The new facility, located in Gillingham Business Park, adjacent to the existing Henry Schein UK facility, will serve as the main office and distribution center for Henry Schein UK dental and medical customers.
The facility, which will increase the number of team schein members at Gillingham to 520 from 350, includes office space spanning two floors and a state-of-the-art warehouse. The new warehouse includes an education center with showroom for product demonstrations, featuring a wide range of innovative high-tech digital technology. Plans exist to develop additional warehouse space if more storage capacity is needed.
“It has been nearly a quarter century since Henry Schein entered the UK dental market, and our commitment to serving our dental, animal health and medical customers here has grown stronger each year,“ said Stanley Bergman, chairman of the Board and chief executive officer of Henry Schein, who spoke at the October 08 grand opening. “This new, outstanding facility is a source of great pride for our Company, underscoring our commitment to environmental sustainability, as the project’s planning and construction has taken into account the impact on the surrounding environment.”
Henry Schein ensured that its new facility was built with sensitivity to the surrounding natural habitat and local animal species. Measures were taken to clear vegetation in an environmentally-sensitive manner; to protect and relocate protected wildlife, which inhabited the development site; and a trained ecologist made periodic visits. Henry Schein also worked with the Medway Council, the government authority charged with providing local services to Gillingham and other nearby cities, to create an acoustic and visual sound barrier between the new facility and nearby homes by planting trees.
Member of Parliament for Gillingham and Rainham, Rehman Chishti MP, said: “This new facility is fantastic news for Gillingham and Rainham and demonstrates Henry Schein’s commitment to the local area. I joined Henry Schein for their ground breaking ceremony last year, and it’s great to finally see the completed development. It will increase the number of people working onsite and help the company provide a better service for its customers.”
In addition to Stanley Bergman, Simon Gambold, managing director of Henry Schein’s dental and medical business in the UK, and more than 500 team schein members attended the grand opening, including Bob Minowitz, president of Henry Schein’s international dental group.
Local government officials also attended, including The Worshipful The Mayor of Medway, Councillor Barry Kemp, and the Mayoress, Joyce Kemp; and Rehman Chishti MP. Additional guests included Peter Ward, chief executive of the British Dental Association (BDA); Dianne Rekow, dean of King’s College London Dental Institute, Professor of Orthodontics and member of Henry Schein, Inc.’s board of directors; Judy Rider, principal, Brompton Academy, an independent state school in Gillingham; Annette Cameron, new business manager (corporate partnerships) of The Outward Bound Trust, an educational charity in the UK focused on outdoor experiences for youth development; and Norman Freedman and Roger Hart, founders of Henry Schein’s UK business and its original joint managing directors.
Attendees toured the Gillingham headquarters, including the new warehouse, office space and showroom, which featured innovative imaging systems, treatment centers, dental laser technology and other cutting-edge equipment from Henry Schein’s valued supplier partners Sirona Dental, Belmont Dental, Durr Dental, Biolase and Modwood.