Parcel delivery company DPD has created more than 700 new jobs in the UK in response to rapid growth in Saturday and Sunday deliveries.
The new part-time delivery driver positions were required after DPD’s weekend parcel volumes increased by 40% in the last year. DPD attributed the growth to the general increase in e-commerce traffic and more retailers promoting the option of weekend deliveries, with fashion and electronic devices two of the fastest growing sectors for the company.
DPD, which launched a nationwide seven-day delivery service in July 2014, anticipates the number of dedicated weekend drivers will continue to grow and is planning to have more than 1,000 such drivers in 12 months’ time. In addition, DPD confirmed that 100 new warehouse jobs had been created in the firm’s regional depot network, to support the increased traffic.
Dwain McDonald, DPD’s CEO, said, “We’ve been amazed by the demand for our weekend service and we’re obviously delighted to be able to create more new jobs, as a result. We were the first major delivery company to offer a nationwide seven-day service, which gave us a real advantage, but this ongoing growth is yet another example of the march of UK e-tail.
“The increased demand for weekend deliveries is coming direct from the consumer. Online shoppers increasingly expect to get their goods the next day, regardless of when they make the purchase. We also find that many customers now specifically request a weekend delivery for goods like fashion and electronic devices where they want to be sure they are going to be at home to receive it. Retailers trust us to deliver these types of goods safely and professionally, and we’re investing in that part of our business to meet the demand and improve the service still further.”
DPD recently announced a £150m (US$207m) investment to build Europe’s largest automated parcel hub in Hinckley, in Leicestershire in the UK, creating a further 750 jobs. The new hub will be located just two miles from the firm’s Hub 4 and International Gateway in Sketchley, which both opened in 2015.
Hub 5 in Hinckley will be capable of handling 71,000 parcels an hour, increasing DPD’s total overnight parcel sorting capacity by 60%. Building work is likely to commence in October this year with completion set for October 2020.