New logistics hub shows Birmingham can deliver on investment says city council
THE commitment by a UK logistics group to locate its first operation outside London in Birmingham is a further shot in the arm for the city, a council leader has said.
One World Express, based in Hayes, has announced it is setting up a new hub at the Woodgate Business Park, creating 140 new jobs for the city over the next three years.
The business was founded as a courier service in 1998, targeting the African market. It has since evolved into a specialist e-commerce and software provider for companies and consumers across the world. The trend for shopping on websites such as eBay has boosted significant levels of trading with China, now the company’s main market.
One World Express set up an office in China in 2014 to deal with growing consumer demand, and also has a base in the USA.
Cllr John Clancy, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “It is great news that One World Express has chosen Birmingham as its first UK base outside London, demonstrating how competitive it has become as a business location.
“By moving to an area of Birmingham that is outside the city centre, the firm will also help to spread local employment opportunities more widely across the city.”
He said the move also laid down a marker for others, and that the local authority was willing to do all it could to help firms relocate.
“Attracting new investors is critical to Birmingham’s economic regeneration by providing the local workforce with new training and career prospects. The hard work of our Employment and Skills Service has helped One World Express to push ahead with its recruitment programme, ensuring it is employing the best talent possible,” he added.
Inward investment agency Business Birmingham, which is operated by Marketing Birmingham, also worked closely on the One World deal, helping the company identify the right site for the hub.
Marketing Birmingham’s chief executive Neil Rami added: “One World Express joins a growing number of London-based firms that have identified Birmingham as having the best location, skills and business support to help them reach their full potential.
“The city’s transport connections are also expanding quickly, with Birmingham Airport welcoming a record numbers of passengers in 2015 and our HS2 link to London on the horizon.”
The 5,600m² site at Woodgate Business Park has undergone a significant refurbishment, and now includes a double mezzanine floor – almost tripling the floorspace available. One World Express has also invested in its technology, with one of its sorting machines able to handle over 9,000 parcels per hour.
