Royal Mail has announced it has installed a new fully automated parcel sorting machine that can process 157,000 parcels per day in Southampton.
According to Royal Mail, the parcel sorting machine is an intelligent system of conveyor belts and scanning technology that automatically sorts parcels for despatch within Royal Mail’s network.
Based in Royal Mail’s Southampton Mail Centre, the parcel sorting machine can process up to 7,500 parcels per hour to local delivery offices across the south of the UK and the rest of the country.
Built by automated technology company Solystic, the parcel sorting machine can also handle a variety of parcel shapes and sizes weighing up to 20kg.
The installation is part of Royal Mail’s investment programme to replace significant manual sorting processes that can be both time-consuming and physically demanding and help the company meet the surge in demand for parcels and online shopping.
Royal Mail has stated that it is rapidly scaling up its automation levels. In March 2022, it reported that it had reached the milestone of 50.0% parcels automated – up from 33.0% last year. The company is aiming to reach its overall target of 90.0% parcel automation by 2023-24. Using parcel automation can mean that parcels are sorted up to four times more quickly than when manually sorted.
Parcels Automation Programme Director of Royal Mail Sarah Coulson said: “We are transforming the way Royal Mail processes parcels given the rapid growth in online shopping in recent years. Our investment in parcel sorting machines will help us better meet the growing demands of our customers in Southampton and the rest of the UK and is a vital part of the ongoing reinvention of Royal Mail.”
A total of 39 Royal Mail parcel sorting machines are set to be in operation by October 2022 – an increase of nearly 100.0% in a year. This includes installations at new hubs in Warrington and Daventry, which are currently under construction. When operational, Royal Mail hopes that these hubs will process more than 1.5m parcels per day.
Source: Royal Mail
