Leadership

Barry Group invests €1.5m in warehouse expansion

16.03.2010
Irish wholesale and distribution firm the Barry Group has today announced it is to invest over €1.5m in building a 20,000 sq ft extension to its central distribution centre in Mallow, Co. Cork,

The warehouse expansion, which will result in the creation of 25 new part-time and full-time construction jobs, will double the capacity of the group’s existing 125,000 sq ft distribution facility.

Building is now underway and the project is expected to be completed by June.

The expansion is being built to cater for the Barry Group’s growth plans, which include growth to its core wholesale distribution business, as well as extra volume created by its acquisition of the Carry Out business of 50 specialist off-licences and the rollout of Buy Lo, its new branded discount chain which was established last August.

“Right now we operate from two warehouses which isn’t sustainable from an efficiency and capacity front. As our business model develops, it is strategic to operate from one central distribution network so this expansion will consolidate the operations into one central warehouse based in our Mallow HQ in Co Cork. This added capacity will enable us to explore other further growth and acquisition opportunities as they arise,” explained Jim Barry, Barry Group Managing Director.

Barry added that the extension will cater for expansion plans for the discount chain Buy Lo.

There are currently two Buy Lo stores in operation - one in Ashbourne and the other in Tralee - and the Barry Group said it is actively seeking new sites across Ireland for new Buy Lo stores which are due to come on stream in 2010.

The Barry Group currently employs 249 staff and supplies products to over 700 stores including 244 affiliated stores in the Republic of Ireland operating under the Costcutter, Carry Out, Buy Lo and Quik Pick brands.