On 6 October 2021 in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands, PostNL opened a fully automated robotic package sorting centre. Fitted with sundry robots, this parcel centre is unique in Europe and was designed to specifically target country-wide distribution and sorting of shoebox-size or smaller packages, with the maximum capacity of parcels to equal that of five regular sorting centres. Through the destitution of smaller parcels, less packing material, air, and carbon emissions will be used which will also enable more capacity for larger packages at the regular parcel sorting centres.

All this will be achieved through a smarter use of data, digitisation and robotisation. In addition, this will allow the small parcels to be sorted 24/7. Through this they also aim to make total e-commerce chain sustainable from check-out at the web shop to delivery on the doorstep by making it easier for business customers and consumers to make greener choices.

Source: PostNL