100 new full-time jobs have also been created as a result.
500 Lidl products will be reduced in price as a result of what the supermarket chain have described as “increased efficiencies” resulting from investment in a new €100 million distribution centre in Kildare.
A price reduction on Lidl products will come into effect from January 2020, following on from a price reduction on 250 products in the last six months.
The new 58,000 square-metre facility in Newbridge represents the single, largest investment made by Lidl in Ireland since they first set up shop in the country in 2000. It is one of the largest single buildings in the Republic of Ireland.
The 350 Lidl employees based at the new facility will be housed in a brand-new workspace featuring a gym, open plan office space, a large canteen area and Electric Vehicle charging points.
Lidl say the new distribution centre’s increased capacity means it can store 49 million products through the streamlining of operations, 60% of which will come from Lidl’s 225 Irish suppliers. The distribution centre has the capacity to serve Lidl’s network of 90 stores in the Leinster area.
Energy efficiency is a key feature of the new distribution centre, making it one of the most sustainable logistics facilities in Europe. Lidl invested €1 million alone in the centre’s football-pitch-sized rooftop solar panel array – the largest on any building in the Republic of Ireland.
The solar panels will reduce the centre’s carbon output by some 473 tonnes annually, while over 25% of the new facility’s energy requirements will now be generated by solar power.
Other sustainability initiatives and biodiversity features at the centre include:
- Heat recovery from refrigeration and only natural refrigerants
- A commitment to ‘zero waste to landfill’
- Roof-mounted rainwater tanks collecting enough water to fill approximately 12,000 baths per annum
- ISO 50001 certification, a globally recognised standard for best-practice energy management
- 9,390 sq.m wildflower meadow to promote pollination and biodiversity
- 9,960 sq.m. woodland area with 5,700 native trees to Ireland
- 600 shrubs native to Ireland
- Beehives, bat boxes and insect hotels
Speaking at the official opening of the new distribution centre in Newbridge, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD said:
“The commissioning of Lidl’s new distribution centre is a huge investment by the company in Ireland and a vote of confidence in the economy. It is also a welcome development for the people of Kildare, who will benefit from the creation of 100 new jobs, in addition to the 250 people that Lidl already employs in the region.
“In particular, we welcome the company’s decision to build a sustainable and future-proofed facility that does not generate landfill waste. It is proof that a business can be sustainable and tackle climate change while also generating revenue, driving efficiencies and creating jobs.
“Lidl’s footprint in Ireland is significant. It is a committed investor in this country’s shoppers, local communities, and the wider environment. My department is eager to see how this facility contributes to the local economy. I wish them every success in the years ahead.”
J.P. Scally, Managing Director of Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, added:
“First and foremost, this new distribution centre is good news for our customers. By increasing our storage capacity and streamlining our supply chains we will achieve even higher levels of efficiencies and in turn deliver considerable savings to shoppers across the country. That means lower prices on the same quality produce, and more money back in our customers’ pockets.
“It is important for us that we ensure our build is future-proofed and that we are expanding sustainably. By investing at the scale that we have, we’ve ensured that we have the ability to supply Ireland’s growing population efficiently and consistently, long into the future.”
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
