Delivery company DPD will invest £330 million (€390 million) in seven new automated distribution centres across the United Kingdom, each equipped to support the firm’s expanding electric vehicle (EV) fleet as part of its drive toward net zero emissions.
The new sites, each measuring 60,000 square feet, will feature high-capacity parcel sorting systems and advanced automation. Designed to integrate with DPD’s low-emission operations, they will include EV charging infrastructure to accommodate the company’s growing fleet of electric vans, which currently makes up 38% of its delivery vehicles.
“With 38% of our delivery van fleet already electric, these facilities will be served by increasing numbers of electric vehicles, making them more sustainable operations, and helping us move towards our Net Zero targets,” said Tim Jones, Director of Marketing, Communications & Sustainability at DPDgroup UK.
Construction of the first two sites, in Crawley and Darlington, is scheduled to begin this year. Additional hubs in Cambridge, Bradford, Guildford, Milton Keynes, and Sittingbourne will follow in 2026, with all seven expected to be operational by early 2027. Each centre will be capable of processing up to 80,000 parcels per day.
The rollout will also coincide with the opening of DPD’s 50th purpose-built regional depot under its ongoing network upgrade programme. “Our 50th new depot will be a landmark moment with the majority of our regional sorting centres having been replaced and upgraded,” Jones added.
In parallel with this infrastructure push, DPD is testing electric heavy-duty trucks, including the MAN eTGX, to further decarbonize its operations and extend emissions-free delivery beyond urban centres.