LONDON, March 15 (Reuters) - The Screwfix unit of British
home improvement retailer Kingfisher plans to open more
than 50 new stores in the UK and Ireland this year, creating 600
jobs, it said on Monday.
Screwfix, which is aimed at the trade market, also said it
has increased its UK and Ireland store target to over 900 from a
previous target of 800.
It currently trades from 711 stores in the UK and 12 in
Ireland, employing 11,643.
Screwfix has prospered during the pandemic, reaching annual
sales of 2 billion pounds ($2.8 billion) for the first time.
Growth has been driven by its focus on e-commerce, with its
stores used to fulfil Click & Collect deliveries which have
surged during the crisis.
Kingfisher's other home improvement retail businesses, B&Q,
in Britain and Castorama and Brico Depot in France, have also
performed well, with many people rediscovering do-it-yourself
(DIY) as they spend more time at home, have fewer leisure
options and travel less.
Shares in Kingfisher were up 2.6% at 1212 GMT, extending
2021 gains to 13.9%.
($1 = 0.7189 pounds)
(Reporting by James Davey, editing by Louise Heavens)