In June, the Print Creative Alliance team got a rare look behind the curtain at the USPS City of Industry Processing Plant, a facility dedicated entirely to parcel processing. Between the machinery, the volume of packages, and the occasional crate of chirping chicks, it wasn’t your average field trip.
How the machines actually work
The biggest takeaway from the tour was understanding just how much precision USPS sorting machines require. These machines read labels with cameras and sort packages by zip code at remarkable speed, with newer models processing well over a thousand packages an hour. Older machines are much slower.
That speed depends entirely on packages being labeled correctly. A label needs to lay flat, be free of tape, and positioned where the camera can read it. If a label is on the side of the box, wrinkled, or covered in reflective tape, the machine can’t process it. That package gets pulled and handled manually, which slows considerably. A process that should take seconds can stretch into much longer delays simply because of how a label was applied.
The machines impress, but the people steal the show
The technology is impressive, but the people running the facility are what make it work. USPS staff manage live animal shipments, including chicks, lizards, and hamsters, all under strict 24-hour windows to keep the animals safe. When something gets lost or damaged in transit, the team takes it seriously. They communicate with the sender, attempt to salvage what they can, and work through whatever steps it takes to make it right.
USPS can scale staffing dramatically for peak seasons. A typical day might see 100 to 150 workers in the building. During the holiday rush, that number can climb to 400, with all hands sorting around the clock to keep packages moving.
Connect with your local postal customer council
The tour was made possible through the Santa Ana District Postal Customer Council (PCC), a USPS-affiliated goup focused on supporting business customers. There are chapters in most of the states we serve, and they act as a direct line to USPS, helping members navigate claims, delays, or other shipping issues. If your shop takes advantage of our USPS partnership codes, plugging into your local PCC chapter can make that relationship even more valuable.
We were delighted to see two members, Inland Group and The Dot, participate in the tour as well. Getting involved with your local PCC is a smart move for any member who relies on USPS regularly.
Think of USPS less like a vendor and more like an industry partner, with the PCC as the relationship that keeps it running smoothly. Helping you build relationships by connecting you to events like these is part of what we do at the Alliance. Stay tuned to piasc.org/events, and we’ll keep you updated on the next tour.
