Expansion for Banbury-headquartered medicines supplier

The DCS Group has invested over £100,000 in a new medicines storage facility at its Banbury Distribution Centre, in Noral Way.

It will have the space to store more than 500 pallets of over-the-counter medicines in a temperature controlled environment.

The facility will support the company’s newly created Pharmacy Division that will deliver over-the-counter medicines to pharmacy wholesalers across the UK.

It is expected that the new division will contribute £10 million sales within two years.

It is hoped the new move will secure another year of growth for the business which has enjoyed growth every year since its creation 25 years ago.

Chairman and company chief executive Denys Shortt said: “We continue to work with customers and major brands to offer the best sales and marketing service in the UK.

“I am confident that we will achieve £10 million sales in our first year with this new division.

He added: “As DCS strives for its 25th year of consecutive growth, we recognise the importance of diversification.

“Pharmacy offers a great opportunity to trade in a key yet a new channel for DCS.”

Mr Shortt employs more than 500 people within his companies - DCS Group, DCS Manufacturing and Enable Software- that operate in Banbury and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Sales for DCS rose in 2018 to £223 million - a four per cent increase on the previous year.

The DCS Group moved to its 25-acre headquarters site two years ago in a £12 million investment in Banbury.

The company, which has an annual turnover of more than £200 million, is said to be the UK’s largest distributor of health, beauty and household brands.

It is reckoned that more than 108 heavy goods vehicles leave the depot each day which equates to about £1 million in goods haulage.