is that by 2023, we will have 5,000 EVs and 30 city centres delivered on all-electric vehicles. Another priority this year is a project around late-cut-off collection times. This is a biggie for retailers who want the latest cut-off time possible for next-day delivery. We are working to extend our overnight hub operation by a couple of hours which means that retailers will be able to get parcels to us later, and then incorporate those parcels into the existing delivery waves in the local depots. In January we completed the acquisition of CitySprint, the same day delivery specialist. We will operate as separate businesses, but same day delivery is one of the fastest growing segments of the logistics market, so the deal does create some very interesting opportunities for both brands. Finally, we’ve got plans to introduce a regional sortation strategy over the next five years. At the moment, the majority of UK parcels are sorted at five DPD hubs in the Midlands and then trunked to the 85 local depots for delivery. We’ve bought a former Sainsbury’s site near Canary Wharf and are in the process of turning that into our first regional hub. There will be a small operation there this year and it will be fully operational in 2023. We’ve seen appreciation for parcel delivery and the transport and logistics sector in general increase, as a result of the pandemic and the important role we all had in helping to keep everyone going. CEO TODAY’S AWARDS WINNERS www. ceotodaymagazine . com 35
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