This is a subscriber-only article
Glanbia is to expand its infant formula offering at its Belview plant in Co Kilkenny and install a third dryer.
On Thursday, Glanbia announced that Enterprise Ireland will support Glanbia Ireland’s plans to invest over €160m at the Belview plant.
Listen to "Glanbia open new Wexford plant" on Spreaker.
This investment will result in new activities at the facility, which was first opened in 2015, including infant formula products destined for global export markets.
It is expected that the new facility in Belview will be operational by 2020 and this investment will directly result in the creation of 83 new full-time jobs as well as supporting 400 jobs during the two-year construction phase of the project.
Glanbia Ireland’s Wexford cheese plant was also officially re-opened on Thursday by Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Michael Creed and Glanbia group chair Henry Corbally, following a major capital investment programme.
The €35m investment in the facility, just outside Wexford town, has been supported by the Irish Government through Enterprise Ireland since 2014 and has doubled peak capacity at the plant.
Cheese from Glanbia Ireland’s Wexford facility is supplied to a number of global food companies and is also widely available in the ‘Wexford’ branded cheese range which can be bought here in Ireland and in a number of overseas markets.
As well as increasing Glanbia Ireland’s cheese processing capacity, the Wexford investment will deliver an additional whey stream for the sports nutrition sector, which is one of Glanbia’s key market sectors.
Dairy innovation
Speaking at the launch Minister Creed said: “This investment supported by Enterprise Ireland is another example of the potential of the Irish agri-food sector to create and sustain jobs across the country.
“Combined with today’s announcement on further substantial investment in Glanbia Ireland’s Belview facility it is clear that the future of dairy in Ireland is a very bright one indeed.
“I’d like to congratulate Glanbia Ireland for their continued commitment to supporting the growth ambitions of their suppliers and ensuring that Ireland remains at the forefront of dairy innovation for the global marketplace.”
Commenting on the Belview investment, which she presented to Cabinet for approval this week, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys said: “The Government’s investment, through Enterprise Ireland, to support Glanbia Ireland’s development of new activities in Belview reflects our belief in the underlying economic contribution of our indigenous dairy industry and in the company’s development plans.
“Glanbia has long been one of Ireland’s great home-grown success stories, and as a company, has been characterised by its successful international growth strategy in key markets and a commitment to innovation and excellence.
“This investment demonstrates a real long-term commitment to farming families and the rural economy.”
Volatility
Speaking at the re-opening, Henry Corbally, Glanbia group chair said that these major investments in Wexford and Belview are a great vote of confidence in Irish dairy and in Irish dairy farmers.
Despite volatility in global markets there is growing demand and positive long-term prospects for our products.
“These investments are designed to ensure that Glanbia Ireland’s suppliers have the opportunity to access those markets.”
The CEO of Glanbia Ireland, Jim Bergin said that these latest investments are part of Glanbia’s long-standing commitment to meet the growth ambitions of our milk suppliers.
“In recent years, Glanbia Ireland has invested €235m at the company’s milk processing plants at Virginia (Co Cavan), Ballyragget and Belview (Co Kilkenny).
“Between now and 2020 we expect to invest between €250m and €300m to facilitate an expected 30% growth in milk from Glanbia Ireland’s 4,800 farmer suppliers.
“This level of investment is also required to diversify the product mix we can offer customers to help navigate the unprecedented level of volatility in the global marketplace.”
Glanbia to pay farmers 20c/l for milk lost during Storm Emma
SHARING OPTIONS: