European consumer parcels delivery group Hermes is pressing ahead with network expansion in Germanyand the UK after achieving record Christmas volumes in both countries thanks to the continuing
growth in B2C shipments.In its home market of Germany, the Hamburg-based company said it shipped 20% more parcelsjust before Christmas and achieved a record 99.3% delivery service level despite tough winterweather conditions that created traffic chaos in many parts of the country.
Volumes at Hermes hubs topped a million parcels per day and on Christmas Eve alone some600,000 parcels were processed by the company’s depots on their way to their final destinations. On23rd and 24th December, Hermes shipped over two million parcels to customers, up roughly 20% onlast year.
“Given the atrocious weather conditions, the highly-quoted economic downturn and themuch-feared consumer reticence, Hermes can be more than satisfied with this year’s Christmasbusiness,” commented Hartmut Ilek, CEO at Hermes Logistik Gruppe Deutschland GmbH. “We were evenable to increase volumes year-on-year. This is an excellent result that underscores the constantgrowth in shipments we have experienced and an encouraging way to round off a very successful year2009.”
To pave the way for further growth, Hermes laid the foundation stone earlier this month for anew €35 million northern German hub at Langenhagen, close to Hannover. Located on a 80,000sqm site, the ultra-modern centre, scheduled to open in January 2011, will handle up to 60 millionparcels a year and create 150 new full-time jobs. It will complement Hermes’ four other regionalhubs in Germany.
In the UK, Hermes said it delivered over ten million parcels, a 26% increase, in thepre-Christmas period despite the recession in the country. The company delivered record volumes ofover half a million parcels to British households on 10 days in December.
Carole Woodhead, CEO at Hermes UK, said the company is well positioned to secure furthergrowth in the British parcel market: “We are working together with an increasing number of Britishdistance sellers and now ship more than 110 million parcels each year. Smooth flowing logistics isa key to success in distance selling. And in high-volume periods such as the build up to Christmasmany of our business partners value our flexible and reliable service in the last mile.”
Ahead of the Christmas peak, Hermes opened a new 85,000 sq ft national hub in Nuneaton,central England, in October to create more capacity for growth along with the ability to enhanceits services, including a new next-day service, thanks to its strategic location. The national hubwill handle in excess of 50 million parcels each year, which will be received and sorted for onwarddelivery to 19 depots across the UK. The facility also manages the returns process, receivesinbound traffic from continental Europe and has become the central hub for the national trunkingoperation, supported by an existing Northern hub in Bradford.
