man weighing a package

GLS Canada

Industry: Logistics & Courier Services
Daily Volume: 80,000+ Shipments

Streamlining Parcel Dimensioning at GLS Canada

Founded in 1968, GLS Canada has grown from a local courier service into a major player in North American logistics. With operations spanning a wide range of industries and a network of high and low-density sorting facilities, GLS Canada handles tens of thousands of shipments each day.

As part of their ongoing digital transformation, GLS Canada identified a critical need to modernize how parcel dimensions were captured across their lower-density facilities.

Testimonial

What Clients are Saying

“This product was excellent in that it helped us increase our throughput and reduce our administrative tasks. Our employees really love it because it reduced the amount of manual labour. Our customers love it because it dramatically increased the visibility and reliability of the tracking data that they receive on their side.”

Jeff Jackson

Director, Mobile Technology and Application Support, GLS Canada

The Challenge

While GLS’s high-volume sorting hubs had already adopted dynamic cube and reweigh systems, more than 20 of their smaller facilities were still relying on outdated or manual methods to validate parcel dimensions and weights. These included:

  • Manual measurement of hundreds of shipments per day
  • Paper-based record keeping and slow data entry
  • Excessive administrative burden on facility staff
  • Limited visibility into parcel characteristics across the network

This lack of automation not only reduced operational efficiency but also introduced the potential for costly errors in billing and data reconciliation.

man in warehouse
man sorting packages

The Solution

PHD Solutions provided GLS Canada with a modern, scalable solution: the enVision 100S Parcel Dimensioner.

Certified for legal trade by Measurements Canada, the enVision 100S is a compact, cost-effective platform capable of capturing accurate parcel dimensions in under one second. Combined with enVision Connect software, GLS operators gained access to a high-speed cube and reweigh station capable of processing over 400 parcels per hour.

Additional enhancements included:

  • Hands-Free Barcode Scanning: For higher volume sites, fixed imagers were deployed to automate barcode capture with minimal operator intervention.

  • API Integration: enVision’s developer-friendly API enabled the seamless transmission of weight, dimensions, barcode data, and color images into GLS’s logistics systems.

The Results

The impact of deploying enVision was immediate and measurable:

  • Drastically Reduced Manual Effort: Tasks that once took an entire shift are now completed in just a few hours.

  • Streamlined Operations: Facilities now enjoy faster processing, fewer errors, and reduced paperwork.

  • Future-Ready Infrastructure: The adoption of enVision positioned GLS Canada as a leader in leveraging AI-powered IoT solutions for logistics optimization.

Final Thoughts

With enVision, GLS Canada successfully bridged the gap between operational efficiency and technological innovation across their lower-density network. The project exemplifies how targeted automation can unlock massive value—even in facilities that were previously overlooked in digital transformation efforts.