DPD has created 700 new jobs following a 40% rise in weekend deliveries. The company has created the new employed role of part-time, dedicated weekend delivery driver with 600 in the position. The number of new weekend drivers is expected to increase to more than 1,000 within a year.
There will also be 100 new jobs created in regional depots to support the expansion, which follows a 40% increase in weekend parcel volumes in the last year. DPD was the first company to launch a full nationwide seven-day service in July 2014.
Dwain McDonald, DPD’s CEO, said the company had been surprised by how popular weekend deliveries had proved. “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,” he said.
“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
DPD recently announced a £150m investment to build Europe’s largest automated parcel hub in Hinckley, Leicestershire, creating a further 750 jobs. The new hub will be located close to junction 1 of the M69, just two miles from the firm’s Hub 4 and International Gateway in Sketchley, which both opened in 2015. Hub 5 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 of this year and the facility should be operational by October 2020.
Image credit: DPD
