Parcel delivery company DPD has announced it will invest £330m (US$444m) in seven state-of-the-art distribution centers in the next two years, adding to its network of over 80 regional centers across the UK.
Work will begin on the new 5,574m2 distribution centers in Crawley and Darlington this year; Cambridge, Bradford, Guildford, Milton Keynes and Sittingbourne will be built in 2026 and all seven facilities will be operational by early 2027.
Tim Jones, director of marketing, communications and sustainability at DPDgroup UK, commented, “This announcement represents a significant investment in our infrastructure as we continue to modify and expand our nationwide network of over 80 regional sorting centers. Our 50th new depot will be a landmark moment, with the majority of our regional sorting centers having been replaced and upgraded.”
Each fully automated sortation facility will process up to 80,000 parcels a day and accommodate over 100 new delivery driver routes to ensure the operation can handle the demand for DPD’s services in each area, with room to grow.
Each site will also include EV charging facilities to accommodate DPD’s growing electric van fleet.
“With 38% of our delivery van fleet already electric, these facilities will be served by increasing numbers of electric vehicles, making them more sustainable operations and helping us move toward our net zero targets,” Jones added.