A new fully automated sorting machine which can process 195,000 parcels per day has been installed by Royal Mail at Chester Mail Centre.

Using an intelligent system of conveyor belts and scanning technology, Royal Mail say that the new technology will help the service keep up with a surge in online shopping deliveries.

The system is built by the Bowe Group and is around the same length as six double-decker buses. With 267 sorting trays and 86 outlets it can process up to 10,000 parcels per hour for delivery across Chester and the rest of the UK.

It is a part of Royal Mail's multi-million pound investment programme to replace significant manual sorting processes, which they say can be both time consuming and physically demanding.

Sarah Coulson, Parcels Automation Programme Director for Royal Mail, said: "We are transforming the way Royal Mail processes parcels given the rapid growth in online shopping in recent years.

"Our investment in state-of the-art parcel sorting machines will help us better meet the growing demands of our customers in Chester and the rest of the UK and is a vital part of the ongoing reinvention of Royal Mail."

Paul Ward, Managing Director of Bowe UK & Ireland, said: "We are extremely pleased to partner with Royal Mail on this journey towards fully automating their sorting centres with our very latest technology.

"We believe our parcel sorting solution and services will enable Royal Mail to effectively meet the demands of their customers now and in the future."

The move will see a further 39 machines in operation by October 2022, including installations at a new hub being built in Warrington.