Vanderlande to supply system at new Yodel hub

Vanderlande Industries has won an order to supply the automated sorting systems at a new hub for UK parcel delivery company Yodel. Yodel has acquired the freehold to a purpose built distribution centre in Wednesbury, West Midlands. The facility, in association with Yodel’s other sort centres will “provide savings in operational costs, together with increased sorting capacity to support Yodel’s ambitious growth plans”, the company said.

Vanderlande Industries will provide the complete turnkey parcel sorting system, including the steelwork and mezzanine floors. Two Vanderlande crossorter 900 systems will be implemented to create the required sorting capacity.

The sorters will run in the same direction at a speed of 2.3 metres per second. Each sorter can reach every destination, so a pre-sort system is not necessary. Merging spiral chutes allow both sorters to sort parcels to any one of the 38 extendibles or 28 internal out-feeds. To create optimum process control the system will be equipped with the Vanderlande vital software suite.

“Yodel is focused on delivering the very best service to our customers and the efficiency of our business is key to this”, said Jonathan Smith, chief executive of Yodel. “Vanderlande have an excellent track record of providing tailor-made sorting equipment that enables us to optimise our throughput and maximise productivity. We have worked with Vanderlande in the past and have been impressed with their understanding of our needs and their ability to deliver what we require.

“As a result Yodel is pleased to be continuing our working relationship with them on this project as we believe them to be ideally positioned to help us as we invest for the future.”