB" forms a second important pillar of Deutsche Post DHL's new parcel concept. The inbuilt distribution system automatically passes the parcels onto the relevant delivery person via box chutes, which hold up to 200 parcels. What has been done by hand up until now in the usual delivery bases is carried out in Braunschweig automatically.


More than 100 employees will supply Braunschweig and the surrounding area with their parcels.

"By processing the parcels directly at the delivery base we save time and allow faster deliveries to the customer. The new system is better ergonomically as well and has been met with approval among the employees," says Uwe Brinks. More than 100 employees will supply Braunschweig and the surrounding area with their parcels.

In September of last year Deutsche Post DHL presented its new parcel concept to the public and estimated that the new system and the associated investments would amount to EUR750 million. The delivery potential of the leader of the German parcel delivery market is going to be further expanded until 2015 by means of new technology, new IT applications and refined processing techniques.

Their goal is further growth in an already booming market. Alongside the mechanized delivery bases the expansion of the existing delivery centers has been expedited. In 19 of the 33 parcel centers in Germany the sorting capacity has been increased to 28,000 parcels per hour - at peak times this can reach 30,000 parcels per hour.

"In all of our parcel centers we are now able to deal with the high throughput in the period leading up to Christmas, and in the process we have increased our total capacity significantly," explains Uwe Brinks. In the next year new milestones follow. The construction of the biggest parcel center in Obertshausen near Frankfurt begins and in Feucht, near Nuremberg, the first parcel center with a sorting capacity of 40,000 parcels per hour comes on line.