Record in Pandemic Times: DPD is Prepared for the Peak Parcel Season

DPD Deutschland GmbH delivers almost 2.5 million parcels per day and expects the highest shipment volume in history in the coming months. Comprehensive measures protect not only employees but also customers and recipients.

(Aschaffenburg) – The international parcel and express service provider DPD has started the fourth quarter, the strongest in terms of volume, under special circumstances. The Corona pandemic poses high demands for reliable parcel delivery and has further boosted the booming online trade. DPD recorded a new record of almost 2.2 million parcels per day as early as May this year, surpassing the high volumes of last year’s Christmas business. Alongside managing the large number of parcels, protecting the health of employees, customers, and recipients is a top priority for DPD, especially in the cold season.“We are well prepared to be an indispensable basic supplier in the first peak season since the beginning of the Corona pandemic and to guarantee safe and reliable parcel shipping,” explains DPD CEO Eric Malitzke.“DPD has timely expanded sorting capacities, allocated a sufficient number of seasonal workers, and procured additional loading space. With a multitude of measures, we are doing everything possible to keep the infection situation away from our locations in the fourth quarter and to protect the health of our workforce and the population.”

Record Volumes Expected: DPD Increases Capacities and Relies More on Directly Employed Deliverers

DPD expects a noticeable increase in parcel volumes as early as October, which will further intensify in November and December. The mark of two million parcels per day and, at peak times, more than 300,000 parcels per hour is expected to be exceeded on numerous delivery days. Compared to the previous year, DPD anticipates a volume increase of around 20 percent in this year’s Christmas business. With up to 2.5 million parcels per day, the parcel service will deliver more parcels in the weeks leading up to Christmas than ever before. The absolute highest daily volume is expected for the end of November after “Black Friday.” The online shopping boom on Black Friday has already led to the highest daily volume of the year in the past two years, while the peak volume in previous years was always reached just before Christmas Eve.

4,000 Additional Workers in Parcel Delivery and Sorting Centers

To handle these volumes, the company is deploying more than 2,000 additional vehicles and over 4,000 additional workers in parcel delivery and sorting centers. DPD continuously adjusts its sorting capacities to the increasing parcel volumes. For example, a significant regional hub was newly opened in Augsburg at the beginning of the year. A new location in Mannheim was added in early September. The capacities at DPD’s largest parcel sorting center in Hamm, which started operations last year, have been ramped up to 100 percent over the course of the year and are currently being further expanded. The new building in Hamm was recently awarded the NRW Investment Award by the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia as a model project.

Peak Surcharge for E-Commerce Parcels in Peak Season

To ensure reliable delivery of all parcels during the pre-Christmas period, DPD is closely coordinating with customers to prepare as well as possible for increases and fluctuations in volume based on binding forecasts. DPD will only accept excess volumes if it does not jeopardize the fast and reliable delivery of parcels for other customers operationally. Since parcel delivery during the peak season involves significant additional effort, DPD will again impose a peak surcharge for e-commerce parcels this year. This surcharge is usually 75 cents, although there will be individual arrangements depending on the volume and delivery time expectations of each customer. The peak surcharge will be applied from early November until Christmas. Packages dropped off by private senders at parcel shops are not affected by this.

Highest Priority for Preventive Pandemic Measures

For many months, DPD has implemented comprehensive and strictly controlled rules to prevent the spread of the Corona virus. DPD has introduced fully contactless parcel delivery at the front door and in parcel shops. There is also a mask requirement at all locations, and strict distance and hygiene rules apply in all areas of the operational premises. All locations are equipped with large quantities of protective equipment and disinfectants. The frequency of cleaning and ventilation has been significantly increased. Corona officers at all locations are responsible for implementing and monitoring preventive measures on-site. Employees whose presence on-site is not strictly necessary have been working from home for months. This practice will continue at DPD until at least the end of the year. DPD is in close contact with the relevant authorities and regularly coordinates which preventive measures are necessary and appropriate.www.dpd.dePhoto: © DPD Deutschland GmbH