Purolator announces the opening of a new sortation facility in Toronto
by CM Staff
The National Hub marks a shift away from a standardized sortation model to a more tailored approach that uses technology to segment parcels by size, weight, and dimension.
A snapshot of Purolator’s conveyor system, spanning over 4 km, inside its new National Hub sortation facility. (CNW Group/Purolator Inc.)
TORONTO — On Aug. 9, Purolator officially opened its new 443,084-sq-ft National Hub. Located near several major highways in Toronto, the National Hub reportedly triples the capacity of Purolator’s former Ontario sortation facility and increases its network capabilities through new automation and advanced scanning and sorting technology.
“For over 60 years, Canadians from coast to coast have depended on Purolator. Following the sharp rise in e-commerce and two years of unprecedented growth, the new state-of-the-art National Hub is opening at a crucial time,” said John Ferguson, President and CEO, Purolator. “Pivoting off our history of innovation, our investment in this infrastructure and new technology is a game-changer. It provides greater flexibility to quickly move goods across the country to enable businesses and services in all sectors of the economy to thrive.”
Purolator leveraged learnings from global benchmarking trips in the construction of its new National Hub, which broke ground in May 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic. When operating at full capacity, it will reportedly process up to 70,000 parcels per hour. The new hub also includes technology that can reportedly unload a trailer in under 10 minutes or up to 12,000 parcels per hour.
The National Hub marks a shift away from a standardized sortation model to a more tailored approach that uses technology to segment parcels by size, weight, and dimension. “Innovation drives every business decision we make, and this is especially true as we work to modernize Purolator’s extensive network,” added Ferguson. “We can now increase our responsiveness and dramatically scale up or down to meet the need for industry-specific solutions and the demand for time-sensitive express shipments.”
In designing the National Hub, Purolator tried to prioritize employee health and safety. The company integrated global industry best practices and technology, increased safety features, such as guard rails and sensors, and installed equipment to reduce the risk of physical injury. Amenities also include a dedicated multi-faith space, a 6,500 sq-ft cafeteria and patio, a wellness room.
