Parcel delivery provider Hermes UK has officially opened its purpose built, state-of-the-art automated parcel distribution hub in Rugby, the biggest of its kind in the UK. The £31m (US$40m) development represents the most significant investment in the company’s history and will create more than 100 jobs.
Located at the Rugby Gateway, the Midlands super hub measures 270,000ft², the equivalent of 34 soccer pitches, and has the capability to efficiently process in excess of one million parcels each day. As a result, the company’s overall parcel processing capacity will increase by 45%, ensuring it will continue to comfortably handle rising volumes driven by the ongoing growth of e-commerce in the UK and overseas.
The facility also provides Hermes, which has experienced double-digit growth every year for the past six years, with future expansion opportunities. This includes the installation of a third sortation tier that would increase the hub’s capacity by a further half a million parcels a day.
Carole Woodhead, CEO of Hermes, said, “We are extremely proud to officially open our Midlands Super Hub in Rugby, the largest parcel hub of its kind in the UK. This substantial project demonstrates our total commitment to delivering world-class delivery solutions, not just for today, but for the foreseeable future.
“A retailer’s top priority is to have complete confidence in their delivery partner’s capacity during peak. This investment guarantees that we will continue to operate a highly proficient operation throughout the year, including those intense and prolonged spikes of activity.
“The facility significantly strengthens our network and infrastructure, vastly enhances our throughput capability, and guarantees that we are in the best possible position to support the UK’s retail industry for many years to come.”
August 18, 2017