Hermes UK, the consumer delivery specialists, has opened a pop-up distribution depot in Eccles, Manchester. Over 65 seasonal temporary jobs have been created at the 80,000sqft warehouse, which has been opened ahead of the busy Black Friday and Christmas peak periods.
The new facility will be able to handle over 120K parcels each day with the ability to operate 24/7 as needed. It forms part of the ongoing investment programme by Hermes UK to expand its capacity to meet the huge demand created by people shopping at home during lockdown and the continuing growth in the sector.
Online retail is the main driver of growth in parcel delivery volumes combined with the increasing consumer preference for shopping online through various e-commerce portals. The company estimates that it will see record parcel volumes later this year.
Unemployment in Manchester has reached crisis point with hundreds of thousands of jobs in ‘shutdown sectors’ at risk due to the coronavirus pandemic. A study by the Learning and Work Institute found that 243,000 in Manchester work in these sectors that are under threat – a fifth of the cities’ workforce. Hermes are delighted to be creating much needed employment opportunities within the city during these uncertain times.
Tony Doherty, Depot Manager, said: “We’re delighted to be opening a new depot for Hermes to support our growing business. The team at Eccles have worked incredibly hard to prepare the site for what will be one of the busiest periods of the year and ensure that our customers continue to receive a fantastic service.”
