The APC, the UK’s largest independent delivery network, has seen a 3.5 per cent year-on-year growth in turnover to £109 million for the 2018/19 financial year, with a total gross profit of £15.6 million.

The company has seen a boom in its ‘Fragile & Liquid’ services, following significant investment, which has allowed the sortation premises to expand and process more fragile deliveries per hour as business and consumer demand rises across the UK.

Capacity in the dedicated Fragile and Liquid service has doubled in the last year, driven by the ongoing popularity of craft beers and gins.

Supporting its success, the business has also seen an 18 per cent increase in the average number of employees over the last 12 months despite a five per cent drop in employment across the industry[1]. The APC’s head office, based in Cannock, has invested heavily in expanding its workforce, reflecting the focus it places on its people and their role in the company’s success. As part of this investment, it has maintained an ongoing commitment to ensure its business model is based on permanent contracts of employment.

The APC has also introduced a dedicated Training Academy for new employees. Sitting alongside its Next Generation leadership development initiative, the academy provides an in-depth induction training programme to ensure efficiency, security and safety. This focus on building a safe working environment was reflected earlier in 2019 with a RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) Silver Health & Safety Award.

Additionally, the business has continued to invest in technology across the network as the IT transformation programme continues, introducing enhanced visibility for the consumer on driver proximity and driver arrival ETA for ad hoc collections.

The APC is planning to invest further in 2020, as it aims to expand its capacity, customer base and offered services in line with market needs. Over the next year, the company aims to build on the potential within its network of depots, particularly through their same-day delivery capabilities, while also establishing the largest range of overnight services for SMEs in the UK.

 Jonathan Smith, Chief Executive at APC Overnight, said:

“We have enjoyed another strong year, despite widespread uncertainty and a challenging market. Alongside our continued commitment to upgrading our services, so that our network of depots can better serve the UK’s SMEs, we have invested in our workforce.

“Over the last 25 years, our dedicated staff working in our hub and across the UK have been the driving force behind our success and the success of the businesses they serve. We are very much looking forward to growing the business further in 2020, building on the achievements of this year and continuing in our role as the only carrier exclusively for SMEs.”

[1] Office for National Statistics, EMP13: Employment by industry, August 2019

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