The countdown to peak season has begun, when conveyor belts never stop, delivery vans queue around the clock, and every second counts. In 2024, Europe’s BFCM week broke records once again, with parcel volumes skyrocketing 93.7% compared to the weeks before.
So how do last-mile logistics leaders like GOFO stay ahead of the game, ensuring every parcel reaches its destination with speed, precision, and reliability? The answer lies at the heart of operations, the sorting hub. How can sorting hubs maintain service levels and customer satisfaction amid record-high parcel volumes? Let’s find out.
Top challenges of sorting hubs in last-mile delivery operations
Peak season pressure: issues are rising – During BFCM 2024, Europe’s parcel volumes surged 93.7%, stretching last-mile networks to their limits. Average delivery time rose to 1.7 days, and first-attempt success rates dipped slightly from 95.5% to 95.2%, while issue ratios climbed from 6% to 6.7%. Even small percentage shifts translate into thousands of delayed parcels, putting sorting hubs under pressure to keep pace.
Bottlenecks in manual sorting and workflow management – Manual sorting struggles under peak conditions, leading to human error, misrouted parcels, and costly re-sorting. Labor shortages make it more challenging to hire and train temporary workers, while high turnover disrupts operations precisely when consistency is most crucial.
The cost of delays and the need for scalability – In a last-mile delivery network, even minor sorting delays ripple through the network, extending lead times and impacting customer satisfaction. A flexible, scalable automation to maintain efficiency, accuracy, and speed is a must.
Automation and sorting machines: powering smarter workflows
Last-mile delivery companies like GOFO have adopted the Double Cross-Belt Sorter. This powerful automation upgrade enhances workflow efficiency, enabling teams to handle peak-season volumes with confidence and ease.
High-speed, high-accuracy sorting
The double cross-belt design enables high-speed, bi-directional parcel sorting with exceptional accuracy, ideal for dense sorting hubs to process hundreds of thousands of parcels per hour. Its dual-belt system maximizes throughput and keeps operations running smoothly even at peak capacity.
Seamless integration with TMS for data-driven efficiency
What makes this system even more powerful is its seamless integration with Transportation Management Systems (TMS). Each parcel scanned by the sorter generates real-time tracking data, feeding directly into the logistics network for instant visibility and control. Through advanced data analysis and visualization, operators can monitor parcel flow, identify bottlenecks, and make quick decisions to optimize routes and lead times.
Consistent service levels during peak season
The combination of high-speed sorting, six-sided 360° scanning and data visualization system ensures stable and reliable performance even under extreme parcel surges. This automation upgrade maintains service quality and customer satisfaction when it matters most.
How GOFO's sorting machine boosts last-mile efficiency
High-performance sorting capacity
GOFO’s Double Cross-Belt Sorter delivers top-tier speed and precision with:
- 180 sorting destinations
- 19,000 parcels per hour peak throughput
- 99.9% sorting and identification accuracy
- +240% improvement in operational efficiency
Six-sided scanning intelligence
Equipped with a six-sided scanner, the system reads barcodes, QR codes, and other label types from every angle. This ensures consistent accuracy and minimizes manual rescans, streamlining parcel movement through the hub.
Smart handling
The sorter processes parcels up to 30 kg, automatically classifying each by weight, volume, type, and route to maximize throughput.
With automated induction and conveying, parcels enter and move through the system with no manual intervention required. Advanced singulation technology separates stacked items into individual pieces, ensuring smooth processing. Together, these capabilities deliver a fast, accurate, and fully automated sorting flow engineered for peak performance.
Expanding automation across the Netherlands
GOFO Netherlands currently operates three sorting hubs — in Amsterdam, Boxtel, and Rotterdam. The Amsterdam hub is the first to deploy this automation technology, with further rollouts planned to strengthen GOFO’s data-driven, scalable last-mile operations.
