Growing Hermes takes delivery of 300 new trailers

Hermes has added 300 Cartwright trailers to its trunking fleet to keep pace with growing parcel volume.

The 13.6m Fastback trailers were bought as part of the parcel firm’s plan to increase capacity to accommodate the rise in volumes.

A spokeswoman told MotorTransport.co.uk that volumes have jumped to 163 million parcels per year in the last 12 months, up from the 140 million it processed in the previous year.

The trailers will be used for trunking between its network of hubs and depots, as well as collecting parcels from customers to be taken to the hubs.

The deal saw 180 trailers delivered in November, while the remained arrived last month.

Hermes fleet services manager Rob Elmore said: “We have undergone considerable growth in the past 12 months, so we need to have the necessary infrastructure and logistical capabilities in place.”

The firm hopes that the new trailers, which were ordered as part of its fleet replacement programme, will help it achieve its target of improving fleet fuel economy by 5% to 8%.

“The trailer investment will not only ensure we possess the capacity to handle parcel volumes now and in the future, but also help reduce operating costs and minimise the impact of our operation on the environment,” Elmore added.

Last year Hermes revealed it was buying 100 new vehicles  to match growing demand for its services.