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Dairygold invests €33million in processing expansion supported by Dept of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland
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| Pictured at the announcement were: Bertie O’Leary, Dairygold Chairman, Jim Woulfe, Dairygold Chief Executive, Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Sean Sherlock TD, Minister of State for Research and Innovation and Michael Cantwell, Head of Food at Enterprise Ireland . |
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The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mr. Richard Bruton TD, together with the Minister of State for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock TD, recently announced Government support for Dairygold Co-Operative Society Limited’s €33 million investment to expand and upgrade its milk processing facilities at Mitchelstown, County Cork. This investment has been supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland.
100 jobs will be created in the construction, installation and commissioning phases of the new processing facilities.
Dairygold is Ireland’s largest farmer owned business and the country’s second largest dairy processor, processing 950 million litres or 20% of Ireland’s milk pool to produce a range of cheese and dairy ingredients for export to more than 50 countries.
Following the abolition of EU milk quotas in April 2015 Dairygold’s 3,000 milk supplying Members have forecast to increase annual milk production by more than 50% by 2020. This equates to an increase of 500 million litres per annum and requires an expansion in Dairygold’s peak processing capacity.
The investment will establish a new six tonne/hour multi-purpose milk drying facility and a variety of infrastructure and plant enhancements at its Castlefarm site in Mitchelstown, Co Cork. It will increase Dairygold’s overall peak processing capacity and represents the conclusion of phase one of the Society’s Processing Capacity Plan to 2020.
When completed the facility will be the Irish Dairy industry’s first post quota infrastructure to become operational with commissioning scheduled for next year’s peak milk season. All produce from its expanded processing capacity will be destined for export markets.
In addition to 100 jobs created in the construction, installation and commissioning phases of the new processing facilities the project will also give rise to sustained employment at the Castlefarm site in Mitchelstown.
Enterprise Ireland Head of Food Michael Cantwell said, “An important element of the investment for both Dairygold and Enterprise Ireland was the huge emphasis on utilising latest technology to provide a more sustainable processing platform, which will result in reduced energy and emissions per litre of milk processed. This is being achieved through a variety of energy efficiency gains and environmental improvements including heat recovery, and water reduction measures. This sustainability emphasis is something that Enterprise Ireland strongly supports.”
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