Bridging the premium gap

What are the key trends shaping the logistics sector?

The rise of e-commerce has significantly impacted the logistics sector. There has been a huge increase in online shopping, especially during the Covid- 19 pandemic. Although the demand has leveled out recently, there is still a growing demand for fast, reliable, competitive and last-mile delivery services. Logistics providers are under pressure to optimize their operations to meet the expectations of online shoppers.

Secondly, the importance of social responsibility is being recognized throughout the industry and is now becoming a strategic focus for logistics service providers. There is an increasing focus on the company’s impact on the environment, society in general, and on employee sustainability.

Finally, the logistics industry operates in an increasingly complex global trade environment, fueled by lower shipping costs and optimized delivery times. Systems can now be sourced from all over the world.

What are you working on now?

The EAE Flow.E-Cross sorter is a fully electric crossbelt sorter with outstanding performance. This unique solution leverages the EAE Flow.Control system, combined with a proven mechanical sorter design that is optimized for availability and performance. The E-Cross sorter is available as a line-and loop-sorter with various carrier sizes. Through these functionalities, the system can be optimized according to customers’ item specifications and available footprint.

EAE’s controls system is developed in collaboration with major customers and guarantees seamless integration and synchronization with existing infrastructure while offering enhanced data analysis and real-time insights.

What makes it unique?

The EAE Flow.E-Cross sorter is unique because it’s a combination of affordable yet high-quality mechanical equipment and the secure, state-of-the-art controls system EAE Flow.Control. Customers can now experience the future of sorting with our revolutionary sorter and unlock the potential for enhanced efficiency in their logistics processes.

The Item Analysis System (IAS) developed by EAE Solutions uses 3D, 2D and infrared technology to detect and analyze a parcel and its exact position on the sorter. EAE Solutions has developed Intelligent Dynamic Discharge (IDD) software. This algorithm combines the data gathered by the Item Analysis System with the individually controllable carriers to manage the discharge of an item with millimeter accuracy. By controlling the discharge trajectory and position with such high accuracy, we can influence the final position of items in the chute, like playing Tetris with parcels. This enables us to buffer up to 40% more items in our chutes. Due to the larger quantity of parcels being buffered in the chutes, the operation can be optimized, resulting in fewer full-time equivalents (FTEs) and a higher return on investment (ROI) on the system.

Customers experienced a price and performance gap between electrical crossbelt sorters (which have premium sorting performance) and their mechanical equivalents such as tray sorters, shoe sorters and divert sorters. EAE Solutions fills this gap by offering the E-Cross sorter at a competitive price level. With our premium solution, we help customers to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of their material handling system. Finally, the footprint of the total system can be reduced due to the optimized chute utilization and the flexibility of the design.

What should companies consider when selecting a new sorting system?

Companies should consider whether the system design fulfills their current and future capacity demands, as well as their growth strategy. They should also think about whether the system can gently handle the complete diversified parcel spectrum. Additionally, it’s important to account for the variations in trends of items that are generally considered as conveyable. It is important to be able to handle a large variety of items in an efficient way to have a competitive edge. TCO should be taken into account too, including often forgotten costs for pressurized air, costs of miss-sorts, handling of return goods, floor-area costs and chute FTEs. Furthermore, don’t underestimate the system’s IT infrastructure. Make sure that the supplier is experienced with topics such as host integration, cybersecurity and software patch management. These topics need to be well managed so that you can unlock the full potential of the sorter sustainably. Finally, clear dashboarding and reporting are elements that are often overlooked but very important. This shortens implementation and issue resolution times and facilitates faster learning for operators and management.

What are EAE’s future plans?

After the first day of Parcel+Post Expo 2023, an exclusive event will be held at PostNL for a select number of customers and contacts. There are a few open spots left for expo attendees so those interested should visit EAE Solutions’ booth for more information. There is also another interesting product release coming up in a few months that will be very interesting for courier, express and parcel companies. n

At Parcel+Post Expo 2023, EAE and PostNL will hold a joint presentation about combining multiple logistics processes using a single