Its storage capacity is double the size of Croke Park pitch.

And with the new IKEA distribution centre in Dublin opening today, IKEA’s business in Ireland will have one of the shortest delivery times in Europe.

The vast distribution centre in Rathcoole is over 27,000 square metres, has a storage capacity of 20,000 cubic metres – equal to over 258,000 flatpack BILLY bookcases and is capable of housing up to 9,000 different product lines, spanning across almost every product in the IKEA range.

Before now, IKEA deliveries to Irish consumers required dispatch from the UK. With the inauguration of this new multi-million-euro facility in Ireland, delivery times will reduce to just three days.

Photo: Robbie Reynolds

IKEA expects the distribution centre to be making more than 300,000 deliveries in the first year of operation, with that figure almost doubling to nearly 600,000 within five years. Eventually, the plan is to be able to deliver up to three million items a year from the centre.

Seventeen electric vans will deliver IKEA goods across the country, with the number of zero emissions vehicles doubling by August 2025. As of now, two zero-emission vehicles will be based in Cork.

“The opening of Ireland’s first IKEA distribution centre will greatly benefit our customers through faster and more reliable deliveries,” said Jakob Bertilsson, Country Customer Fulfilment Manager, IKEA Ireland and UK.

“It marks a key step in our ambitious expansion plans across Ireland. We remain committed to – and are continually investing in – the future of our physical store in Dublin, but we want people to enjoy the IKEA experience no matter where they choose to engage with us, whether through our full-size store, plan and order points, or online.”