UK Mail has secured a 231,000ft² plot of land in the West Midlands to develop its new hub.

The purpose-built mail and parcel sorting centre will be developed at Prologis Park Ryton, near Coventry, and will include a 36,330ft² head office building.

Automatic sorting equipment will be installed at the site, which the operator says will increase the proportion of parcels it sorts automatically from 20% to 80%.

UK Mail chief executive Guy Buswell said: “Prologis Park Ryton was selected following an extensive search of real estate in the West Midlands area. We have worked closely with Prologis to design a state-of-the-art facility that will support our business growth and help us maintain our position as the leading parcel carrier in the UK.”

Once operational, UK Mail will relocate from its current hub in Birmingham, which the DfT has purchased as part of its plans for the HS2 rail route.

Construction will begin early this year, and it hopes to move into the site in spring 2015.

UK Mail saw a 15% like-for-like increase in parcel volumes in Q3, while turnover grew 6%.

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