Competitor Watch
Delivery company Hermes is to open a new depot in Nottinghamshire, creating more than 100 jobs.
Located just off junction 26 on the M1, the 75,719 sq ft building is expected to process more than 100,000 parcels daily in its first year and has the capacity to process up to 120,000 a day.
It will open a month early on Monday 1 June due to the covid-19 pandemic causing a spike in demand.
The company said the announcement forms part of its commitment to invest in its infrastructure to ensure it is able to continue to support the growth of online shopping.
Hermes is adding capacity in the UK with a dedicated returns centre at its site in Rugby and upgrading its Nuneaton facility, which is normally only used during the peak Christmas season.
Jon Ormond, operations director for hubs & depots at Hermes, said: ‘During these unprecedented times we are seeing a new wave of adoption of online shopping as it becomes the core route for people to get their essentials and also send parcels as a way of connecting with their loved ones.
‘This has generated an increase in parcel volumes and a demand for additional capacity and it is therefore imperative that we continue to make the right strategic investments in the right locations. This will also create new jobs and provide economic stimulation to these regions as the UK faces challenging economic times.’
The Hermes Nottingham depot will be based at Panattoni Park - a 55-acre, three unit, 715,000 sq ft development on the A610.
Our latest research reveals that of the 2,000 UK adults we surveyed, almost half (45 per cent) have been receiving more parcel deliveries since measures designed to limit the spread of covid-19 began.
Many believe that the shift to shopping predominantly online is set to continue after lockdown, as four in five respondents said they intend to keep ordering items for delivery at the same level after restrictions are lifted. Around a quarter of people said they would spend even more online once lockdown ends.
The increase in ordering online is not just among younger people. While those aged 18-34 were the most likely to have increased their online shopping habits, more than four in 10 over 55s have done the same. Online shopping is likely to remain, if not the only option, at least the safest option for the foreseeable future.
Our research clearly points towards the increasingly important role that parcel deliveries play in our day to day lives.
