DPD, the mail courier and parcel delivery company, has seen a surge in demand due to the COVID-19 lockdown and subsequent eCommerce boom. As a result, the company plans to create 6,000 jobs in the UK, with 3,500 new drivers and 2,500 logistics and admin roles.
£200m Investment
This move is part of a £200 million investment, which includes the creation of 15 new regional depots in the UK – three times what the company had initially planned.
DPD’s commitment to the UK job market is good news in these tough times, with the country struggling in the wake of the lockdown.
While DPD is not an investment opportunity for traders, as it is wholly owned by French state postal service La Poste, it does indicate the potential for growth in the wider online delivery and eCommerce market.
Online Retail
The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the shift from high street to online retail. DPD’s CEO, Dwain McDonald, believes that this growth is a curve, not a spike, indicating potential for investment in logistics companies or online-only retailers.
DPD predicts continued growth in eCommerce, even with the recent easing of lockdown restrictions for shops.
McDonald said, “We are experiencing the biggest boom in online retailing in the UK’s history, and we are making this unprecedented investment in our infrastructure and people to ensure we can continue to meet the high levels of demand for our services. What we have seen in recent months is potentially a much more significant shift in behaviour, and we believe elements of it will be permanent“.
DPD’s success and ambitious growth plan demonstrate the potential for growth in online retail and the logistics services that support it, despite the challenges facing the global economy.