Left: Whistl’s Belfast sorting depot
UK-based postal operator Whistl has been awarded a contract with the Northern Ireland government following a competitive bidding process undertaken by the Department of Finance’s Central Procurement Directorate (CPD).
The contract, which could last up to five years, covers a wide number of government and public sector bodies including those in education, health, finance, colleges and transport. The agreement will see Whistl collect, sort and transport mail to Royal Mail for doorstep delivery.
As a result of the contract award, Whistl will provide further investment for its sortation depot in Hightown Industrial Estate in Newtownabbey, Belfast, in terms of operational staff and also drivers who will collect mail from across the whole of Northern Ireland and bring it to the depot for processing.
Whistl announced that it had doubled the size of its Belfast depot earlier in the year, which will ensure the post can handle the additional 20 million items expected from the new contract. This will take its annual volume of mail processed in Northern Ireland to over 60 million.
The contract will involve Whistl working in partnership with CPD and the Strategic Investment Board to deliver new employment opportunities for long-term unemployed people, and new apprenticeships.
Nick Wells, CEO Whistl, said, “Whistl is delighted that we can invest in new employment opportunities for some long term unemployed people as well as apprenticeships following the award of this significant contract.
“We are delighted that we won the contract on our ability to provide a cost-effective quality service that will benefit the Northern Ireland taxpayer through lower postal costs, but also to help get people back into the workplace.”
August 24, 2016
