Simon Kavanagh gave IOC chair Carl Lomas a Spring tour of the new DPD Docklands depot that sorts for London.

Opened by Transport Minister Mark Harper it was eco to die for with an entry reception on recycled floor with carbon absorbing felt plants, natural lichen featured on the wall art. This was a location in sight of the City of London. Beyond the windows towered Canary Wharf, the commercial density of Docklands sparkled in glass, the Shard marked the edge of the City of London. This was a parcel location with a view. Sat alongside the River Lea and south of the Olympic Park cycle routes, transport included tube to Bow, DLR to Star Lane, flights overhead landing City airport and road routes from A11 to A13 in London’s road arteries complemented by the Blackwall Tunnel all south.

Silence was golden in this brand new sort with a vision, fast belts running 2.7 m a second were almost silent. In the big step to eco the exit chutes were made of wood, bringing a truly natural feel to the work environment that sat under a roof full of solar panels. Electricity pylons stood by the van park adorned with fast charge stations. Robots awaited non-com uglies, the exit chutes extended to the back doors of the van stations. Single route to single van. A run of curved chutes were on standby for special sort separations. The dedicated small sort dynamically chose the next empty tote box before a middle belt re-connected the totes at the van doors.

In the smart white office mezzanine floors, a boat like shaped board table sat in the top meeting room. Work areas, training rooms and meeting spaces were large and filled with sunlight.

In a new view for hub and spoke express logistics models, DPD Docklands focused London in sort for London without a trip to the mighty Middle England sort sheds..

An inspirational location of eco sort where you could stand by the belts with a silence unmatched in the industry. These runs of golden timber chutes brought a wellbeing feel of natural delivery to the space.

Photo gallery

Darren Willson and the DPD team talk Docklands sustainable delivery for London