Glanbia Ingredients Ireland to establish new dairy facility in Ireland

Glanbia Ingredients Ireland (GIIL) has announced plans to establish a new dairy facility in Belview, on the Kilkenny – Waterford border, Ireland, with an investment of more than €150m, a move which is expected to create more than 1,600 jobs by 2018.

The 23,500m² facility will process more than 700 million litres of milk and produce 100,000t of dairy powders.

The construction of the new facility is set to commence on 17 May, and nearly 450 construction jobs will be created during this phase.

The facility is scheduled to go onstream in mid-2015, with all of the production from the facility aimed at export markets.

GIIL CEO Jim Bergin said the Belview facility is a significant, strategic development for the company.

“The Belview plant will be entirely focused on export markets and will supply a range of nutritional powders to an increasing number of regions including the Middle East, Africa, Central America and Asia.”

GIIL already has commercial relationships, including contract manufacturing, with eight other Irish dairy processors and the new facility will provide platforms for further collaboration in the industry.

The Belview project will contribute €400m per annum to the local economies of 16 surrounding counties, and demonstrates a long-term commitment to farm families and the rural economy, according to GIIL.

Glanbia stated that through Enterprise Ireland, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation will part-fund the development of the new facility.

The support of Enterprise Ireland will allow GIIL to focus on value-added markets, further invest in technology and innovation, enhance sustainability, build organisational capability and accelerate the company’s expansion plans with its 4,300 milk suppliers.

GIIL is working with its suppliers to prepare for expansion, including index-linked milk pricing, volatility management tools, a sustainability programme and financial training.

GIIL is a joint venture between Irish nutritional solutions and cheese firm Glanbia and its largest shareholder, Glanbia Co-op Society.

Currently, GIIL processes 1.6 billion litres of milk – 30% of Ireland’s milk pool – into a wide range of dairy ingredients for export to more than 50 countries worldwide.

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Image: GIIL CEO Jim Bergin said the Belview plant will supply a range of nutritional powders to an increasing number of regions including the Middle East, Africa, Central America and Asia. Photo courtesy of Glanbia plc.