Swiss Post parcel unit revises delivery routes with GIRO software

Swiss Post’s courier and express division, PostLogistics, is making use of Canadian software to reorganise its entire parcel delivery operations within Switzerland. The company has opted to use the GeoRoute system from Montreal-based GIRO to improve the efficiency of its logistics network.

The project will involve a rethink on delivery routes for more than 1,000 vehicles.

GIRO said the project will see workload information collected in the field used to set up a new framework of operating territories, within which the software can calculate the most efficient delivery sequences.

Devising the new delivery system, the software will take into account the delivery scheduling requirements of PostLogistics customers, as detailed in its existing Enterprise Resource Planning system.

The Canadian company said the system should bring a “significant” increase in service efficiency, which PostLogistics will be able to monitor using key performance indicators, and make modifications based on changes in parcel volumes.

The software will also allow a number of alternative scenarios to be quickly adopted when changes to normal service are required.

Jean-Maurice Constantin, manager of parcel delivery at PostLogistics, said initial installation of the system was already producing results, and that the ability for the GeoRoute system to integrate with the company’s existing systems was a “major advantage”.

“The integration of various product types and different time periods in route modelling enables us to take into account the specificities of our organisation and provides solutions that are in line with the current reality,” he said.

Short-term sequencing

With the initial phase of the GeoRoute installation complete, covering medium-term and long-term planning requirement, GIRO said the next phase will see short-term planning and management systems put in place.

This will involve the GeoRoute sequencing server, which can take in parcel orders and automatically sequence delivery routes several hours prior to delivery.

GIRO said the second phase of the project should be in place and evaluated in 2012.

Serge Galarneau, director of routing at GIRO, said his company’s work with Swiss Post had actually added new functions to the GeoRoute software system.

“Collaboration between Swiss Post and GIRO has resulted in the addition of new GeoRoute functionality for evaluating the delivery sequence of parcel routes, which is one of many reasons we consider Swiss Post to be an important long-term partner,” he said.