British cargo bike delivery company Zedify has launched its 10th hub in the UK’s second largest city of Birmingham.
This comes after Zedify secured £4 million earlier this year to expand its network with a new Midlands hub.
Located near the ‘Golden Logistics Triangle’ in the Midlands which is renowned for its high density of distribution facilities, the strategic launch takes Zedify forward on its mission to be active in 50 UK cities in the next five years.
“Birmingham doesn’t have an active cargo bike-first last mile delivery operator yet, so our launch here is important for that transition. For us strategically, the Midlands is the heartland of e-commerce fulfilment for the whole UK so having a presence here with a last mile hub is going to be fantastic for us as we grow,” Zedify CEO Rob King told Zag Daily.
The new hub is located in a multi-storey car park in Birmingham’s City Centre, sourced in partnership with specialists Decarbon Logistics which help logistics companies find flexible space in urban centres. Using the hub, Zedify aims to serve areas spanning the city centre, including Aston, Edgbaston and Selly Oak and aims to scale deliveries for its partners and businesses across the city.
“The major e-commerce and fulfilment brands we work with are excited about us launching in Birmingham just in terms of the volumes they’re already shipping in the city. It offers them a wholesale sustainable switch.”
Zedify is partnered with major brands like Hello Fresh, Zara, Evri and Selfridges and its e-cargo bikes have been shown to emit 82% less carbon emissions than electric vans.
Despite boasting more than 8,000 acres of green space, Birmingham is one of the UK’s highest air-polluted cities with 1,000 deaths per year caused by air pollution.
Earlier this week, Birmingham City Council discussed plans to introduce 20mph speed limits across large areas of Birmingham in an attempt to improve road safety.
“I see this as one of the many measures that cities are bringing in to reclaim streets for pedestrians and cyclists, like Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and Clean Air Zones. These measures are about making cities safer, healthier, and more pleasant places to be in and to go from a to b,” Rob said.
“Cargo bike logistics fits like a glove around these measures, and provide a great solution for meeting the demands that come from a growing e-commerce sector alongside those of us who live and work in cities.”
Zedify is aiming to scale its existing footprint next year as it works towards its target of 50 cities, with Cardiff, Leeds, Nottingham and Bath cited as next potential targets.
