A parcel delivery giant in Staffordshire today reported a record December, with business up 15 per cent year-on-year.

APC Overnight, based in Essington, is delivering 1.5 million packages a month.

Bosses today revealed that every parcel it processed on or before December 22 had reached its destination by Christmas Day.

The company is due to move from its Essington home, in Warstone Road, to a new £15 million base at Kingswood Lakeside in October.

Sales and marketing manager Steve Salt released the data for the festive period today.

He said: “A big plus for us was we were still getting our stuff out which arrived on December 22 on time. Most of our competitors did not manage that.

“For us to be up 15 per cent year-on-year, that’s down to the efforts of everyone all over the network across our 127 depots.”

APC’s move to its new 150,000sq ft headquarters will create 300 jobs, more than doubling the 250-strong workforce currently based in Essington.

Bosses were forced to rent out a 40,000sq ft temporary storage warehouse in Cannock town centre to house extra stock over the Christmas season.

It comes after courier group Yodel revealed its own record figures.

The company, which took over the landmark former City Link depot on the Willenhall and Darlaston border in June, delivered more than 20 million parcels nationally between December 1 and 24. The year before, the firm dealt with 12.8million parcels during adverse weather conditions.

The boost is attributed to the rise in internet shopping, with 12 per cent of Christmas trade done online.

Mr Salt has previously pledged to recruit local people to fill the new posts at APC, or Alternative Parcels Company Ltd. The firm has seen profits surge by 70 per cent despite the challenging economic conditions.

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