Evri has unveiled plans to employ 9,000 new workers and deliver a record number of parcels this year following a £2.7bn takeover by US investment group Apollo.
The UK’s largest parcel delivery company said it would recruit 8,000 additional couriers, alongside 1,000 warehouse and supporting roles this year. Key areas for the hiring spree include Scotland, Bury St Edmunds, Plymouth and Gatwick.
It means the business’s total self-employed courier workforce will hit 28,000 as it delivers around 4m parcels during its busiest days.
Evri, formerly known as Hermes, was brought under new ownership last week after Apollo Global Management struck a £2.7bn deal to acquire it from current private equity backers Advent International.
The takeover comes amid rising competition in the UK delivery market, which has traditionally been monopolised by Royal Mail. Rivals such as Evri have looked to muscle in by targeting the market for online shopping deliveries.
The firm distributes around 730m parcels each year via five hubs, 27 depots and 550 delivery units. Last year, Evri delivered a record performance when it grew parcel volumes to over 154m in the nine weeks to 30 December.
Martijn De Lange, Chief Executive of Evri, said: “We know that service, reliability and quality are critical factors for our clients and consumers.
“New client wins, and increased parcel volumes are proof of the trust customers have in our service and biggest-ever recruitment drive promises to deliver another record year.”
Evri said parcel delivery numbers had reached higher levels than during the pandemic, when lockdowns caused a boom in home deliveries.