DPD UK has invested £14m in four new regional super-hubs to handle rising peak season volumes, creating 170 jobs, while courier network CitySprint is taking on ‘hundreds’ of temporary staff for the coming weeks.
The four new super depots in Cardiff, Dagenham, Exeter and Stoke each cover at least 60,000 sq ft, making them double the size of standard depot sites, and will be capable of handling 25,000 parcels a day. The purpose-built facilities are all fitted with state-of-the-art, fully automated sorting conveyers and have the capacity to handle 6,000 packages an hour – making them up to four times as efficient as older depots.
The investment will create 170 new jobs this year in a range of roles – including operations and drivers – and each super depot will still have significant capacity to continue growing for years to come. The four new super depots have all been delivered ahead of the Christmas parcel rush, and will contribute to what will be a record peak period for DPD, with planned parcel volumes 30% up on last year.
Dwain McDonald, DPD UK's CEO commented: "Our new flagship super depots are the largest and most efficient in our network and are the latest demonstration of our commitment to our customers. They enable us to expand our capacity, run our service efficiently and maintain our very high service standards. The new super depots are kitted-out with state-of-the-art sorting technology, they are up to four times as efficient as the depots they replace. The new locations also give our drivers better access to major road networks, improving our journey times.
“Most importantly they ensure we remain well ahead of demand from our business and retail customers. We're investing in capacity for the future, so these huge depots will be able to continue to grow for the next five years and beyond.”
To increase its capacity in South Wales, DPD has invested £3.5m in a new 60,555 sq ft purpose-built super depot in Cardiff, replacing a smaller 30-year-old site. The new facility will add up to 60 new routes initially and create 35 new jobs, and gives capacity for DPD to carry on growing in Cardiff for the next five years, at least.
DPD will create up to 60 new jobs at its new £3.5m super depot in Dagenham, Essex, which replaces the company's existing facility in nearby Romford. The new 66,000 sq ft super depot is closer to London and will help by taking routes from up to six other local depots chiefly, Enfield, London Bridge and Chelmsford. Located on the A13 between the North Circular and the M25, the new location is perfectly situated for both getting into London and out to Essex, according to the company.
In Exeter, south-west England, DPD has invested £3.5m in a new super depot, which will be the first unit to open on the new Skypark business park. The new 60,468 sq ft state-of-the-art facility, replaces DPD's old depot on the Sowton Industrial Estate, which was more than 20 years old. The new super depot more than doubles DPD's capacity in the area and gives the team plenty of space to expand in the next five years. The new location gives drivers easy access to the M5. The development will create up to 35 new jobs initially.
In the Midlands, DPD will create up to 40 new jobs initially at its new super depot in Stoke. The 60,121 sq ft site will replace DPD's existing depot at Newcastle under Lyme. Located on the A500, the new facility gives DPD drivers better access to the M6 motorway and for routes to Leek and the Peak District. Ultimately the new super depot will take on new routes as far afield as Chester and Telford, with scope to continue expanding in years to come.
In September, DPD UK opened Europe's largest and most technically advanced sorting hub in Hinckley, Leicestershire. DPD's fourth hub, which cost £100m and will create 1,000 full-time jobs, increases the company's overall UK parcel capacity by 65%.
Meanwhile, CitySprint, the UK’s largest same day distribution company, announced that it intends to take on ‘hundreds’ of additional couriers in the run up to the festive season. Its busiest day last year was Tuesday 2nd December, the day after Cyber Monday, although demand remained high into the final days before Christmas.
CEO Patrick Gallagher commented: “We know how important this time of year is for our retail customers, so we’re pulling out all the stops to ensure we’re prepared for whatever the festive season brings; whether it’s extreme weather or unprecedented parcel volumes. As always, our focus is helping our clients to give the best possible service to their customers. Today’s consumers expect delivery on their terms and we want to empower retailers to give them the gift of their time back this Christmas.”
CitySprint, with a regional network of 40 service centres across the UK and a fleet of over 3,000 vehicles, offers an extensive portfolio of services including SameDay Courier, SameDay Logistics, International & UK Overnight courier services. Its same day delivery network can reach over 80% of mainland UK within 60 minutes, according to the company.
