DPD topped £1bn of turnover for the first time in 2016 and the Motor Transport Award multiple winner said it is aiming for £2bn of turnover by 2025.

Its DPDgroup UK division achieved a turnover of £806.2m in the year-ending 1 January 2017, up from £700.2m in the previous year. Pre-tax profit in the division rose to £130.9m, up from £124.9m in the previous year.

Its B2B division DPD Local (formerly Interlink Express – until it changed its branding in February) saw turnover rise to £283.2m, from £248.7m in the previous 12 month period. Pre-tax profit also rose slightly, from £36m to £38.9m.

Taking into account a dividend payment from DPD Local to DPDgroupUK, overall pre-tax profit for the group stood at £144.9m, up year-on-year from £124.9m, while total turnover was £1.09bn, up from £949m.

Group chief executive Dwain McDonald, told MT that the billion pound turnover milestone had “been in our sights for a few years”.

DPD Local Feb 2017

“To be honest, we’ve reached it sooner than we originally thought. It is a fantastic milestone for the business and something we’re very proud of,” he said.

“Over the years, we’ve invested back into the business in terms of our people, our network and our tech to ensure that we remain the number one express delivery company in the UK. That doesn’t stop - we never stand still – and our aim is to be a £2bn business by 2025.”

The Companies House filings also reveal that DPD Local has acquired franchisees for Edinburgh, Yeovil, Weymouth, Worcester, Bicester, Lincoln, Jersey and Guernsey for a total consideration of £2.4m.

Last year it said it would buy-back franchisee operating area rights over a 10 year period to “enable the business to have the required capacity to meet continuing demand”.

At the Motor Transport Awards 2017 in July DPD took home a hatful of prizes; including awards for Innovation; Customer Care and Home Delivery Operator of the Year.

  • The Motor Transport Top 100 2017 is coming... in November. Where will DPD find itself in our latest rankings of the largest road transport operators in the UK?