ADL plans expansion

Dairy co-op preparing for enlargement of Water Street facility in Summerside

Amalgamated Dairies Limited (ADL) is working to expand its headquarters at 79 Water Street in Summerside.

The company submitted a request to city council recently asking for four properties on Autumn Street - civic numbers 11, 17, 25 and 29 - to be rezoned from service commercial to light industrial.

Jim Bradley, chief executive officer of the dairy co-op, told council that the rezoning was needed to allow for an expansion to its neighbouring facility.

The new space would be used as a cold-storage warehouse, mostly for cheese and that would allow the company to free existing room to potentially increase production capacity.

“Since 2014 dairy farm milk production has been on the increase on P.E.I. and we’re expecting in 2016 to be at levels about 10 per cent above our 2014 production levels,” said Bradley.

“The main plant here on 79 Water Street processes the majority of the milk in the province and that amounts to approximately 75 per cent of the province’s 108 million litres. In order to better accommodate this growth and future possibilities, ADL is planning to build an extension to the plant.”

The expansion would measure about 100 feet by 100 feet.

Bradley said additional jobs would likely be created when Thane MacEwen, director of operations for ADL stands outside the company’s office and cheese factory on Water Street in Summerside. The farmers’ co-op is planning an expansion to the facility to allow for more cold storage space. the company moves to expand its cheese production, but didn’t elaborate.

He also addressed questions regarding the status of a residential property, not owned by the company, that separates the four lots it wants to rezone.

Bradley said the company has been in talks with the owner to buy the property, but have been unable to reach a deal yet. Given the time of year and rapidly closing prime construction season weather, ADL opted to start moving ahead with its project while it continues to negotiate with the homeowner. In the meantime, there will be enough set back between the expansion and the home to follow the regulations and allow for construction to start in September.

Earlier this year ADL completed