Lidl unveils new €100m distribution centre
Lidl has opened the doors on its brand-new, distribution centre in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The €100m project is the German retailer's single largest investment since it began trading in Ireland almost 20 years ago.
Print22 November 2019
Lidl has marked the occasion of its brand new distribution centre opening its doors with the announcement that customers will see price reductions on hundreds of products in the coming months. The €100m distribution centre in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, represents Lidl’s single largest investment in Ireland since 2000, and aims to “spearhead even greater efficiencies” which will be passed on to customers in the form of costs savings.
The new centre’s capacity means it can store 49 million products through the streamlining of operations, with over 60% of these originating from Lidl’s network of Irish suppliers. The distribution centre has the capacity to serve Lidl’s network of 90 stores in the Leinster area.
Starting from January 2020, Lidl customers will benefit from a price reduction on 500 products. Prices have been slashed on 250 products already over the past six months.
Covering a massive 58,000m2, the landmark development in Newbridge is one of the largest single buildings in Ireland. Energy efficiency is a key feature of the new distribution centre, making it one of the most sustainable logistics facilities in Europe. Lidl invested €1m in its football-pitch-sized rooftop solar panel array – again, the largest on any building in the Republic.
Other sustainability initiatives 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
The centre also boasts several important biodiversity features:
- 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 said that the investment by Lidl is a vote of confidence in the economy. “It is also a welcome development for the people of Kildare,” he said, “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,” the minister said. “It is proof that a business can be sustainable and tackle climate change while also generating revenue, driving efficiencies and creating jobs.”
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