Lidl Ireland is to invest more than €75 million in an extension of its regional distribution centre at Mullingar, Co Westmeath. The extension is expected to support upwards of 1,200 construction jobs with local contractors throughout the development phase.
Upon completion, the new development at Robinstown will increase the capacity of the German retailer’s facility to around 62,000sq m (667,362sq ft) making it one of the largest buildings in the country.
The extended facility is set to include Lidl’s biggest solar array in Ireland, and will provide enough energy to meet about 25 per cent of the facility’s energy requirements.
As part of Lidl’s commitment to sustainable building, the Mullingar facility will incorporate 25,000sq m (269,097sq ft) of new cold rooms cooled by natural refrigerants, a state-of-the-art refrigeration heat-recovery system providing heating to the warehouse, and a pollinator-friendly area with wildflower planting to promote local biodiversity.
Lidl employs close to 400 people across its two stores and distribution centre in Mullingar, and more than 5,000 people across its operations in Ireland, including its network of 168 stores, Dublin head office and three regional distribution centres.
Commenting on Lidl’s plans for it Mullingar operations, the company’s CEO for Ireland and Northern Ireland, JP Scally, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with the local community in Mullingar and we want to continue to support them as we look to getting our economy back on track after what has been an incredibly-difficult period for Irish businesses. The extension of our regional distribution centre will support those working in the construction sector. We are very pleased to welcome our contractors on site as we start to redevelop our facility, ensuring we are investing in a sustainable future for our customers, our colleagues and the communities we serve.”
