Lublin Post's Major Investment: A Modern Parcel Sorter Costing PLN 40 Million Will Speed Up Parcel Processing
Poczta Polska is installing a new sorting machine at its Lublin sorting plant. This is the next step in implementing last year's agreement to purchase three modern machines for automatic sorting of CEP (courier, express, and parcel) shipments. This is the largest single investment in logistics automation since the company's inception. In Lublin alone, the company is allocating nearly PLN 40 million net for this purpose.
On November 7th of this year, the scope and progress of work on the facility's adaptation and installation of a modern parcel sorter were presented at the Lublin sorting facility. The meeting was attended by Jan Kanthak, Secretary of State at the Ministry of State Assets, who oversees Poczta Polska; Andrzej Śliwka, Undersecretary of State at MAP; Michał Moskal, head of President Jarosław Kaczyński's political cabinet, representing the Lublin region; and, on behalf of Poczta Polska's Management Board, President Krzysztof Falkowski and Vice President Andrzej Bodziony.
" The brand of Poczta Polska, our national operator, should be associated with the highest quality of services. The Logistics Network Architecture project will enable the effective transformation of the company's logistics infrastructure from letter to parcel, which is a response to the changes observed in the postal market both in Poland and globally. I am pleased that, as the Ministry of State Assets, we can support the Polish Post in implementing key projects. Unlike our predecessors, we are determined to develop, not close, our most important national companies, " noted Jan Kanthak, Secretary of State at the Ministry of State Assets, who oversees Poczta Polska.
" The State Treasury, as the owner, is investing in the development of Poczta Polska's logistics infrastructure. The Ministry of State Assets has decided to recapitalize Poczta Polska with PLN 190 million. This is the first and groundbreaking decision to provide such financial support since the company's transformation into a joint-stock company in 2009. Funding from the reprivatization fund allows for the modernization and construction of logistics centers, as well as their modernization. Our intention is to support Poczta Polska's efforts to increase reliability and competitiveness in a demanding parcel market dominated by foreign corporations, " emphasizes Andrzej Śliwka, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of State Assets.
BEUMER Group Poland sp. z o. o. is installing the automatic parcel sorter at the Lublin sorting plant. The cross-belt machine will be equipped with manual feeders, a telescopic feeder, a manual coding zone, 48 vertical chutes, and 98 directional chutes. The entire sorter loop is 285 meters long, and its operating capacity will allow for sorting 7,000 parcels per hour.
" We are proud of the investments made by state-owned companies in the Lublin region. The modernization of the Polish Post's infrastructure is another recent project that increases the region's potential for innovation and competitiveness. I am also convinced that this new investment by the national postal operator will contribute to creating an even friendlier work environment for the residents of Lublin and surrounding towns, " says Michał Moskal, head of the cabinet of PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński.
At the logistics facility in Lublin, adaptations to the operational hall were completed at the end of October. These included freeing up space in the central part of the facility and relocating all conflicting electrical, ventilation, and fire protection systems to new locations. Furthermore, construction of new office space and 15 new gates, including 14 courier gates, was completed. Work is currently underway on the installation of a sorter. The Lublin sorting facility is the first of three Poczta Polska facilities being modernized to accommodate the sorters.
" The development of Poczta Polska's logistics infrastructure is one of the most important investment projects currently underway at the company. We are consistently investing resources in expanding our infrastructure and increasing our technological potential, adapting our facilities to the demands of modern postal logistics. The modernization of the hall at the Lublin sorting plant is another step towards modernization and improved efficiency in parcel handling for business and individual customers. Courier and parcel services are the future, which is why we prioritize changes in this area, " says Krzysztof Falkowski, CEO of Poczta Polska.
The Lublin sorting facility plays a vital role in providing logistics services to contracted customers, handling approximately 5,000 entities in the shipping phase, including those in the e-commerce sector, the Public Finance Sector, and brick-and-mortar retail chains. It also provides pallet shipping services, used by approximately 130 customers. The average daily volume is approximately 500 pallets.
" We are making the largest investment in logistics automation in our history. This is our response to the rapid growth of the e-commerce sector. We want to be a leader in the courier market; last year we introduced the new Pocztex service, and modern sorting machines are essential for efficiently handling the growing volumes of shipments, " says Andrzej Bodziony, Vice President of Poczta Polska.
In 2023, further new sorters will begin operating in halls in Wrocław and Lisi Ogon near Bydgoszcz, and in 2024 in a second sorting facility in Warsaw. They will also support other Poczta Polska logistics units. The new machines will be integrated with the parcel tracking system.
The installed sorters will enable automatic reading of not only standardized address labels but also international shipments, which often have non-standard address data. The devices are custom-made and adapted to the operational needs of Poczta Polska, as well as the size and capacity of individual sorting facilities. The innovative nature of the solution will allow for universality and the handling of various shipment sizes. The IT component is an integral part of this investment, including systems for automating the code reading process and integration with other Poczta Polska IT systems.
