(openPR) - DPD, a leading international provider of parcel services, decided to implement the solution ORion-PI of Axxom Software AG for its staff planning tasks at its Villingen-Schwenningen depot. A special feature of the software is a new developed scheduling algorithm that allows DPD to combine automated planning with the experience of its shift supervisors. With this new solution, DPD is able to cope with an increasing number of shipments, reducing the complexity in staff planning and increasing efficiency in its whole planning process.

With about 150 employees, two-shift operations, about 45 differ-ent workplaces and flexible hours of work – staff planning at DPD`s Villingen-Schwenningen depot is a complex task. Therefore, since the beginning of 2011 the provider of parcel services has been using the software ORion-PI of Axxom. The solution supports DPD in calculating the necessary staff demand as well as scheduling the employees. Based on the expected number of parcels the software calculates the workload distribution of the whole depot for every 15-minute interval per day. In an additional step, the software also determines the number of necessary workplaces and the number of employees that should be deployed at every workstation.

In the final step the software organizes the operative scheduling of the staff, using a scheduling algorithm of Axxom that is able to automatically fulfill this task. The algorithm prioritizes the staff de-mand, reviews the availability of employees and also considers their qualifications, working time accounts, or holidays. Therefore, ORion-PI is connected seamlessly to DPD`s time tracking system and receives the necessary information. As a result, the software suggests a staffing plan for every workplace in the whole depot.

“Task of the algorithm is to schedule exactly the necessary num-ber of personnel with the according working hours”, explains Kris-tin Gerbeth, Product Manager at Axxom. “This results in a lower demand for external staff as well as a significant reduction of overtime, as the algorithm considers the working hour account of the DPD employees.”

„We used to plan our staff with Excel. However, this often resulted in a time-consuming and nevertheless imprecise planning pro-cess”, says Guenther Pfaff, director of the DPD depot in Villingen-Schwenningen. “ORion-PI enables us to model our specific pro-cesses and demands with the software and thus to plan and schedule our staff efficiently.”

Axxom is a leading international provider of software solutions and consulting services for the holistic optimization of logistics and production processes. Since its foundation in 2001, the Munich-based company supports its customers to increase efficiency and flexibility and to gain significant cost reductions.
Customers in more than 35 countries on five continents use the software for warehouse optimization, supply chain optimization, production planning and staff planning & scheduling. Among them are leading companies from the au-tomotive, chemical, pharmaceutical, food & beverage, logistics, retail and mail-order industry that rely on Axxom and its solutions.

Axxom Software AG
Jens Verstaen
Marketing & PR Manager
Paul-Gerhardt-Allee 46
81245 Munich, Germany
Tel: +49 (0)89 / 568 23-321
Fax: +49 (0)89 / 568 23-399
jens.verstaen@axxom.com
www.axxom.com