DPD creates new jobs to handle growth in weekend deliveries
DPD has announced over 700 new jobs in response to a rapid growth in Saturday and Sunday deliveries.
In a statement sent to Post&Parcel today (26 April), the company said that it had created the new employed role of part-time, dedicated weekend delivery driver, following a 40% increase in weekend parcel volumes in the last year.
DPD said that the expansion is due to the “general growth in e-tail traffic and more retailers promoting the option of weekend deliveries, with fashion and electronic devices two of the fastest growing sectors”.
The company said that it expected the number of dedicated weekend drivers to continue growing and it is planning for over 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 commented, “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.
“Our proposition is really well suited to weekend deliveries. We don’t turn up out of the blue and interrupt your weekend. We deliver within a sensible time window and customers know in advance exactly when we are coming. They also have complete control over their delivery, with a wide range of options to choose from if they aren’t going to be at home.”
As previously reported, 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, 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.
