Even “Uglies” Get Looked After At Hermes With A Carousel Conveyor Belt System

With a continuing rise of parcel throughput, Hermes needed assistance in determining how it could increase the number of parcels being moved at its Rugby hub and charge its customers correctly for the “uglies” the industry term for parcels that have an irregular weight and/or dimensions. A solution was devised by replacing the existing system which used several manual lines with a semi-automated modular belt carousel.  

Yodel reckons “uglies” account for about five per cent of the market value. With this ever-increasing volume of awkward parcels, it is becoming a priority for delivery companies to accurately scan and weigh these items in order to correctly bill their customers and to ensure that valuable revenue is not lost. 

After discussing the varied range of parcel types that arrive at the depot, L-A-C devised a carousel conveyor belt that could handle most items from the very small to the very big, whether it be a curtain pole, ironing board or a set of golf clubs. The conveyor was comprised of the following:

The carousel also has the capacity to handle even small items, as transfer plates between the conveyor run lengths have been incorporated into the design.

Armco barriers were installed along both the runs and the curves to help protect any potential damage from forklift trucks and hand pallet trucks operating in the area.