Swiss Post presents its new parcel center in Buchs

After only 15 months of planning and construction, the Post recently put its new regional parcel center in Buchs (AG) into operation and presented it to the public today. From now on, 175 employees in Buchs will take care of sorting and delivering parcels for the greater areas of Aarau, Lenzburg, Seetal, Suhrental, and Wynental. The Post can now sort parcels destined for this region locally, reducing transport distances.

(Buchs) This brings the Post closer to households and makes its parcel processing more sustainable and faster. After Rümlang, Buchs is already the second regional parcel center that the Post is opening in 2022. For the necessary conversion of a warehouse, it has invested around 15 million francs. In Buchs, the Post can process up to 5000 parcels per hour.

Since mid-July, the Post has been sorting parcels in Buchs (AG). After just a 15-month planning and construction phase, the conveyor belts in the new regional parcel center in Buchs are already running smoothly. Today, it was presented to the public. The new parcel center is located in a warehouse that the Post has converted for around 15 million francs. Parcels that are sent and delivered in the greater areas of Aarau, Lenzburg, Seetal, Suhrental, and Wynental no longer have to go through large parcel centers like Härkingen, Frauenfeld, or Daillens. Johannes Cramer, Head of Logistics Services at the Post, emphasizes: “We are pleased with the successful commissioning of the regional parcel center. This allows us to strengthen our presence in the region and further expand our capacity for sorting and delivering parcels.”

Spiral conveyor lifts parcels to a height of three meters

The new sorting machines in Buchs can process up to 5000 parcels per hour. To make optimal use of the available space, the Post has implemented a Swiss premiere in Buchs: the parcels go up. Two spiral conveyors save a lot of space. They lift the parcels to the sorting machine at nearly three meters high in just a few seconds. “This technology is unique at the Post so far,” says Johannes Cramer, adding: “With investments in state-of-the-art technology like this, we can continue to meet our customers’ needs in the future. Because people’s needs have changed. Today, one wants to order online and find the goods in the mailbox the next day. Therefore, we need to process more and more parcels faster and faster. This is only possible if we and our technology are innovative.”

The Post grows together and utilizes synergies

The Post is leveraging its synergies in the region: In addition to the parcel sorting center, it also houses the delivery point for parcels in Buchs (AG). From here, postal workers daily spread out into the region. They were previously stationed in Härkingen and Mägenwil. In Buchs, the Post has created 60 new jobs. In total, the Post employs 175 people at the new location. Additionally, in 2023, the Post will relocate the letter delivery office of Aarau – along with around 100 employees – to Buchs. Government Councilor Dieter Egli, Director of Economic Affairs of the Canton of Aargau, welcomes the Post’s investment: “The Post is an attractive employer in Aargau, employing nearly 2500 residents. With the new logistics center, it is committing to our economic location, which makes me very happy.”

In recent years, the Post has invested a total of around 250 million francs in expanding its sorting and delivery infrastructure. This secures a high-quality postal basic service. Among other things, it has put regional parcel centers into operation in Vétroz (VS), Cadenazzo (TI), Untervaz (GR), and Ostermundigen (BE). This year, in addition to the parcel center in Buchs, the new regional parcel center in Rümlang has also been part of the Post’s logistics network since spring. In 2023, two more locations for parcel sorting are expected to follow with a regional parcel center in Pratteln (BL) and a parcel department within the letter center in Härkingen (SO).

Photo: © Swiss Post