Dematic has been awarded a contract to modernise the sortation, conveyor and control systems of the 16 largest postal centers of Deutsche Post AG. The first project phase in the Leipzig mail center has already been successfully completed.
Dematic has now successfully completed the first sub-project of a major contract from Deutsche Post AG (DPAG) in Leipzig, Germany. Based on the success of this project, Dematic has been awarded the order to upgrade and modernise the 16 largest mail centres of DPAG. In two implementation steps, the mail sorting centres' sorters, conveyors and control systems will be upgraded to state-of-the-art technology by mid-2012, without disrupting ongoing operations.
Dematic will modernise the conveyor equipment, replace 180 programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and related material flow computers, deliver and install 16 handling robots and conveyor systems as well as optimise the control concepts of the existing sorters.
"With Dematic, we have chosen a long-term implementation partner who has the necessary planning and systems expertise," says Gerhard Stoenner from DPAG's technology division in the Bonn headquarters. "Such a complex project, over several years with different implementation phases at different locations has to be coordinated very precisely within strict time windows, which requires a high level of expertise and flexibility."
As a first step, the Leipzig mail distribution centre's conveying facilities have been recently upgraded with state-of-the-art components for standard-letter sorting machines. Handling equipment will also be modernised at the same location, in conjunction with the ongoing project work in the other 15 mail centres. In the final project phase, to be finished in January 2011, outdated control technology will be replaced along with the modernisation of the mail centres' sorters with the latest drive technology. For this extensive project, Dematic will provide four construction teams at the different postal centres.