Delivery giants Evri and Royal Mail are preparing to recruit 1,000 workers this winter in anticipation of record online shopping sales.
It comes as Evri opened its first ever depot in Northern Ireland on Monday following a £1.3 million investment.
A total of 50 new permanent jobs have been created in Evri’s new Mallusk facility, with another 85 courier roles created across Northern Ireland, including in Belfast, Craigavon and Strabane.
Evri has also launched a recruitment drive for 515 workers to support its winter operation ahead of what it expects will be another peak record season.
Royal Mail has also confirmed it will hire 400 temporary workers in Northern Ireland to supports its operations between October and January.
Evri’s new Mallusk hub has opened just four months after it acquired Dublin-based logistics company Coll-8, which it described as a strategic move to fully integrate with its UK network.
The parcel giant said the Northern Ireland facility offers it “a strategic advantage” of dual access to both the UK and European markets.
“Thanks to the green lane system within the Windsor Framework, a system designed to streamline the movement of goods from Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Evri’s new depot will speed up the process of cross border shipping when bringing goods into Northern Ireland,” said the group in a statement.
“The depot will act as a hub to distribute goods efficiently across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
“The depot will serve as a strategic gateway for distributing goods across England, Scotland, Wales, and the wider European Union via the Republic of Ireland, enabling frictionless movement across borders, simplifying logistics, and accelerating delivery times for consumers.”
The new investment in Northern Ireland comes just three weeks after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority signed off Evri’s merger with DHL.
Evri’s country manager, Conor Ormsby, said the parcel group is anticipating another record peak winter period, driven by the growth of online retail.
“This site will help us meet that demand and ensure we can maintain a faster, smoother supply chain reducing the number of days taken to deliver over the festive period and beyond,” he said.
“The depot’s strategic positioning will support our continued international growth operating as a gateway to the EU.
“As well as our depot opening, we’re investing heavily in recruitment with a total of 600 roles.
“Our couriers are the backbone of our business, so it’s fantastic that we’re able to expand our network throughout Northern Ireland to reflect the growth we’re seeing in the region.”
Tom Donnan, director at Lambert Smith Hampton Ireland, which secured the site for Evri, said the Mallusk warehouse in one of the firm’s most significant lettings of the year.
“Evri’s commitment to Belfast signifies confidence in the region. With dual access to the UK and European markets, Northern Ireland continues to present a unique opportunity for global companies,” he added.
