Royal Mail has hit its target of automating 90% of its parcel operations following several technology investments in recent years as part of its wider modernization strategy.
These investments include the opening of two state-of-the-art, automated parcel hubs in Warrington and Daventry that can process up to 1.5 million parcels a day combined; the addition of 10 specially designed large parcel conveyors at mail centers across the country, to manage bigger parcels and three new high-speed parcel sortation machines added to mail centers in Leeds, Plymouth and Exeter, each one increasing processing by 21,000 parcels per hour.
Alistair Cochrane, Royal Mail’s chief operating officer, said, “Reaching 90% automation is a key milestone in our mission to deliver a modern, more efficient Royal Mail.
“We will continue to explore new technologies to enhance our performance and meet the evolving needs of our customers, while also supporting our workforce with cutting-edge technology.”
Further modernization
As part of its modernization plans, Royal Mail updated its app in March 2025, making it possible for customers to request proof of postage when they drop off smaller parcels and packets with a barcode at the 115,000 postboxes in the UK.
In October 2024, the operator became the first delivery company in the world to add digital tracking to its containers used for transporting letters and parcels. The tags, provided by IoT specialist Wiliot, transmit live data on location, humidity and temperature as they travel around the country.
Read an exclusive interview with Steve Statler, chief marketing officer of Wiliot, in the December 2024 issue of Parcel and Postal Technology International.
