Huge Christmas Warehouse To Deal With Mail

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scott ... -20248361/

Dec 14 2007 By Ben Spencer

ROYAL Mail bosses have been forced to lease a massive warehouse to deal with a surge in online Christmas shopping.

They hope the 80,000 square feet of space will help them cope with a predicted annual rise of 60 per cent in the number of packages bought on the internet.

The Livingston unit began operating on December 3 and will sort 100,000 packages every day during the festive period.

Around 180 staff will work around the clock with the warehouse hitting fever pitch a week today when 120,000 packages will need to be handled in just one day.

Rick McAulay, Royal Mail's area general manager for the east of Scotland, said: "Year on year we have seen a 60 per cent rise in online shopping. I think this is because there are increased levels of confidence in terms of the security of buying online.

"There's also a lifestyle issue in terms of the convenience that the internet brings.

"And there's a fantastic distribution network that makes sure things get there when people want them.

"We are finding that we are getting the lion's share of the internet distribution this Christmas.

"We get around 3000 to 5000 packages a day from Amazon alone.

"In reality, we deal with eBay as well, because 90 per cent of what they send out comes through here.

"We also handle all the packages from the east of Scotland and a small amount from the west.

"At this time of year we really help connect people and that is a big responsibility which we take very seriously."

When all the parcels are sorted they are sent out on one of the 15 lorries that travel to the Scottish distribution centre in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, each day.

Most of the people who make sure our Christmas presents arrive on time are seasonal workers.

Rab Dixon,45, from Livingston, who helps coach the new staff, said: "We aim to sort through 19 packages a minute as a guide.

"The workers aren't always that fast to begin with but they soon pick it up.

"We get all sorts of shapes and sizes of packages. A lot of flowers and golf clubs come through this time of year ."

To make sure letters arrive for Christmas they must sent by December 17 for second class and December 20 for first class.

[not me]

now if they can only get my pouches back ;)