International parcel and express service provider DPD has begun the construction of a new parcel sorting center in Augsburg, Germany. The new depot is scheduled to replace the existing DPD facility in early 2020.
The delivery firm is investing €45m (US$51m) in the new development, which will cover an area of 53,500m² (576,000ft²). In the long term, the new depot will relieve the pressure on DPD’s existing parcel sorting centers in Neufahrn and Nuremberg.
Thomas Ohnhaus, chief operating officer (COO) at DPD Germany, said, “E-commerce is booming and bringing with it massive growth in parcel volumes. As an important hub in the south of Germany, the new facility will relieve the strain on the surrounding depots and at the same time lay the groundwork for coping with future increases in parcel quantities in the long term.”
In the initial phase, around 36,000 parcels are set to be handled daily in Augsburg, rising to 93,000 in the final stage of development. In the final phase, 380 workers will be deployed at the depot including 200 delivery personnel.
To help boost the facility’s environmental credentials, energy-saving LEDs will be used for both indoor and outdoor lighting. In addition, the electrical supply is designed in such a way that infrastructure for electric vehicles can be easily retrofitted at a later date.
DPD is increasingly investing in the construction of further parcel sorting centers, with new facilities being built in Kiel and Hamm and two new parcel sorting centers in Steinen and Nagold opening last year.