parcel sorting Archives

Ardian Negotiating to Acquire Majority Stake in Alstef

Posted on 17 June, 202431 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Ardian, a private investment house, has announced it has entered exclusive negotiations to acquire a majority stake in Alstef Group, a leading provider of automated and robotic solutions for the airport, logistics and parcel sorting markets, alongside the Group’s management team and 260 employee shareholders. As part of this transaction, the founders (Pierre Marol and Jean-Luc Thomé) and Future French Champions, the joint venture between Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Bpifrance, will also reinvest in the company.

Founded in 1961 and headquartered near Orléans in France, Alstef Group is an established player in the design, integration and supply of equipment and proprietary software for intelligent handling solutions. For over a decade, the Group has experienced double-digit growth and rapid international expansion, supported by the acquisition of Glidepath, an airport-baggage and parcel-handling company in 2020, and parcel sorting company SNS in 2023. The Group has a global presence, with 16 subsidiaries around the world and systems installed in 93 countries. It is one of the world leaders in airport baggage sorting and has a blue-chip customer base in the intralogistics and parcel sorting markets.

Its collaborative approach is well-suited to complex operational environments and modernization projects. Its commitment goes beyond the provision of solutions: All teams are actively involved in design, planning, procurement and innovation to ensure the optimum delivery of its projects with minimal disruption to existing operations or environmental impact.

Alstef Group’s robust business model is based in particular on its asset-light strategy, its ability to maintain critical systems for its customers over the long term, and its presence in three complementary segments: baggage handling, intralogistics and parcel sorting. Support from Ardian’s Expansion team will enable the company to accelerate its international development and growth ambitions.

“Alstef Group’s outstanding positioning is underpinned by an excellent management team that has consistently delivered a culture of innovation and a customer-focused approach. This ethos is an asset for continuing to develop the business. We look forward to working with the Alstef Group team to expand the group’s presence and continue its growth in its target markets,” said Maxime Sequier, Managing Director for Expansion at Ardian.

“We are delighted to become Alstef Group’s new partner for the next phase of its development. We have every confidence in the management team and will use our expertise and access to the Ardian platform to support the group’s growth,” added Arnaud Dufer, his colleague.

“We are delighted to welcome Ardian as a majority shareholder to support us in the next stages of our development. This transaction recognizes the expertise we have developed over more than 60 years and the success of the strategy we have implemented at Alstef Group to date. Ardian’s support will help to accelerate a new chapter in our history as we pursue our international growth ambitions,” said Pierre Marol, President and co-founder of Alstef Group.

“It is with great determination that we embark on this new stage in our development, and we are confident that this partnership with Ardian will enable us to achieve our objectives quickly and efficiently. The common values we share, including our commitment, trust, know-how and a sustainable and socially conscious approach to our activities, will be the driving force behind our success. This is the beginning of a fruitful and lasting collaboration that will create value for our employees, our customers and our shareholders,” added Nicolas Breton, CEO of Alstef.

The completion of the transaction is subject to the legal usual conditions and the approval of the relevant regulatory authorities.

B2A Technology Becomes Alstef Group

Compact and Scalable Sorting System

Posted on 23 April, 202424 July, 2025 by Keith McKinley

At the end of last year, Collo-X, an innovative company based in the Netherlands, launched a new sorting system: the MicroSorter. This compact sorting system is capable of sorting up to 1,500 products per hour per unit, with a maximum number of outputs in a very small area. The system is versatile and can process a wide range of products including clothing, shoe boxes, accessories, office supplies, Post and Parcels.

FarmaSort and Collo-X

The company from Wijchen is part of FarmaSort, a producer of sorting solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, with a special focus on pharmacies. Since its founding in 2017, FarmaSort has launched a series of innovative products, including EasyFilling, RotoFilling, and SpeedFilling. With about 100 implemented sorting solutions, FarmaSort supports around 300 pharmacies across the Netherlands in sorting medications down to prescription level. This has firmly positioned the company as a market leader in sorting solutions for the pharmaceutical sector in the Netherlands.

Key Figures of the MicroSorter

The MicroSorter, a compact and scalable sorting system, is specifically designed to efficiently and systematically handle orders and Parcels. Each MicroSorter unit, depending on the configuration, can process up to 1,500 items per hour to a maximum number of outputs on a very small area. The types of outputs that can be sorted to are diverse, including bags, roll containers, bins/crates, carton boxes, gravity rollers, conveyors, and chutes.

The MicroSorter can handle products from 75 x 50 x 5 mm to 575 x 375 x 300 mm, with the maximum weight of the items being sorted at 10 kg. The MicroSorter can be operated as a standalone unit or can be linked with Pusher-, Shoe-, and Crossbelt Sorters for secondary sorting.

After the successful introduction of the MicroSorter at LogiMat 2024 in Stuttgart, the MicroSorter has proven to be suitable for a wide range of companies – from webshops and logistics fulfillment centres to any company involved in post and parcel sorting.

Scalable, Safe and Reliable Racking

Gentle Handling for 6000 Parcels per Hour

Posted on 27 November, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

You can just hear each other while Mikropakket’s 50-metre-long electrically powered sorting belt rapidly transports and distributes the various parcels to the thirty inclined discharge conveyors, known as chutes, in PostNL’s Nieuwegein warehouse. In addition to rollers, the chutes also contain brake rollers, so that heavy parcels are automatically braked and do not crowd the lighter or fragile parcels: gentle handling.

“Previously, we still sorted Mikropakket’s parcels manually,” says Roy Rachman, programme manager at PostNL Logistic Solutions. “That took a lot of manpower and was inefficient. Also because we handle all kinds of different parcels. Large, small, heavy, light, fragile, and so on. Everything mixed together. At this new location, we have concentrated three business units of Logistic Solutions -Mikropakket, Pharma & Care and E-Commerce fulfilment- in one fully modernised building, employing some 40 people in total. At Mikropakket, we now sort about 15,000 parcels a day, but if the expected growth continues, we can easily scale this up to 96,000 parcels if we have to. The system can handle it.”

Intensive collaboration

Rachman supervised the transformation of the former Tata Steel building in Nieuwegein into the sorting centre that is now the flagship of PostNL Logistic Solutions. For the sorting solution, he approached several providers. “EAE Solutions came out on top,” says Rachman. “Precisely because they are a ‘new kid on the block’, because they dared to stick their necks out, because they had an innovative view of sorting machines and their control, and because they thought intensively about our requirements. In close cooperation, we perfected the concept within a year.”

Smart algorithms

The sorting machine EAE Solutions designed for PostNL is produced by established international partner Wayzim, and has been upgraded to western, and PostNL-specific, quality requirements. “This makes the machine more affordable than comparable machines, while you don’t have to compromise on quality and sorting performance,” says Rachman. Distinctive elements such as the electrically driven conveyor belt make the sorting machine almost silent and ensure that maintenance or repair is minimised. A sophisticated measuring, weighing and scanning system based on smart algorithms in the control system ensures that every parcel is moved to one of the chutes at the right place on the belt, through the narrow transverse roller belts that are very ingeniously incorporated into the large sorting belt.

Rapid visual monitoring

“We have our roots in the printing industry,” says Corbin Joosen, Head of Solution Design at EAE Solutions. He is responsible for implementing the new cross belt system at PostNL. “For example, controlling the colour register when printing a newspaper. That is done at 15 metres per second. From that, this speciality arose: lightning-fast visual monitoring and control of logistical processes. These smart cameras, called IAS (Item Analysis System), are included in our control system and ensure that every parcel is handled in the right fast and efficient way.”

First in Europe

The cross belt sorter that EAE Solutions has now installed at PostNL is the first in Europe to be supplied completely by EAE. Founded in 1962, EAE has been designing and manufacturing complex industrial control systems for graphics and the intralogistics market for more than 60 years, with sorting and conveying machines as its core competence.

So far, EAE has mostly supplied its control systems to manufacturers of sorting machines. Now the company also has its own line of cross belt sorters: the EAE Flow.E-Cross. During the user acceptance test, Rachman, without prior notice, placed two boxes of pastries on the belt to test how gentle the handling was. The outcome was positive; completely unscathed, the tompouces could be eaten afterwards.

E-fulfilment Automation Attracts Repeat Customers

Posted on 27 September, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

What brings you back to your favourite online retailer? Other than product quality and range, it’s probably how quickly and competently they deliver your order. Consequently, the efficiency of e-fulfilment warehouses is critical for sales, as service level is a defining factor for customer retention. Automation solutions from experts such as Prime Vision provide warehouses with the tools and data that increase the accuracy and speed of order fulfilment, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction and repeat orders in the future.

Order, receive, repeat

An intuitive, attractive e-commerce platform with a good range of products is highly effective at catching potential customers’ attention. However, beyond initial exposure, holding onto them relies not only on the product meeting expectation but also on the service that follows the payment. A long delivery time, or a late arrival, will often push a consumer to another retailer that can do it faster. Shipping the wrong item means an unhappy shopper too, along with a costly return. All result in lost revenue and potentially, damaged reputation.

Customer retention is essential for the long-term viability of any business and is dependent on fostering loyalty and trust. It’s no secret that attracting a new customer is usually more expensive than retaining an existing one. Performing poorly at the dispatch and delivery stage will most likely result in a one-off order. Customer lifetime value (CLV) to the retailer would be equal to that single purchase and, considering customer acquisition costs linked to marketing and sales, the return on investment (ROI) could be disappointing – especially if that one order is returned.
Repeat customers are more lucrative, so retaining them is a top priority, and e-fulfilment operations must function effectively to keep consumers coming back.

Meeting service expectations with automation

Today, an efficient fulfilment operation is an automated one, and there is a wide range of smart automation solutions available that can raise service level and ensure customer orders are more than a one-time deal.

For example, automatic storage and retrieval systems paired with Prime Vision mobile autonomous robots (AMRs) and computer vision systems allow items to move faster through the warehouse. As a result, parcels containing orders are sorted quicker, reducing overall delivery times and the risk of a customer choosing another retailer with a shorter lead time.

This is achieved while improving accuracy. Inventory management systems, analytics software and computer vision provide full traceability across the warehouse. Operators can therefore usually identify errors before an item is dispatched, minimising returns and boosting customer satisfaction. Additionally, bottlenecks in warehouse sorting processes can be identified and resolved, further promoting efficiency.

Automation in peak demand

Automated operations are exceptionally proficient at catering for periods of high demand too – like Black Friday or Cyber Monday. An overwhelmed logistics operation results in delayed deliveries that can scare shoppers away. On the other hand, offering a consistent service level during these peak times is highly profitable. The latter is no easy task with current labour shortages in the sector. Thankfully software, robots and computer vision systems are very scalable. This means businesses can achieve higher warehouse throughput with limited resources, ensuring that existing staff aren’t overworked during peak periods.

Solutions such as Prime Vision’s Flow Projectors remove mind-numbing, time intensive tasks such as label reading, instead projecting a number that corresponds to a destination or chute on each parcel. Therefore, workers find sorting faster and easier. With these twin benefits, automation enables high demand to be met sustainably, protecting the existing workforce and safeguarding customer loyalty.

Data and discerning buyer behaviour

Gathering sales, warehouse stock inventory and other customer relationship management (CRM) data also empowers businesses to enact a feed-forward approach that can predict and influence customer behaviour. Working out buying habits means e-commerce platforms can use cross-selling or ‘frequently bought together’ features, encouraging shoppers to order more. For consumable products that are purchased repeatedly, the platform can suggest setting up a subscription.

On the fulfilment side, access to historical warehouse CRM data also allows buyer behaviours to be identified, so businesses can tailor their inventory management to capitalise. Bespoke analytics software backed by expert consultation focusing on particular areas of the fulfilment process are solutions Prime Vision has offered to its customers for leaner warehouse management.

Such an approach allows warehouses to optimise inventory volumes and individual product locations by actioning findings on what sells when and where, like surfboards in summer or by the coast. Businesses can then ensure availability for seasonally popular products and reduce delivery times by holding them locally. Often-paired items can even be stored in close proximity within the fulfilment facility itself. Once the data is gathered and analysed, the results can be a true eye-opener and, by addressing even a minor issue, a smoother, more efficient operation and time-saving practices can be established.

Get e-fulfilment right first time

In the experience of Prime Vision, automating e-commerce logistics can positively impact sales. The ability of automation to improve the efficiency of every aspect of a warehouse operation means faster delivery and reduced errors, enhancing customer service and fostering loyalty. Scalability ensures that this service level stays consistent even during peak times, protecting staff from burnout and maximising profitability at key moments. Using data to analyse and predict buyer behaviour can be used to enhance fulfilment operations, translating into high value, repeat purchases thanks to order accuracy and the speedy service received by customers.

Overcoming Challenges Caused by non-Conveyable Parcels

Posted on 22 June, 20227 August, 2025 by Keith McKinley

While non-conveyable items, including those that are oversized, irregularly shaped or heavy, have always been an issue for sorting centres, they’ve become a particular problem over the last two years, as customers have flocked to ordering nearly all household goods online. Joe Szymborski, Design Engineer for R&D Plastics at Habasit America, explains how the company’s new generation of roller plates can alleviate the bottlenecks:

North America and Europe make up around 50 per cent of the global courier, express, and parcel (CEP) market, driven primarily by online sales. In fact, the pandemic saw a jump in global retail e-commerce, with sales going from $3.3tr in 2019 to around $4.3tr in 2020. This increased the volume and variety of parcels being processed. Large, heavy, and irregularly shaped items that consumers might previously have purchased in person are now being bought online.

Everything from paddling pools and rugs to car tires and kitchen appliances are increasingly being processed through parcel sorting centres traditionally used to handling mostly uniform items. The result is that a mid-to-large sorting facility that uses automated sorting systems to process 23,000 items per hour, may have to drop down to around 8,000 per hour to manually handle non-conveyable items. It’s a problem that I’m particularly familiar with; Habasit recently worked with one of the major US shipping conglomerates to solve this problem. While it’s not unique to one company, one of the major problems is that non-conveyables cannot take the same route around the facility as conveyable items.

When they arrive as freight, these items can’t seamlessly enter the sorting system, so are often manually picked and placed aside to be transported and sorted separately. This is because a rug that is 12-foot-long (3.6 m) and wrapped in plastic is likely to get stuck around 90-degree corners, while the potential disruption that may be caused if a 100 lb (45 kg) box of screws was to come hurtling down a conveyor ramp at high speed and break open, doesn’t bear thinking about. However, the alternative, which involves manually handling these items, increases the risk of injuries to personnel. This is where better conveying technology is needed.

One area of focus for Habasit in working with a major shipping conglomerate was to focus on the development of roller plates for gravity chutes. A gravity chute is an inclined plane, trough or framework that depends on sliding friction to control the rate of descent. In conventional automated sorting systems these kinds of gravity chutes typically use continuous roller conveyors. While gravity chutes are not new – after all, they’ve been used in industry for many decades – what’s new is the growing need for them to handle non-conveyables.

For example, a gravity chute with an incline of 14 degrees may work for smaller parcels but is too steep an incline for heavier parcels, which would pick up a dangerous amount of speed at this angle. However, while something more akin to seven degrees would work better, this may in fact be too shallow for lighter but bulkier items, such as rugs or tires, which could get stuck. Here, an 11 degrees incline may offer a good middle ground. But it’s not just about the angle of incline. Heavier items also increase surface friction and therefore wear on the chute itself, leading many companies to line a steel-bed gravity chute with ultra high molecular plastics to reduce the coefficient of friction.

Habasit’s answer was the development of two types of roller plates: machined and molded plates. These include rollers embedded into the surface, whose orientation can be adjusted depending on whether they’re being used for straight transfers, corners, or to control the speed of descent. What’s more, their design means that these roller plates can be used for more than just gravity chutes, including everything from lift gates and skate wheel replacements to sidewalls.

What makes this range unique is that instead of being a continuous conveyor, the roller plates are made in sections which can be more easily replaced if damaged. So, instead of replacing an entire length of conveyor, which could be 52 feet (16 m) long, operators can swap out individual plates and rollers – minimizing the risk of injury and reducing downtime anywhere from six days, to just six hours. So, as the world becomes accustomed to ordering goods online, sorting centres don’t have to take the brunt of the bottlenecks. With the right roller plates in place, they can carry on processing goods seamlessly for customers across the world.

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