Local inspection

On the “parcel front”: Post under Christmas stress

Around 300 employees work in three shifts at the Kalsdorf postal logistics center during the Christmas peak.

(Bild: Juergen Fuchs)

Delivery services are under enormous pressure in the run-up to Christmas. The "Krone" took a look around the postal logistics center in Kalsdorf, where 260,000 parcels are currently sorted every day.

Trucks pass the entrance gate to the Kalsdorf postal logistics center in the industrial area south of Graz every minute. At Austrian Post's second-largest parcel handling center, around 300 employees currently work around the clock in three shifts to ensure that parcels from all over the world reach their destination.

Sorting at the logistics center is highly automated - but it still wouldn't work without a lot of hard-working hands.

(Bild: Juergen Fuchs)

Three million parcels delivered in Styria
"Christmas business has really picked up speed," says Martin Kohlmayer, Head of the Logistics Center, adding: "Yesterday we sorted around 260,000 parcels. About twice as many as in the summer months." According to Austrian Post, more than three million parcels will be processed and delivered in Styria in December.

Parcels rush through the 25,000 square meter hall on a gigantic conveyor system and are distributed via chutes for onward transport. The level of automation is high. The employees are mainly unskilled workers who "push" parcels back and forth between conveyor belts and transport vehicles.

The conveyor system at the Swiss Post logistics center in Kalsdorf is huge - as are the parcel volumes that are currently processed here every day.

(Bild: Juergen Fuchs)

The Kalsdorf postal center was opened in 2020. It started with a throughput rate of 12,000 parcels per hour. The full expansion to 20,000 parcels per hour was planned by 2030 - however, this figure was reached just one year after the opening. In view of the fact that parcel volumes have been increasing throughout Austria for years, it is probably only a matter of time before the Kalsdorf logistics center is expanded further.

Amazon: Competitor, but also a major customer
The Amazon distribution center that opened in Premstätten this year is hardly felt in day-to-day business here: "Amazon may be a competitor, but it is also one of our biggest customers," says Head of Logistics Kohlmayer.

Delivery staff currently have their hands full in the truest sense of the word, with up to 300 parcels to deliver every day.

(Bild: Juergen Fuchs)

Sorted parcels are then transported from Kalsdorf to delivery bases throughout Styria. The largest base is located directly in the building and delivers to the greater Graz area, among others. Up to 35,000 parcels are delivered to households from here alone. "The delivery staff currently have to cope with high volumes, from 180 to 300 parcels," explains base manager Alexander Kosiak. Around 1800 delivery staff are on duty throughout Styria during the Christmas period.

INTERVIEW

„Die Personallage ist im Großraum Graz sehr angespannt“

Franz Doppelhofer, Chairman of the Styrian Postal Workers' Union, was a delivery driver himself for 30 years and knows the stresses and strains of the job. 

Franz Doppelhofer is Chairman of the Styrian Postal Workers' Union.

(Bild: Doppelhofer/zVg)

"Krone": Christmas is the most labor-intensive time of the year for the postal service. What is the staffing situation like for delivery staff?
Franz Doppelhofer: The staffing situation is very tight in the greater Graz area, but there is also a huge problem in Upper Styria in some places.

What is the reason for this?
First of all, there is a general shortage of workers. And we're not the top payers either, there are collective agreements where you can earn more. In the greater Graz area and Upper Styria, there are more opportunities in the industry. And young employees in particular want regular working hours. We can't always offer that because the volumes are always different.

Things are currently very stressful for parcel deliverers. What are the biggest burdens?
I was a delivery driver myself for 30 years, and the biggest burden is the time pressure. You get lots of letters and parcels in the morning and the job is to deliver them. Of course you want to get everything done, and when you can't and you need help, it's frustrating. Many employees resign.

How has the job of a mail deliverer changed in recent years?
We used to deliver a lot more "real" letters. That has changed to being a parcel deliverer who just takes a bit of mail. This will continue to intensify, and the company is also required to redefine jobs so that the work can be done in normal time again.