When we opened the doors on our state-of-the-art APC in 2024, it marked a major leap forward in transforming the way we deliver for Kiwi businesses – locally and globally. Since then, we’ve streamlined our Auckland network from 8 depots down to 4 and hit another exciting milestone - opening the ACD in 2025.  The ACD is the next step in our network transformation journey, helping us to build a smarter, more reliable delivery network for Kiwi businesses. 

We’ve invested $290 million into infrastructure and automation to help keep New Zealand connected, both locally and with the rest of the world. 

With the opening of the ACD, this brings our total automated processing centres to 5 nationwide - with 1 each in Christchurch and Wellington, and 3 in Auckland.

With over 60% of our volume moving through NZ’s biggest city, Auckland powers our national network. A more efficient processing network helps online retailers across the country get their parcels to their customers faster and more reliably.

The technology and data used on our infrastructure at NZ Post is designed to create an intelligent delivery network across Aotearoa and ultimately, a better experience for everyone sending and delivering parcels. Nowhere is this more evident than at the APC, where the needs of Customs and the Ministry of Primary Industries required new technology solutions and even closer integration.

Parcels are sorted using the latest technology which gives us a connected view of where parcels are in our network across the country – understanding more about the parcels we process, where they are at all times and how to move them through to delivery in the most efficient way.

Our network of 5 fully automated Auckland Processing centre means it’s even more important to audit labelling, addressing and packaging standards.

Changing the data fields behind the barcodes on our parcel labels to align with industry and international standards helps to connect parcels back to us both locally and globally. Ultimately, improving and standardising data supports consistency with parcels in our network and makes it easier for customers to work with us. 

Our automated sortation uses optical character recognition technology that can recognise addresses and barcodes to sort items to the right chute for delivery. This  speeds up processing - the faster we can get the parcels off the belt and into the right chute, the faster we can get them out for delivery. 

Our Network Operations Centre uses real-time data to help us make faster decisions about running our network and forecasting of expected volumes for the next few days. This helps us plan better and respond to events that disrupt our network, like flooding or road closures. 

A first-of-its-kind integration in New Zealand with border agency partners MPI and Customs was introduced at the APC. Co-designed to meet the needs of automated parcel processing, this close collaboration has enabled the development of advanced digital solutions using machine learning to streamline screening and compliance. 

The technology applies business rules to identify and divert items of interest in real time, using tomography to generate 3D parcel images and support faster, more accurate decision-making. All x-ray screening happens remotely in a control room, away from the processing floor - improving safety, efficiency, and reliability. 

Artificial intelligence is possibly the next step towards the future, to help optimise decision making, including routes and delivery timeframes. In a competitive landscape, NZ Post is at the forefront of using data to inform decisions, creating efficiencies and setting the standard for customer experience.

The APC facilitates commercial export and import activities.  This means that parcels leaving New Zealand to go overseas are processed there, offering a more direct route for their journey overseas. And for importing activities, items are processed at APC directly from their international shipment.