A world first sorts the Christmas parcels in Wallisellen
Published: Tuesday, Dec 5th 2023, 18:30
Updated At: Tuesday, Dec 5th 2023, 18:30
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Swiss Post's parcel sorting systems run almost non-stop between Black Friday and Christmas. A world first is in operation in Wallisellen: sorting robots, also known as "ants". They buzz around in circles for 22 hours a day. But they still need people.
In the run-up to Christmas, Swiss Post's parcel centers are in a state of emergency: the facilities are only shut down for two hours a day, between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m.. Swiss Post employees are currently processing almost one million parcels a day. That is 60 percent more than on an average day of the year.
The Wallisellen sorting plant, which opened in June this year, is using a world first. Gray robots, known as "ants", drive around the facility in circles without a break, whirring quietly. The parcels are placed on them and have to be transported to the correct conveyor belt with the correct zip code.
The "Queen" controls everything
To ensure that the "ant" knows which belt it should unload its load at, the label is first read in a scanning tunnel. The control system for this fully automated system is affectionately known as the "Queen" by the employees.
Despite the scanning tunnel and "ants", there are still human employees, albeit far fewer than in previous sorting systems. They transport the mesh trolleys, which are delivered full of parcels, to the sorting system and place the parcels individually on the conveyor belt in the correct orientation so that the scanner can read them.
At the other end of the hall, they then load the parcels sorted by zip code into mesh trolleys, which are finally taken to the parcel carriers. Oversized parcels that do not fit on an "ant" are still sorted by hand. Around 60 employees work at the facility in Wallisellen throughout the year. During the Christmas period, there are ten more.
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