DHL-van

DHL Express is set to relocate its headquarters to new premises in Poyle, near Colnbrook in Berkshire, in a move which will allow the company to increase its parcel handling capacity from 6,000 items per hour to 28,000.

The £32m project is part of a major £156m investment by DHL, which includes improvements to DHL’s hubs at East Midlands and Manchester.

The 150,000ft2 building on the Poyle Trading Estate, completed this week, will house DHL’s head office and south east operation along with 750 employees, who will start moving in next month ahead of the Christmas peak.

The phased transition from DHL’s current smaller premises at Orbital Park, Heathrow will see the Colnbrook site fully operational by early 2017.

Phil Couchman, CEO DHL Express UK and Ireland, said the site is tailored to the company’s needs. He added: “This means that not only will our capabilities increase – helping us maintain the high level of service we deliver to our customers – but we’ll also provide a first class, modern and sustainable workspace for our people”.

The company said the cross-dock facility is designed around the DHL parcel sorting machinery to optimise its efficiency and allow a 24/7 operation. It will manage DHL Express shipments for the south east of England, bringing together DHL’s distribution centre, service centre and head office in one purpose built facility.

The facility, which was delivered on time and to budget, also boasts photo-voltaic panels and air source heat pumps and CO2 emissions are expected to be 40% lower than building regulations demand.

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