The Bookseller.com

2nd December 2008

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Borders loses head of supply chain

01.09.08 Graeme Neill

Borders UK's head of supply chain Geoff O'Neill is leaving the business at the end of this month after two years at the retailer. O'Neill leaves on 26th September, Pete Harvey, previously head of range, will be responsible for the supply chain. He will report to Peter Newbould, Borders' head of buying and logistics.

Borders' distribution centre at Cornwall closed on Friday. The retailer has now switched its supply methods to a mixture of direct via publishers and through wholesalers Gardners and EUK. During O'Neill's time at Borders, he was involved in picking the suppliers for Borders' transactional website and reducing the retailer's inventory. He also worked on the change of supply chain methods.

Philip Downer, c.e.o. of Borders UK said: "Since we announced the distribution centre closure in March, the team at St Columb Major has continued to provide the very best service to our stores, demonstrating a commitment and a can-do attitude that has always been a feature of our distribution centres. I want to thank Geoff O'Neill and Glyn Barnicoat [the company’s former head of logistics], and everybody past and present from Cornwall, for their huge contribution to Borders and Books etc, and to wish each one of them every success for the future."

The distribution centre in Cornwall employed 91 people at its height, but has gradually been reducing the number of its full-time staff up to the time of its closure.

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