New Hermes '˜super hub' in Rugby will create 200 jobs

The £31 million development will be the largest single investment ever made by Hermes and it will create 200 jobs.

The 270,000 sq ft Midlands Super Hub, which will be based at The Gateway off the A426, will have the capacity to process up to 1.1 million parcels every day and will increase the company’s overall parcel processing capacity by 45%.

Work on the facility commenced earlier this week under the supervision of Hermes CEO Carole Woodhead and Chief Operating Officer Martijn de Lange.

The delivery specialist will work together with site developer Roxhill and contractor Winvic during the construction of the hub, which is anticipated to officially open in August of next year.

Carole Woodhead, CEO at Hermes, said: “As work begins at our new facility in Rugby, we are embarking on an exciting new chapter in the history of Hermes that will ensure we can continue to provide retailers with world class services and solutions. The hub’s enormous throughput capability and built in flexibility will help to future proof our business whilst also ensuring we are in the very best position to grow alongside our clients.”

News of the investment comes after Hermes enjoyed its busiest and most efficient peak season to date. Throughout December the delivery firm processed 30.3 million parcels, representing a 24% increase on the previous year.

The record-breaking peak season followed a successful Black Friday period, with Hermes processing 8.2 million parcels in the week following the major retail event that is famed for huge discounts.

The construction of the Midlands Super Hub follows last year’s significant investment that saw Hermes add a secondary sortation tier at its northern automated distribution hub in Warrington, which can now process up to one million parcels a day.

Carole Woodhead added: “The substantial investment at both Rugby and Warrington shows how we continue to strengthen our network and infrastructure across the UK. This will ensure we have the capacity to cope with prolonged periods of intense activity as well as spikes such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We are laying the foundations for future growth, creating more employment opportunities and confirming our position as an industry leader.”