Local Member of Parliament Mark Pawsey has praised Hermes, the consumer delivery specialist, after the company officially opened a state-of-the-art automated parcel distribution hub that will create up to 100 jobs in Rugby.
Mark toured the £31 million facility, the biggest of its kind in the UK, before unveiling a commemorative plaque.
The 270,000 square foot hub, which is located at the Rugby Gateway, measures the equivalent of 34 football pitches, and has the capability to process more than one million parcels each day. As a result, Hermes’ overall parcel processing capacity has increased by 45%, ensuring it will continue to comfortably handle rising volumes of parcels driven by the growth of online shopping in the UK and overseas.
Members of Hermes’ senior team gave Mr Pawsey a full tour of the facility, where he saw two specialist sorters in action. Measuring a combined 1,743 metres, the system can sort up to 40,000 parcels an hour. Following the tour, the MP was given the honour of unveiling a special plaque to celebrate the opening of the hub.
Speaking after visiting the site, Mark commented:
“I was delighted to be able to visit Hermes’ new distribution hub, based at the Rugby Gateway and unveil the plaque marking its official opening. I was particularly interested to find out more about how investing in modern technology is revolutionising the delivery industry.”
Mark continued:
“With our excellent transport links at the heart of the motorway network, Rugby is a great location for logistics and delivery businesses, something I know well from running my own business before entering Parliament. It is really encouraging to see major companies, such as Hermes, investing in our town, providing new jobs and delivering Rugby’s bright future.”
Hugo Martin, Director of Public Affairs at Hermes, added:
“We are pleased to complete this significant investment project and to commence operations at our state-of-the-art parcel distribution hub in Rugby, the largest in the UK. We are dedicated to supporting the local economy and we thank Mr Pawsey for visiting the facility and unveiling our celebratory plaque.”