The newly developed medium-format sorter is designed to process small and medium-sized items up to the size of a shoe box (45 cm x 35 cm x 25 cm) and with a maximum weight of four kilograms. The new distribution system thus enables even more efficient sorting through format separation and creates significant additional sorting capacity at the respective locations. Deutsche Post DHL is investing a total of around 250 million euros in the installation of the new system technology, which will be used in a total of eight other parcel centers in addition to the pilot site in Greven by 2023.

"In an e-commerce market that continues to grow strongly, we need to create new sorting capacities in our parcel network in order to cover the additional demand in the various regions. In particular, we are seeing a strong increase in small to medium-sized consignments. The new medium-format sorter developed by the Beumer Group is precisely tailored to the processing of these shipments and not only ensures a further increase in capacity, but also significantly more efficient processes in the respective parcel centers," says Thomas Schneider, Head of Operations Post & Parcel Germany at Deutsche Post DHL Group.

"We are happy and proud that we were able to convince the Deutsche Post DHL Group of our concept for medium format sorting and look forward to continuing our successful cooperation and thank them for their trust," says Thomas Wiesmann, Head of Sales Logistic Systems at the Beumer Group.

The medium-format sorter is being piloted at the Greven parcel center in North Rhine-Westphalia. For this purpose, the parcel center will receive a 35-meter-wide and 126-meter-long extension with a total area of around 4,400 square meters, which connects the two wings of the previously U-shaped building. The new sorting technology will be installed from May 2021. This will increase the sorting capacity of the parcel center by more than 40 percent - by 14,000 items to a total of 45,000 items per hour. The new system at the Greven parcel center will be ready for use in the run-up to Christmas 2021.

Following a successful pilot in Greven, the new medium-format sorter will also be used at the Regensburg, Speyer, Neuwied and Neumünster sites in 2022. Four further locations are planned for 2023. The new medium-format sorters in the nine parcel centers will then create an additional sorting capacity of 126,000 shipments per hour in the DHL parcel network.