Glanbia officially open state-of-the-art UHT milk processing facility

Glanbia officially opens new €15 million state-of-the-art UHT milk processing facility in Lough Egish, Co Monaghan.

Project supported by the Department of Jobs through Enterprise Ireland.

Glanbia Consumer Foods Ireland on Friday 13th November officially opened its new state-of-the-art UHT (Ultra-Heat-Treated) milk processing facility in Lough Egish, Co Monaghan. With processing capacity for up to 100 million litres of milk per annum, the new facility will produce a range of standard and fortified UHT milk and cream products for export under Glanbia’s market leading brand, Avonmore.

40 new jobs have been created at Lough Egish, 21 of which have already been filled, representing a total investment of €15 million by Glanbia, with support from the Department of Jobs through Enterprise Ireland. A range of long-life liquid milk and cream products suitable for export to global markets including Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia will be produced at the site while value added milk and cream will also be produced at the facility in the near future.

The new site was officially opened today by Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Ged Nash TD, Minister for Business and Employment at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

"Speaking at the official opening, Minister Humphreys said: “I am delighted to officially open Glanbia’s new state-of-the art UHT milk processing facility with my colleague, Minister Ged Nash. This investment by Glanbia, supported by the Department of Jobs through Enterprise Ireland, is a great boost for Monaghan and the North East region, and a great example of what we are trying to achieve with our Action Plan for Jobs. The agri-food sector is a vital source of employment in the region and the creation of 40 new jobs as a result of this new facility is fantastic news for Monaghan. Glanbia is a highly innovative Irish exporting company, producing world-class products for global export markets and creating much needed employment for hundreds of people in Ireland. I warmly congratulate Glanbia and wish the management team and all their staff continued success for the future”.

Minister Nash added: “The official opening of Glanbia’s new plant is particularly welcome as it has created 40 new jobs in Lough Egish, supported by my Department through Enterprise Ireland. Ireland’s food industry offers massive potential for regional employment, which is a major focus of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs and Regional Strategies. Enterprise Ireland has worked closely with Glanbia to support its continued growth and expansion and this significant investment is a great boost for Monaghan and the wider region. Companies such as Glanbia are very important to the economy in rural areas like Lough Egish. Glanbia’s investment will have very positive impacts for the region, not only in terms of the 40 new direct jobs, but also in the indirect benefits to the local and wider economy”.

The new facility has a number of innovative technological features, developed in conjunction with Glanbia’s Innovation Centre in Kilkenny and supported by Enterprise Ireland. These include dual processing, which means that raw milk can be processed using direct or indirect heat, resulting in a fresher UHT product and a unique double homegenisation system for the production of cream. These technological innovations have led to the development of a pipeline of high end, premium products which deliver enhanced culinary performance to global food customers.

Commenting on the official opening, Henry Corbally, Chairman of Glanbia Group said: “The opening of this facility is further evidence of our support for the liquid milk business in Ireland. This new best-in-class facility will play a key role in our strategy to further develop an international business for Irish liquid milk and cream products and will ensure that our relationship with our farmer suppliers continues to deliver significant benefits and opportunities to them.”

Colin Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of Glanbia Consumer Foods Ireland added: “Today’s opening represents a significant investment in our future growth as well as being the next step in the evolution of the Avonmore brand. We look forward to serving the needs of our global customers from Lough Egish.”