CitySprint, the UK’s leading same day delivery service, has announced the acquisition of Astral Couriers, a courier service based in Blandford, in an attempt to accelerate its drive for regional growth. This latest purchase from CitySprint, which is owned by DPD Group, is the second acquisition this year, following on the heels of its purchase of Manchester courier business EcoSpeed.

Announcing the deal CitySprint, which is owned by DPDgroup, said that Astral’s service specialism “aligns perfectly” with its same day expertise, and allows CitySprint further strengthen its presence in the Southwest. In turn, Astral’s customers get to access to CitySprint’s national same day delivery network, which can reach over 88% of mainland UK within 60 minutes.

“We are delighted to have completed the acquisition of Astral and look forward to welcoming their team to the CitySprint family. Astral enjoys a strong reputation in the Dorset and Southwest region. And as our second acquisition this year, it represents another important step in our growth strategy,” said Gary West, CitySprint Chief Executive.

“Looking ahead, it remains very much business as usual for Astral’s customers. There will be no changes to their current service or account contacts, but they can now enjoy access to our wider courier network and nationwide logistics service offering,” Gary added.

Astral Couriers, which was launched in 1995 with just one van, has grown to offer customers nationwide and global courier services. Astral’s clients and customers will also be able to access CitySprint’s same day delivery services and its fleet of over 3,500 vehicles.

CitySprint has also announced that it is looking for over 600 couriers across the UK to support with ongoing logistics demand during this year’s peak season and beyond, as the business continues to grow. The couriers will join CitySprint’s fleet, with the business hiring across a range of vehicles, with a particular focus on small and large vans. They are also looking to employ drivers for their electric vehicles as they continue to expand their electric van fleet by another 40 by the end of 2022, with more due to be rolled out in the early part of 2023.