Yodel and APC Overnight have revealed record volumes over the Christmas period, after investing in infrastructure and staff in 2013.

Yodel handled over 14 million parcels in the 24 days leading up to Christmas, while network APC reported a 27% increase in year-on-year volumes for its busiest week to just under 700,000 items.

While an APC spokesman was notable to confirm the total number of parcels it moved, it processed more than 160,000 on the night of Monday 16 December.

Meanwhile, Yodel sorted over 860,000 parcels on its busiest day, in which chairman Dick Stead described as its “best peak performance to date”. It also delivered 52,000 bouquets of flowers on 23 and 24 December alone.

Leading up to the peak period, Yodel opened 13 more sites, consisting of seven satellite sites, five service centres and a returns centre in the Midlands.

It also invested in detailed planning, trailer segregation by service, and daily performance and weather updates to keep customers informed of any issues with deliveries.

Stead said: "Feedback from our clients has been extremely positive and we are delighted that our partnership approach has worked so well.

"We continue to monitor the weather closely and our contingencies will remain in place to ensure the safe and timely delivery of parcels throughout the winter."

APC Overnight chief executive Karl Brown said: “These latest figures follow on from year-on-year growth within our network and is one of the key reasons for us investing in our new national sortation centre.”

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