Logistics firm Stiller Warehousing and Distribution has launched a recruitment drive on the back of a surge in demand for its services.
The Newton Aycliffe based business – winner of the services award at the North East Business Awards 2020 – is creating 25 new jobs after seeing sales rebound following the first national lockdown last year.
Sales initially fell, but thanks to work with the likes of Amazon and Ineos, which launched a sanitiser production facility in Newton Aycliffe, the firm’s sales grew to £16.1m last year, from £15.2m in 2019, prompting the need for extra staff.
The company is creating positions including HGV drivers, fork lift drivers, administrative roles in transport operations and customer service representatives, and it has also invested £550,000 in 14 new HGV trailers and three new trucks to increase capacity.
Stiller has leased two warehouses – one in Newton Aycliffe and another in Spennymoor – totalling 122,000 sq ft, to capitalise on the surge in demand for its services.
Managing director Matthew Stiller said: “Our increase in sales is down to the two additional warehouses and an upturn in our transport business.
“We have taken on new work for ecommerce packaging suppliers and additional transport business for clients that e-retail bulky products that require a full 海角视频 delivery service.
“We’re forecasting the full-year effect of that increased activity to be £16.5m for 2021.
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“We’ve had big operational challenges just like all businesses have had in 2020. Dealing with a huge drop in work levels in April during the first lockdown, followed by a corresponding rebound, was challenging to manage.
“I also cannot overstate the huge influence Amazon’s ecommerce market share has had on the third-party logistics sector. In most weeks, deliveries to their fulfilment centres is eclipsing all supermarket distribution centres combined.”
Stiller secured a deal to store and distribute over half a million bottles of sanitiser gel per month which are being produced by nearby Ineos last year.
The chemicals giant openediy its first sanitiser production facility in Newton Aycliffe in less than 10 days, going on to produce millions of bottles of sanitisers free of charge to the NHS.
Stiller has since distributed more than 50,000 gallons of the gel around the 海角视频 from Stiller’s Aycliffe HQ, contributing to the national fight against Covid-19.
Mr Stiller added: “This latest recruitment campaign will help us to not only maintain our service standards but also to further improve on them.
“It’s a somewhat challenging environment to be recruiting in at the moment, but it’s very positive that we’re increasing the size of our team and we expect to see further growth in 2021.”