International healthcare business, Eakin Healthcare, which owns Cardiff-based Pelican Healthcare Ltd and Respond Healthcare, has opened a new distribution centre in Cardiff further strengthening its commitment to Wales and taking its Cardiff employee base close to 250.
The 81,905 sq ft facility on Brindley Road in Leckwith helps streamline regional distribution operations which serve all the UK. Eakin Healthcare, via its Pelican Healthcare brand, offers a wide range of innovative ostomy and continence products, including pouches, skin care products, and other lines, and manufactures all pouches at its Llanishen based facility in Cardiff. Respond Healthcare, also based in Llanishen, provides prescription dispensing, home delivery and support services to the stoma and continence care community throughout the UK.
Eakin Healthcare has taken a 20-year lease on the new distribution centre which will act as a hub for all its products and those of other manufacturers, and represents a key part of its plans to strengthen its operations in Wales, with capacity to grow further still in the coming years. It follows £500k investment in its Llanishen office on solar panels to ensure its manufacturing processes are completely delivered via sustainable, green energy in line with Cardiff Council’s One Planet strategy.
Commenting on the new distribution centre, Padraic Dempsey, Chief Executive Officer of Eakin Healthcare says:
“We are proud of our history in Wales and this move allows us to strengthen our operations, recruit new staff, and reinforces our commitment to the region.
“We invest a great deal in R&D to ensure we create the best products for our customers, so it is logical to invest in our distribution services, guaranteeing those products reach every person who relies on them to live their lives on a daily basis.”
“We were delighted to officially open our distribution centre with a special guest, seven-year-old Jake Allen, one of Wales’ and Respond Healthcare’s, youngest ostomates, who epitomises why we do what we do and is an absolute joy to be around. He has been through so much, but always has a smile on his face. To know we are helping people like Jake makes everything worthwhile.”
