Minister Opens An Post Cork Mail Centre
An Post ‘s new €35 million automated mail sorting centre at Little Island in Cork was officially opened today by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Mr Dermot Ahern TD.
Up to 450,000 items of mail for Cork city and county, Kerry, Limerick, Clare and Waterford will be processed daily by the most modern available technology in the custom built, 100,000 square foot premises
When fully operational, mail for the main population centres – Cork city, Limerick city, Waterford city, Killarney and Tralee will be sorted to post-person route using the technology supplied by NEC.
The new mail centre – the latest of four hubs which will be used for future sorting – are designed to prepare An Post to meet competition arising from the increasing liberalisation of the postal market.
The cost of the new development, which completes An Post’s €100 million investment in an integrated national mail sorting system, included the purchase of the nine-acre site, construction and equipping cost.
A total of 56 full-time and 182 part-time staff will be employed at the plant during the initial phase rising then to 98 full time and 134 part time. Existing sorting operations will transfer from Cork’s Eglinton street premises which are to be sold.
Minister Ahern said the opening of the new mail centre would greatly increase the ability of An Post to meet competition while continuing to provide its business and domestic customers with the required high level of next day delivery.
An Post chairperson Margaret McGinley said completion of the automation programme had been achieved through An Post resources and without borrowings. It demonstrated the genuine efforts the company was making to strengthen its strategic positioning and enhance its ability to deliver the best possible service.
