Case Study
ParcelVIS in parcel handling
at DPD in Lehrte
"Package losses are extremely
rare for us, thanks to the modern
video technology.
With the system, we have reduced
the number of losses again."
Elena Lerche-Larsen
Security Officer at DPD-Depot Lehrte
April 17, 2020
DPD in Lehrte
Eyes for every package
DPD Germany relies on the video management software ParcelVIS in many depots. In Lehrte the system developed by DIVIS was introduced in February 2019 and has since ensured accelerated processes and secure parcel delivery.
Quality assurance and video-based package tracking in the parcel depot are inseparable at DPD Deutschland GmbH. In 2018, after taking inventory, the second largest parcel service provider in the republic decided to complete the equipment of the 78 depots across Germany with the most modern video systems. “The majority of our depots already had modern video systems with which the movement paths of the parcels between goods receipt and loading can be tracked seamlessly. With a round of modernisation for some locations, we wanted to position ourselves even better here”, emphasises Benjamin Knapp, who is responsible for Corporate Security at DPD Germany.
Image-based research
"We have been working successfully with DIVIS for over 15 years, which is why the decision for the Lehrte depot was easy, especially since the offered price was also convincing.“
Benjamin Knapp
Corporate Security at DPD Germany
The depot in Lehrte was among the locations where DPD saw a need for action. Within a few weeks, a requirement profile was developed in close cooperation with the works council, allowing consistent parcel tracking while maintaining the personal rights of the employees. When it was time to choose the appropriate solution, DPD again opted for the parcel tracking system from DIVIS: "We have been working successfully with DIVIS for over 15 years, which is why the decision for the Lehrte depot was easy, especially since the offered price was also convincing”, reports Knapp, who had more than 500 cameras with approximately 1.5 kilometers of stretch installed in Lehrte. The collected video data is linked in ParcelVIS with the scan and sorting information, which enables image-based package research.
Fig.: Parcel sorting belt at DPD in Lehrte
The video system went into operation on February 23, 2019 and since then has covered every corner of the approximately 1.8 kilometers long conveyor lines installed within the 10,800 square meter halls. Around 150,000 packages are handled here every day, each of them a maximum of three meters in length and 31.5 kilograms in weight. In the morning goods receipt alone, the number of parcels adds up to around 30,000.
Minimised search times and after-sales service
„From the first scanning station, we can find all the packages at any time.“
Elena Lerche-Larsen
Security Officer at DPD-Depot Lehrte
With the help of ParcelVIS, the packages in the depot can be tracked completely and quickly. As a result, the location has a high-quality processing speed when searching for lost goods and can deliver them to customers promptly. "From the first scanning station, we can find all the packages at any time," says Elena Lerche-Larsen, the security officer in the Lehrte depot. Her team has access to ParcelVIS, for example to research the current location of individual consignments when requested by the driver. “This happens around 20 to 40 times a day”, says Lerche-Larsen, who uses ParcelVIS to minimise the search and waiting times for the drivers during loading.
DPD has concluded a maintenance contract with DIVIS for reliable use in day-to-day operations and quick reaction times to technical problems. "We are very satisfied with the offered service", says Lerche-Larsen. With remote monitoring and troubleshooting, DIVIS is able to respond quickly to inquiries. The entire system is cleaned, checked and fine-tuned during annual maintenance.
Optimal user management
Another great advantage of ParcelVIS is the extensively configurable user management, with which, for example, individual zones can be blackened or masked so that the employees in these working areas are not recognisable. "This enables us to meet the high data protection requirements of the legislator and the works council", explains Lerche-Larsen. “Package losses are extremely rare for us, thanks to the modern video technology,” emphasises Lerche-Larsen, who also confirms that ParcelVIS has a preventive effect: “With the system, we have reduced the number of losses again and we can now analyse and fix errors much faster”.
BACKGROUND
DPD Germany and DPD Group
DPD Germany is part of the international DPD Group, Europe's second largest parcel service network. DPD operates 78 depots and 7,000 pickup parcel shops across Germany. 9,500 employees and 11,000 deliverers work for customers every day. The number two in the German parcel market transports around 375 million parcels a year – completely climate-neutral, with no additional costs for customers. With numerous initiatives for sustainable parcel delivery, especially in the city centers, DPD shows how parcel delivery can be made environmentally friendly and locally emission-free.
The DPD Group ships to 230 countries and regions worldwide and has a uniform network of 46,000 pickup parcel shops in Europe with harmonized services even for cross-border shipping. Across Europe, 77,000 delivery experts ensure that 5.3 million parcels are delivered to customers every day. DPD's parent company is GeoPost, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French Groupe La Poste. GeoPost recorded consolidated annual sales of EUR 7.8 billion in 2019.
