Swiss Post to modernize letter deliveries

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Swiss Post wants to continue providing high-quality services to its customers with a good price/performance ratio also in the future. It is therefore to introduce automatic sequencing in letter deliveries, a new technology that enables the majority of mail to be pre-sorted automatically right down to individual house letterbox level. Swiss Post is deploying existing as well as new sorting equipment. The changeover will not result in any compulsory redundancies.

Between autumn 2010 and spring 2011, Swiss Post trialled various postal delivery optimization schemes in three regions of Central, Western and Eastern Switzerland. Trials of automatic letter sequencing proved particularly successful, and it is now set to be rolled out over the next two years. Thanks to this measure, Swiss Post can continue to offer an excellent price/performance ratio to its customers.

Efficient sorting and delivery
Letter delivery is facing increasing competition from other communication channels. The developments in electronic communications channels in particular are creating more pressure to improve internal processes. The introduction of automatic sequencing gives Swiss Post more freedom to meet customers' requirements for a cost-effective, modern and high-quality service. This measure will have no effect on delivery cut-off times, which will stay the same.

Initial rollout in densely populated areas
Automatic sequencing will be used primarily in towns and conurbations offering the greatest potential from the point of view of population density. Existing sorting systems in letter and logistics centres will be converted for automatic sequencing by 2013. At the same time, Swiss Post will purchase 15 additional systems. On the whole, it will invest around CHF 28 million.

Modern technology
Automatic sequencing enables items that can be automatically processed to be pre-sorted at sorting centres into the correct letterbox order for delivery rounds, eliminating the need for these items to be processed manually prior to delivery. Instead, carriers can simply take them straight out on their delivery rounds.

Socially responsible solutions
The introduction of the new technology will result in the equivalent of around 270 full-time jobs being lost at Swiss Post. However, thanks to a staggered rollout over a number of years, jobs will be shed gradually through natural staff turnover. At the same time, other solutions that open up new career perspectives have already been agreed with our social partners. No compulsory redundancies will be necessary.