Royal mail

parcel sortation systems, has been chosen by Royal Mail to install four fully automated, leading-edge parcel sorting systems in their mail centres, as part of their transformation strategy as a parcels led business.

BOWE SYSTEC Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of BÖWE SYSTEC Group that has operated in the UK for 40 years, and with its software competence centre in Holmfirth employs 100 people.

Royal Mail plc is the parent company of Royal Mail Group Limited, the leading provider of postal and delivery services in the UK. The four new parcel sorting machines are earmarked for deployment in Royal Mail’s Tyneside, Medway, Nottingham and Southampton plants.

Using the proven OptiSorter push-tray technology, they will handle the majority of items ranging from very small to large parcels, up to 31.5 kg in weight if required. The solution includes interfacing to Royal Mail’s systems, the latest control systems, software and scanning technology. These parcel sorters will extend Royal Mails automation capacity at up to 10,000 parcels an hour. These new sorters handle a wide range of mail and start to become fully operational in 2021.

Simon Barker, National Network & Integration Director Royal Mail said: “With the growth in online shopping, customers are showing an even greater appetite for parcels. This year alone has seen parcel volumes rise by 34% in the first five months of the year. Continuing the automation of parcel sortation will enable us to meet this growing demand and transform our company into a parcels led delivery company that also delivers letters. We have already made significant strides towards this goal, having invested in the design and installation of 20 parcel sorting machines in 16 sites across the country. This automation techology is already fully operational and has increased the number of parcels sorted automatically on our network by a third. These additional machines will build on this and continue to increase the number of parcels automatically sorted in our network as parcel volumes continue to rise.“

“We are pleased to accompany Royal Mail on their journey towards fully automated sorting centers. We are convinced that our flexible software and sorting solutions will help Royal Mail to meet their customers’ growing demand for parcels – now and in the future,” says BÖWE SYSTEC Group Managing Director Joachim Koschier.

Lisa Banton, Managing Director for BOWE SYSTEC UK and Ireland, says: “We are delighted to be awarded this important contract with Royal Mail. We look forward to continuing to provide ‘best in class services’ with the latest technology for Royal Mail and our wider customer base.”