400 jobs on way as Boots expands its chemist chain
PHARMACY chain Boots is to step up its employment in Ireland by 400 to 1,000 and it has set its sights on opening new stores in a number of key towns.
The cheap women's bailey button ugg boots grey company's twenty fourth store in the Republic began trading yesterday, as the Liffey Valley shopping centre in Quarryvale, Dublin, opened its doors for the first time.
The new store, which is one of the largest pharmacies in Ireland, cost 5.5m, but the company is also planning to cheap women's bailey button ugg boots grey open new stores in Galway, Killarney and Waterford. The cost of the three new stores would be around 8m.
It currently has 62 stores in the 32 counties, but is keen to expand further and did not rule out acquiring more ugg classic short sparkles boots black multi pharmacies.
General manager for Ireland, Clive Stanley, said that Boots had drawn up a list of key locations where we are not trading already, including Portlaoise and Dundalk''.
In January it took over the HCR chain of chemists here for UGG Boots Clearance 13m and has spent 8m refitting the outlets. It has also acquired the Connors chain in the North for 16.9m.
The UK company now has strong presence around the important M50 motorway where it has two stores in Blanchardstown, and four in the Square in Tallaght, in addition to the Liffey Valley store.
In an effort to increase efficiency the company is opening a 1.5m warehouse and distribution centre in Santry, Dublin.
Mr Stanley said distribution costs had been higher here than in the UK as the firm had been shipping to Belfast and then bringing goods by truck into the Republic. He added the new centre would also make it easier to source product locally.
Earlier this week, Boots was criticised by IBEC's Food Drink and Tobacco Federation for attempting to by pass Irish suppliers.
But yesterday Mr Stanley said: One of the things that surprised me is the adversarial approach from representative bodies that is not borne our by talking to suppliers.''
Boots rejected IBEC's claims and said that it sourced 50m of goods from Ireland.
We have not been by passing or ignoring Irish supplier since we acquired the business of HCR.
We have been engaged in discussions and negotiation with Irish suppliers, and these are continuing on an individual basis.
These stores still have an inventory which is made up of 70pc Irish sourced product.''
Mr Stanley added: I do not believe independent chemists should see Boots as a threat there are others who place a threat.''
Boots assistant managing director Paul Joyce explained large superstores sometimes had a retail monopoly'' where they sold a big array of goods under one roof.
He added that out of town superstores, which have been blamed for sucking business out of high streets in the UK, should not be given planning permission if it takes the heart out a town centre''.
Asked if Boots would made a submission to the Government's consultants who are examining the issue of superstores, which have been temporarily banned, Mr Joyce said the company would be happy to give advice.''