Swiss Post continues expansion of INFORM’s yard management system

Swiss Post has decided to continue its expansion of INFORM’s yard management system as it looks to reconfigure part of its existing letter centre in Härkingen into a regional parcel centre to accommodate increasing parcel volumes.

As the broader trend of letter volumes decreasing and parcel volumes increasing continues, Swiss Post has decided to reconfigure a section of their existing letter center in Härkingen, installing a parcel sorting system that effectively creates a new “Regionales Paketzentrum” or regional parcel centre in Härkingen.

The selection of INFORM’s Syncrotess Yard Management System (YMS) at Swiss Post’s newly planned Härkingen parcel centre marks the fifth deployment of the YMS within the Swiss Post network of parcel distribution centers and closely follows the selection of INFORM for their Pratteln regional parcel centre earlier this year. The Härkingen site is scheduled to go live in 2023.

Dr. Eva Savelsberg, SVP of INFORM’s Logistics Division, said, “We continue to prove value to one of our oldest customers through innovation and exceptional customer service. Swiss Post’s continued business with INFORM in a market of ample alternatives highlights the value our YMS brings to their national parcel operations.”

The software solution will be delivered to Swiss Post’s newly planned regional parcel centre in Härkingen, Switzerland, which is approximately 58 km (36 miles) away from Bern. The new facility has some unique characteristics, which the Syncrotess YMS will be accounting for in its configuration.

Dr. Ingo Marko, Senior Consultant and Project Manager for INFORM’s Logistics Division, said, “Unlike most other Swiss Post sites, the Härkingen site will only be handling road transports, and the site’s loading and unloading docks will be mutually used by both the letter centre and regional parcel centre.”

“This mutual use requires special attention within the software and how dock door availability and usage are communicated to the internal centre. Displays in the building at dock doors will indicate which centre – letter or parcel – the dock is currently assigned to,” he added.

“In addition, shunting operations will also be shared between the existing parcel centre and the new regional parcel centre. When starting a shift, shunter drivers will indicate which ‘centre’ they are working at to ensure they connect to the correct system for shunting instructions.” he added.

INFORM’s YMS has been purpose-built from the ground up to service post and parcel operators as well as distribution centres globally. At its core, INFORM’s powerful optimisation engine helps to ensure that all areas of yard management are running smoothly and efficiently, from storage area utilisation and dock door allocation to internal vehicle move orders. With the ability to run as a decision support tool or a fully automated decision-making AI system, the YMS leads the industry in both optimisation and automation capabilities.

INFORM specialises in AI and optimisation software to improve operational decision-making. Based in Aachen, Germany, the company has been in the optimisation business for 50 years and serves a wide span of logistics industries, including distribution centres as well as post and parcel operators. With a broad range of standalone and add-on software modules, INFORM’s unique blend of algorithmic-based software expertise, rich industry experience, and “big-world thinking” delivers enormous value for their customers