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Kitchenware retailer Lakeland plans to invest some £10 million in a new distribution centre at its Kendal site, in line with the growth of its online business.
The new warehouse will increase its storage capacity by 50 per cent, and create about 600 jobs over the next five years.
The DC is expected to open in 2014. It will fulfil orders made via Lakelands website, from its catalogues and store orders.
The Lake District based company intends to open 40 more stores, bringing its total to 100 stores nationally.
The firm also plans to expand internationally, with a website and catalogue for the German market being planned for the summer.
Sales have risen by 25 per cent on the previous year in its stores in Dubai, Oman, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, and it plans to double its stores in the region over the next two to three years, including its first store in Saudi Arabia.
Managing director Sam Rayner said: Whilst this is not the largest investment that has been made by Lakeland it is seen as being one of the most significant as it is being made at a time when the economy isnt as favourable as has been experienced in the past. We have been holding off on this investment for a number of
years but now feel that we need to prepare the company for the next phase of its
development and the expansion of the Distribution Centre is a key part of our plans for growth.
