Corby’s £60m logistics warehouse recruiting staff for new contract

Another 30 roles are being created at a Corby third-party logistics company to join the existing 300 staff at Europa Warehouse’s newest and largest £60m, 750,000 sq ft facility.

The firm provides ecommerce facilities for several major blue-chip brands from its Midlands Logistics Park base in Plantation Lane off Geddington Road.

Now a new contract with a key business in the food and drink industry – the UK’s largest manufacturing sector – has created more vacancies.

The 30-strong team will boost existing operations in a number of roles within the warehouse complete with its £11m automation system.

Europa’s latest recruitment announcement comes amid workforce concerns recently raised by Britain’s leading trade organisation, the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA). It warned of a 34 per cent forklift truck driver labour shortfall following Brexit and Covid was impacting more on the warehouse and logistics sector than the well-publicised HGV driver shortage.

Europa Worldwide Group – the parent company of the Europa Warehouse division – has promised to provide job security by making temporary staff permanent, recruiting local people and nurturing talent.

Arron Delamare, Head of Operations at Europa Warehouse, said: “We’re delighted to be converting many of our temporary workers across to permanent positions within our workforce, whilst also offering these job opportunities out to the external employment market locally.

“The chance to join an innovative and forward-thinking business which is at the forefront of the warehouse and logistics sector is one which we hope our applicants will relish. We work hard to deliver a great orientation process to all our new recruits, so they are able to learn more about the organisation, its mission, values, and culture, and feel a part of the team over the longer-term.”

According to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS), the logistics sector is predicted to face a massive 40,0000 workforce shortfall by 2026 if action is not taken to address pay and working conditions.

Europa says it is keen to dispel this view by ‘building up a culture within the organisation that embraces change’ and shows its staff that they are an ‘invaluable part of the next generation of logistics’.

At the Corby site, initiatives have been introduced including team-building events and a ‘Free Food Friday’ reward. This involves staff coming together once a month, at any point during the working day, to share a meal provided by external caterers and chat to their colleagues socially.

Across the business and at all sites, a “Whisper” initiative has been launched, to quietly recognise those who have been nominated by their teams with a little chocolate treat for going the extra mile in their every-day tasks.

Dionne Redpath, Europa Worldwide Group’s chief operating officer and warehouse division director, said: “It’s a really exciting time for our Corby facility as well as the business as a whole, and the career prospects at Europa are second to none. We'll always welcome people who want to grow and thrive with us. Having an engaged team is vital to the ongoing expansion of our business and supports our drive to retain and grow our client base.”

Europa operates across 21 sites in the UK and overseas.

For more information go to www.europa-worldwide.com.