Delivery giant Evri has announced plans to recruit 9,000 new staff across the UK, including 8,000 couriers and approximately 1,000 roles in warehousing and support.

The new positions will be based in various locations, such as Scotland, Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, Plymouth in Devon, and Gatwick Airport. Couriers will earn around £16.50 per hour.

This expansion follows Apollo Global Management’s recent acquisition of Evri for £2.7 billion, a deal first reported by Sky News. Apollo secured the purchase over competitors like JD.com and DHL, taking over from Advent International.

Evri, which rebranded from Hermes in 2022, reported that parcel volumes have surpassed even the peak levels seen during the COVID pandemic. The recruitment will increase its workforce of self-employed couriers to about 28,000, aiming to manage up to four million parcel deliveries daily.

In recent years, the company has faced criticism over its service quality, including issues with delayed and missing deliveries.

In November 2023, a survey by the charity Citizens Advice ranked Evri and its competitor Yodel as the poorest performers among the UK’s major delivery firms.

Additionally, Labour MP Carolyn Harris called for a government investigation into Evri in January 2023, citing concerns about “poor customer service and working conditions.”

Evri has since invested substantial amounts in improving its operations and now reports that 99% of deliveries are completed on time.

Evri’s CEO Martijn De Lange remarked, “Our recent client acquisitions and the rise in parcel volumes demonstrate the confidence customers have in our services. Our largest-ever recruitment effort is set to ensure another record-breaking year.”

The company handles approximately 720 million parcels each year and caters to about 12 million customers weekly.

Notable clients include retailers Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, along with online platforms Etsy and Vinted.