Last-mile delivery company Gophr has today announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with local delivery platform Evermile. This collaboration empowers local businesses across the North West and will transform the way local merchants in Manchester, Liverpool, and the surrounding areas connect with their customers to fulfil their delivery needs.

Evermile, which has already partnered with 400 local businesses in London, sees the region as a key area of growth. The move will allow local businesses in the North West to use Gophr as an option for on-demand last-mile deliveries, giving them access to standard, two-hour and one-hour express delivery as well as a selection of vehicle options – from push bikes to large vans.

The news comes off the back of Evermile raising $6m (£4.8m) in April this year to grow its platform, which simplifies and automates the process of offering and managing deliveries for local businesses.

Omer Goldschmidt, CEO of Evermile commented: “Amplifying our year-long collaboration with Gophr, we’re excited to expand from London to the North West local businesses often face delivery challenges and do not always have the capacity and tools to deal with high costs and complex logistics. The partnership between Gophr and Evermile will empower North West businesses and unlock access to competitive rates and advanced technology that fits their needs. As we expand with Gophr a minute before the holiday rush, we’re not just enhancing efficiency; we’re levelling the playing field for these local enterprises against the big players in the market”

Steve Allen, Strategic Account Manager at Gophr added: “This partnership is an absolute game-changer for small businesses in the North West, and after a very successful year of working together with Evermile in London, we’re excited about taking the next step in our partnership with Evermile and helping many more businesses thrive. Often smaller operations haven’t got the time and expertise to devote to managing delivery, and this stress and worry is alleviated by the Evermile platform and this partnership.”

“Thanks to the number of diverse, and high-quality delivery partners on the platform, businesses in Manchester and Liverpool can rest easy that their customer’s delivery needs are going to be met. In a market that is constantly getting more and more competitive, we are excited to be offering such flexibility and options, with a partner who truly values these businesses, and helping them build a more resilient offering is vitally important.”