Purolator has shared how it plans to meet an expected demand of over 54 million packages this holiday season.
It will triple the number of contactless drop-off and pick-up locations, add parcel lockers for 24/7 access at its busiest terminals and hire more than 2,400 new employees across the country.
“We expect e-commerce to climb again this holiday season and with a record forecast of moving 54 million packages across Canada, we are more prepared than ever to deliver even more stops,” said John Ferguson, the company’s president and CEO.
“The demand for shipping and transportation services remains high, with businesses working to put inventory on shelves as consumers head back into bricks and mortar locations, while the heightened online shopping habits evidenced throughout the pandemic remain strong.”
Record-breaking season
Purolator is bracing for a record-breaking holiday season. Between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24 it expects to process 54 million packages, an increase of almost 10 percent over 2020.
During the busiest week of the year – Nov. 29 to Dec. 5 – Purolator expects to process more than eight million pieces, averaging approximately 1.6 million per day (Monday to Friday). That is a nine percent increase over 2020. On Nov. 30, the busiest day of the year, the company expects to process 1.8 million pieces, over 20 percent more than in 2020.
From Dec. 1 to Dec. 24, Purolator expects to handle 26.3 million pieces, an increase of seven percent from last year, with an average of 1.5 million pieces processed each day. And, in the week leading up to Christmas (Dec. 18 to Dec. 24), it expects to process 7.1 million pieces, a 20 percent increase over the same period last year.
Added capacity
To handle all this staff will be increased by 15 percent, or 2,400, along with 15 percent more pick-up and delivery vehicles. At the busiest terminals the company is adding portable dock expansions to increase parcel sorting capabilities by 20 percent.
The courier is also adding more than 20 new package pick-up parcel lockers at its busiest terminals, almost tripling the number of Quick Stop Kiosks to more than 30 locations across Metrolinx, Michaels and Purolator Shipping locations, and expanding its condominium parcel locker program to over 160 locations in busy urban areas.
Leave a Reply