S&W Wholesale – one of Ireland’s largest independent wholesalers of FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) – has been given the green light for a major, new purpose-built facility at today’s (January 10) Newry, Mourne & Down District Council Planning Committee meeting.
The new site, which is located approximately three miles from its current headquarters in Carnbane Business Park in Newry, is situated adjacent to the A1 southbound.
Representing an investment of circa £15 million, the company says it will support the business’s future growth plans right across the island.
The proposal for the 16,730sqm storage and distribution warehouse including ancillary office accommodation has been in planning for quite some time and offers a major boost to the business as it looks to the future.
Michael Skelton, S&W Wholesale CEO said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been given the go-ahead for our new headquarters.
“The business has been curtailed in recent times through space constraints and operating across multiple sites.
“This new facility will allow us to maximise our operational efficiency, while giving our valuable team of more than 300 people a pleasant, fit for purpose working environment.”
Anthony McVeigh, Deputy CEO & CFO, S&W added: “We have just celebrated our first year in an EOT – Employee Ownership Trust Model. This structure saw control of the 107-year-old business move from private ownership to a Trust model.
“The Trust’s Board ensures the business operates for the benefit of the employees. Building new premises fit for the future and to support ambitious growth plans was a vitally important part of the decision-making progress to move to an EOT.
“We would like to thank all those who have supported us with this project, and we look forward to working with the local community to be a responsible neighbour in our new location. This move is very important for our customers, staff, retailers, and our entire supply chain base. We would also like to thank our fantastic team who have been very patient throughout this process. We look forward to them having brand new facilities where they can thrive and enjoy their workspace.”
S&W Wholesale, previously known as Savage & Whitten is an amalgamation of two local wholesalers and has been operating in Newry for more than 100 years. Its brands include Nearby, Todays and Cuppa.
This new facility will see in the region of 120 construction jobs supported for the duration of the build and will allow S&W to grow its payroll from currently just under £10 million to circa £12 million in the near future.
S&W’s project team included TSA Planning, Clarman Architects, AtkinsRealis, Aona and King Communication. It is expected that construction will commence later this year.
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