Interview with Javier Simón from A TU HORA EXPRESS
At JHernando we have recently implemented a sorting system for the HUB that A TU HORA EXPRESS has in San Fernando de Henares (Madrid). A TU HORA EXPRESS is an express parcel delivery company specialising in the distribution of goods, and the implementation of this sorter will allow them to optimise their supply chain so that they gain in efficiency and speed in their deliveries to the customer.
We have interviewed Javier Simón, General Manager of A TU HORA EXPRESS, to tell us about his experience in this project and how his company faces the future of the sector.
In recent times the increase in ecommerce sales has not stopped growing and this tendency is expected to continue. How has this positive evolution of ecommerce affected your company in the last year in the development of its operations?
The evolution of ecommerce has meant that in a very short time it has become a strategic player in the transport sector, growing at double digit exponentially year after year. This increase has forced us to reinforce all areas, creating automation strategies in software and operational processes that would allow us to increase shipping capacity and thus avoid tensions in the supply chain.
What were the needs that your company was looking to solve by relying on a specialised engineering company like JHernando? What made you choose us?
Our objective and, at the same time, our need, was to find an automation system that would allow us to improve sorting times with real-time traceability of the package. The result would help us to have a greater capacity in our central HUB and would give us the possibility to offer our customers a wider CUT OFF, while at the same time, we would obtain the capacity to sort a greater volume of packages being more efficient and with greater control of the goods.
In JHernando we clearly found three values that we look for in a partner: flexibility, reliability and experience. At all times they helped and guided us to develop the automation process of our HUB with an impeccable implementation process.
The sorter supplied by JHernando for A TU HORA EXPRESS has helped them to significantly improve their central HUB operations
Once the JHernando sorting system has been integrated into your warehouses, how has it improved the efficiency of your logistics operations? Have you already noticed a better performance in your processes? Has the delivery time of packages to your customers improved?
The sorting system has significantly improved operations in our central HUB. We have increased sorting capacity and improved traceability and management of goods. The processes are carried out more efficiently and with greater productivity in the equipment, thus improving transit times to the destinations. With greater capacity, delivery times have been reduced by a high percentage, while the rate of correctly sorted shipments exceeds 99.9%.
This sorter will allow A TU HORA EXPRESS to improve sorting times with real time parcel traceability
What type of packages and products do you handle the most, and how does the technology provided by JHernando help with their sorting?
Our company tests the sorter on a daily basis because we have a high percentage of shipments that belong to the online returns channel called "reverse logistics" in which the packaging of the goods is not always the desired one. In this case, we have equipped the sorting system with the capacity to manage shipments sent to the end customer as well as returns destined for retail. This has allowed us to offer our customers the management and transport of very small packages as well as large packages with full control over both. We have integrated JHernando's technology with our system, absorbing the information of the packages in real time, this allows us to have the location and control of the packages and to be able to configure the belt map when we need it according to the needs of the central HUB at that moment.
Finally, what importance does A Tu Hora Express give to space optimisation in its warehouses, and do you plan to continue with the automation of your processes in the near future?
Nowadays, the cost per m2 in Madrid is very high, our business has peaks of activity in which we need many metres of yard space to be able to load, and with the sorting system we have managed to manage 30% more merchandise without having to contract more m2 and to achieve fluid activity in peaks without space tensions. We have already contracted other sorting systems with JHernando to obtain even greater capacity, and we want to automate our branches and exchange HUBs. Automation cannot be questioned and it is in our roadmap to keep improving processes.
JHernando's sorter has been integrated with the A TU HORA EXPRESS system absorbing in real time the information of the packages
