PostNL Parcel Service had four sorting centres and 38 distribution centres. Currently, the entire infrastructure is replaced by a new network; 18 depots that will do both sorting and distribution. This transition takes several years, so the volume of the existing sorting centres decreases gradually until all centres are closed. The aim of this thesis is to identify the impact on the current sorting centres and identify reconfigurations of the process to maintain effective and reduce the impact on efficiency.

The outcome is a reconfiguration of the process of sorting centre Zwolle per new depot opening. And a redesign, for all sorting centres, of the decision process on to how deploy workers, teams and sorters based on the daily prognosis.

 

Supervisors : prof. dr. K.J. Roodbergen and dr. N.D. van Foreest