Yodel has announced plans for a long-term strategic investment in a new Northern super-hub to support the company’s growth.
The investment, which aims to protect all existing jobs while also creating new job opportunities for the wider region, will see a five-year transition from the existing Shaw hub. The upgrade is in response to growing parcel volumes, triggered by a series of new client wins and the dramatic increase in consumer demand for online retail, which has been turbocharged during the last four months as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold.
Yodel has updated employees, colleagues, union reps and local stakeholders on the plans. The company will enter careful consultation with these groups to identify a new site which is well-connected and provides room for sustained, long-term growth, whilst supporting affected colleagues.
Mike Hancox, Chief Executive Officer of Yodel, commented: “As we look to Yodel’s long-term future, it is necessary to take strategic decisions which benefit the business, our people, clients and customers.
“That is why we are announcing plans for a new super hub in the North of England to take Yodel to the next phase of its growth journey. This represents an important upgrade to our current operations – creating more opportunities across the regions, whilst cementing Yodel’s position as the leading independent parcel carrier in the UK.
“We take very seriously our responsibilities to our colleagues, many of whom have been with us for a long time and who work tirelessly to deliver for our customers. We are working alongside USDAW, our recognised trade union, and will listen carefully as we look to identify a new site location. We’ll also work closely with local authorities and community leaders to make sure this process is carried out as fairly and sensitively as possible for our colleagues.
“We’re announcing this now to give our colleagues the best possible opportunity to prepare for the change. Over the next five years our priority will be to provide a fair outcome for our team and we’ll do everything we can to support colleagues through this transition.”
