Plymouth mail centre boosts capacity to 16,000 parcels an hour

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://wearesouthdevon.com/plymouth-ma ... s-an-hour/



Royal Mail has installed a new high-speed Parcel Sortation Machine at its Plymouth Mail Centre, as part of its continued drive to improve efficiency and meet growing demand for next day deliveries. The new machine was unveiled by Rebecca Smith, the MP for South West Devon.

The Mail Centre, which covers the entire PL postcode area across west Devon and east Cornwall, already processes an average of 7,000 parcels an hour. The new PSM will increase the Plymouth centre’s processing capabilities by 9,000 parcels per hour.

A PSM is an intelligent system of conveyor belts and scanning technology that automatically sorts parcels more quickly than manual sorting. Over the last eight years, Royal Mail has successfully rolled out 37 PSMs in 28 mail centres across the UK.

Alison Clace, Plymouth Mail Centre Plant Manager, Royal Mail, said: “Our new Parcel Sortation Machine has arrived at the perfect time! Not only will this speed up our operation over our Christmas peak period, it’s a great opportunity for our staff in Plymouth to learn new skills.”

Neil Chaplain, Engineering and Process Design Director, Royal Mail, said: “Royal Mail’s ongoing investment in automation is helping us to modernise and significantly improve efficiency. The rollout of these new PSMs will help us to meet the increasing consumer demand for next-day parcel delivery and will help contribute to our efforts to provide a consistently reliable service.”

Rebecca Smith, MP for South West Devon, said:“As our postal service approaches the busiest period in the calendar, Christmas, it is even more important that the Royal Mail finds ways to modernise and improve efficiency. I was pleased to join the Royal Mail at their Plymouth Mail Centre last Friday for the opening of their new Parcel Sortation Machine. This cutting-edge piece of kit will increase processing capabilities by 9,000 parcels per hour and help provide a more secure service in the long-term.”

[kazardaimenu]

But will they have high speed parcel delivery?

[Hyrrokkin]

Was not sure from the article - are there now two PSM at the MC ?

[Trumanity]

But will they have high speed parcel delivery?

The elephant in the room. All of these parcels will back up in the delivery offices. Not enough delivery staff, rounds too big and not enough roadworthy vehicles.

[GRS]

Ah…….the usual message of “we’re investing in Mail Centres to handle more parcels quicker etc etc”. Effing numb skulls who still haven’t worked out that delivery is so under the cosh they can’t handle anymore work coming in. This Christmas is going to be one hell of a circus. Not one plan put in place at our office regarding extra staff or vans. We’re already carrying vacancies so god knows what will happen when the inevitable avalanche hits the dock. Still as long as hubs & MC are ok that’s all that matters!!

[Barnacle]

Black Friday Fortnight will be the test of whether any of this makes any difference to service. Last year we had Yorks of parcels stacked everywhere because there weren’t enough people to deliver them

[SpacePhoenix]

Ah…….the usual message of “we’re investing in Mail Centres to handle more parcels quicker etc etc”. Effing numb skulls who still haven’t worked out that delivery is so under the cosh they can’t handle anymore work coming in. This Christmas is going to be one hell of a circus. Not one plan put in place at our office regarding extra staff or vans. We’re already carrying vacancies so god knows what will happen when the inevitable avalanche hits the dock. Still as long as hubs & MC are ok that’s all that matters!!

That's just the local management at your office are s**t at their jobs. The DO that covers where I live certainly has had extra vans and staff (casuals) for the last few years

[Sean06]

Ah…….the usual message of “we’re investing in Mail Centres to handle more parcels quicker etc etc”. Effing numb skulls who still haven’t worked out that delivery is so under the cosh they can’t handle anymore work coming in. This Christmas is going to be one hell of a circus. Not one plan put in place at our office regarding extra staff or vans. We’re already carrying vacancies so god knows what will happen when the inevitable avalanche hits the dock. Still as long as hubs & MC are ok that’s all that matters!!

That's just the local management at your office are s**t at their jobs. The DO that covers where I live certainly has had extra vans and staff (casuals) for the last few years

Maybe they are not allowed to hire extra vans an casuals.we all know how different areas operate.

[postslippete]

This is where RM have been spending a chunk of their profits. It's an investment into our future obviously but will all this increased automation lead to job losses in mail centres?

As for delivery offices some are obviously better run than others. Our office has employed a load of new starts but it is still generally expected that duties still fail mail wise as part of RM's long term strategy.

[SpacePhoenix]

This is where RM have been spending a chunk of their profits. It's an investment into our future obviously but will all this increased automation lead to job losses in mail centres?

As for delivery offices some are obviously better run than others. Our office has employed a load of new starts but it is still generally expected that duties still fail mail wise as part of RM's long term strategy.

It seems like we're slowly being replaced with casuals anyway

[Mr Rush]

It seems like we're slowly being replaced with casuals anyway

I'm informed our MC is largely staffed by... how shall I put it? People who have gotten their feet wet in the Channel recently. As above, so below any day now.

[Hyrrokkin]

It seems like we're slowly being replaced with casuals anyway

I'm informed our MC is largely staffed by... how shall I put it? People who have gotten their feet wet in the Channel recently. As above, so below any day now.

Economic migrants is the term you are looking for

[Barnacle]

It seems like we're slowly being replaced with casuals anyway

I'm informed our MC is largely staffed by... how shall I put it? People who have gotten their feet wet in the Channel recently. As above, so below any day now.

Economic migrants is the term you are looking for

Well that’s clearly not true because anyone arriving via death boat across the channel, is not allowed to work until their claim has been processed and that can take several years because the system is idiotically slow.

[GRS]

Ah…….the usual message of “we’re investing in Mail Centres to handle more parcels quicker etc etc”. Effing numb skulls who still haven’t worked out that delivery is so under the cosh they can’t handle anymore work coming in. This Christmas is going to be one hell of a circus. Not one plan put in place at our office regarding extra staff or vans. We’re already carrying vacancies so god knows what will happen when the inevitable avalanche hits the dock. Still as long as hubs & MC are ok that’s all that matters!!

That's just the local management at your office are s**t at their jobs. The DO that covers where I live certainly has had extra vans and staff (casuals) for the last few years

Maybe they are not allowed to hire extra vans an casuals.we all know how different areas operate.

Exactly!!! These orders come from higher up, even above the OPL so obviously some regional director. All we get is cut,cut,cut……the business can’t afford this or that. Got back from delivery one day a couple of weeks back and the OPL was on the blower to the DOM saying he wants 300 hours out of the office before the end of this financial year. That’s all we hear and have heard for years…..so demoralising!!!

[postslippete]

Exactly!!! These orders come from higher up, even above the OPL so obviously some regional director. All we get is cut,cut,cut……the business can’t afford this or that. Got back from delivery one day a couple of weeks back and the OPL was on the blower to the DOM saying he wants 300 hours out of the office before the end of this financial year. That’s all we hear and have heard for years…..so demoralising!!!

The reason why the business wants to reduce hours in delivery offices is because RM's long term strategy is to replace as many legacy staff as possible with those on inferior contracts and deliver the mail every other day but parcels 24/7. The CWU don't have any strategy to combat this other than to suggest that it's hard to argue that we need to change. They won't, or rather can't, hold RM to account regarding quality of service nor the two tier workforce that has been taking place for nearly two years while the company have been busy putting their profits to work by investing it elsewhere and recruiting and retaining people at the top on bigger pay packets.

Those who are running the business are basically playing at game of chess where they own all the pieces and the white King (Dave Ward - who represents the workers and can only move one step in any direction, usually sideways and backwards) and his Queen (Martin Walsh - who struck out diagonally at the last TUC conference before hastily retreating back to his King) know that they are sacrificing their own pawns (the workers) to justify their own existence, until the time comes when the rest of us will face checkmate. Some of us are still fortunately or unfortunately (however you look at it) still in the game, but I think we all have a good idea how it will play out regardless of whether there is a takeover or not.