Hermes New Hemel Hempstead Site

Hermes has opened its purpose-built parcel distribution depot at Prologis Park in Hemel Hempstead, UK, as it further enhances its network and infrastructure ahead of what is anticipated to be its busiest peak season to date.

The new 80,000ft² (7,432ft²) depot will lead to the creation of 50 new jobs. The depot is the equivalent in size of 11 soccer pitches and has the capacity to process more than 130,000 parcels each day to be distributed across London and the Midlands. This represents the latest major investment in Hermes’s network, following the opening of its £31m Midlands Super Hub in Rugby last year.

By acquiring this site, Hermes is further highlighting its commitment to sustainability and green technology, which recently saw the company place the largest ever initial order of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles in the UK.

The new depot has a 40kWp design rating photovoltaic array (PV) on-roof, rainwater harvesting system (grey water for toilet flushing); solar thermal hot water to pre-heat water, which saves gas; and EV charging provided across the park.

The Hemel Hempstead project protects 421 acres of rainforest with eco initiatives such as LED lighting throughout the building and 15% roof lights to maximize natural light in the warehouse, with additional polycarbonate panels in the south elevation to provide further light.

"We are extremely proud to officially open our state-of-the-art depot in Hemel Hempstead, which will significantly increase the network capacity in the Southeast. This project demonstrates our total commitment to environmentally friendly, world-class delivery solutions, not just for today, but for the foreseeable future. Last year we handled 9.7 million parcels during our busiest week of the year and we expect that number to grow significantly in 2018. Our team of experts spend the entire year planning for peak so retailers can enjoy absolute confidence in our ability to comfortably process increased volumes driven by Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the Christmas period. The investment in Hemel Hempstead illustrates our ambition to be the carrier of choice for both retailers and consumers alike." 

Martijn De Lange, CEO at Hermes UK