Warrington unit sorted

Colleagues at Warrington mail centre can now process up to 10,000 parcels an hour thanks to the installation of cutting-edge sorting technology.

Following a 16-week build and a further month of testing and training, the plant’s new parcel sorting machine (PSM) was fully commissioned on 1 May.

The machine is operated by 11 people and reads handwritten addresses and barcodes on parcels, moving them along conveyors to 81 destination bins.

Parcel automation planning manager, Tony Nolan, says the team has wholeheartedly bought into the new processes, transforming performance.

‘So far, 90 people have received training, making sure we understand every aspect of the PSM and why the business has invested in it,’ he said.

‘There’s been a rapid learning curve, but because of the motivation and enthusiasm of the people working around it, there hasn’t been any impact on the operation.’

After trials with test packages, the number of parcels processed every week since go live has increased.

‘The team has adapted really well to it and we are now more than self-sufficient,’ said Tony. ‘They are enjoying it because of the efficiency it gives us.’

The PSM can handle 86% of parcels. Many of the 550-strong team at Warrington have expressed an interest in being trained.

Postman Paul Morgans was one of the first colleagues to be trained.

‘It’s made a big difference to how many items need to be sorted by hand,’ he said. ‘It’s phenomenal really.

‘Tuesday is our busiest day and normally we’re struggling to get everything done, but now we’re helping other sections as well. As we get quicker and more familiar with the machine it’s only going to get better.’