Parcel delivery service DPD Ireland this week opened a new 15,000 square foot distribution depot for Co. Kilkenny to facilitate almost 1 million deliveries in the area this year.
DPD Ireland relocated its Kilkenny depot to a new state-of-the-art distribution centre in the Hebron Industrial Estate, amid a huge uptick in demand caused by the pandemic. The new site is 10,000 square foot larger than the previous site.
DPD Kilkenny managing director MJ McGuinness said the expansion was driven by a significant increase in the demand for business to customer deliveries, adding that the new larger facility will ensure the company can handle the increased parcel volume growth in the county.
“The past two years have seen unprecedented demand in the parcel delivery industry. Successful delivery is a crucial part of the home shopping experience, and we want to contribute positively to local businesses as they continue to adapt and build for a post-pandemic future,”
he said.
The Kilkenny depot currently sorts approximately 2,500 parcels per day, up from 1,600 parcels pre-Covid. Mr McGuinness said the depot was delivering everything from farm machinery parts to PCR tests and balloons throughout the county.
The new depot was opened by Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath T.D. He said
“I am delighted to be performing the official opening of this wonderful new facility today and I want to congratulate everyone who has made this expansion possible. Covid-19 has brought many societal changes with it, from more flexible working practices to a greater use of online shopping. While Covid-19 has presented many challenges, there have been many opportunities also for some businesses and different sectors and the expansion of DPD Ireland Kilkenny is a clear example of this. The move to this new facility is a sign that DPD Ireland is committed to the local economy here in Kilkenny, and I want to wish the workforce and management here the very best.”
DPD Ireland invested more than €8 million in parcel delivery depots and technology in 2021, amid the Covid-19 e-commerce boom.
The company spent €5 million expanding capacity in the hub in Athlone and €3 million upgrading IT infrastructure to speed package delivery to customers. It also opened a new distribution centre for Cavan and Monaghan in April.
Parcel volumes at DPD Ireland jumped from 17 million in 2017 to 36 million in 2020 and are up to 44 million in 2021.
DPD Ireland plans to spend €30 million on building a new hub to boost capacity as it strives to handle a surge in demand for online deliveries.
DPD Ireland is part of DPDgroup, the second largest international parcel delivery network in Europe. The group delivers deliver 8.4 million parcels each day – 2.1 billion parcels per year.
About DPDgroup
DPDgroup is the largest parcel delivery network in Europe.
We combine innovative technology and local knowledge to provide a flexible and user-friendly service for both shippers and shoppers. With our industry-leading Predict service, we are setting a new standard for convenience by keeping our customers in close contact with their delivery.
With 120,000 delivery experts and a network of more than 70,000 Pickup points, we deliver 8.4 million parcels each day – 2.1 billion parcels per year – through the brands DPD, Chronopost, SEUR and BRT.
At DPDgroup we aim to be a reference in sustainable delivery and become a leading enabler of e-commerce acceleration.
DPDgroup is the parcel delivery network of GeoPost, which posted sales of €14.7 billion in 2021. GeoPost is a holding company owned by Le Groupe La Poste.
