Courier company Absolutely bought by DPD UK

DPD UK has completed the acquisition of last-mile delivery company Absolutely for an undisclosed sum.

Absolutely operates across the south-east, with a fleet of some 200 couriers servicing more than 2,500 clients.

Customers range from fashion brands and health organisations to law firms and media businesses.

Its fleet includes an expanding number of zero-emission vehicles, such as cargo bikes and pushbikes, alongside vans and motorbikes. It also offers temperature-controlled courier services. 

Having bought CitySprint in January, last year, DPD UK says this latest acquisition further enables it to capitalise on this rapidly growing segment of the delivery market. 

Elaine Kerr, CEO of DPD UK, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Absolutely team to our UK business.

“Same-day delivery is one of the fastest growing segments of the logistics market and this move allows us to further strengthen and expand our offer in this area, following the acquisition of CitySprint last year.

“Looking ahead, DPD UK is strongly positioned to meet this rising demand and consolidate our place as a market leader in same day delivery.”

DPD specialises in UK domestic next-day and international deliveries. It operates nationwide, seven days a week from 84 locations and delivers more than 400 million parcels a year for online retail specialists and many of the biggest names on the high street. 

Stuart Godman, CEO of Absolutely, said: “We are very excited to become part of the DPD UK family.

“With a long history in the industry, we know that same day delivery is essential for keeping businesses of all sizes moving.

“This move is great news for our existing customers, and we look forward to offering them access to DPD's broader range of services in due course. But for now, it's very much business as usual.” 

Fleet News spoke to Jeremy Thompson in 2017, about his ambitions for the company, which was established more than 150 years ago by his great grandfather George, a station master at St Pancras, as a freight agent for the privately-owned railway companies.