Parcel firm DPD has opened a new distribution centre near Darlington that could create up to 250 jobs, as it gears up for what it expects to be a record Black Friday and Christmas peak. The 63,000 sq ft purpose-built site at Forrest Park, beside Junction 59 of the A1(M) in County Durham, is fully automated and can process up to 50,000 parcels a day. DPD says the hub has room for more than 100 additional delivery driver routes as its operations in the North East grow.

Part of a seven-site building programme

The Darlington centre is part of a multimillion-pound investment programme announced in March 2025 to build seven new distribution centres over two years. It follows similar openings in Crawley and Sittingbourne earlier this year, with a fourth site at Tritax Park in Cambridge confirmed in July. DPD UK chief executive Justin Pegg said he was delighted to see the Darlington centre open on schedule ahead of the busiest time of the year, noting that the firm's network of more than 80 distribution centres is key to its peak campaign.

What “up to 250 jobs” means

One caution for jobseekers: the 250 figure is the site's potential as DPD expands, not a confirmed count of roles already filled — the company has not said how many positions are filled today. Roles are expected to span warehouse operations, driving and support functions as volumes build, and anyone interested should apply through DPD's own careers channels rather than through third-party listings.

A counterweight for the North East

For the North East, the opening is a welcome counterweight to a week of financial-services cuts: a long-term logistics site, on a 25-year lease, built for growth rather than consolidation.

Sources: Retail Gazette, Materials Handling World.