GLANBIA CELEBRATION
WEXFORD PLANT REDEVELOPED AT COST OF €35M
THE AMBITION and community spirit of Glanbia Ireland was celebrated at their facility in Rocklands as a large crowd gathered to celebrate the official opening of the company’s redeveloped plant.
The company invested €35m into the facility and, on Thursday last, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed, along with Minister of State John Paul Phelan, paid tribute to the company with Minister Creed granted the hounour of officially announcing the opening. Earlier in the day, the government also confirmed Enterprise Ireland support towards Glanbia Ireland’s plans to invest over €160 million at its Belview, County Kilkenny site.
Henry Corbally, Glanbia Group Chairman acted as Master of Ceremonies for the event and outlined the achievements of the company which, he said, had been growing in terms of its produce year-on-year.
CEO of Glanbia plc, Siobhan Talbot said the company was hugely ambitious, remarking that its heritage and roots were very important and pointing out that farmer stakes in the company numbered 60%.
Jim Bergin, CEO of Glanbia Ingredients Ireland (GII) said that even though he was with Glanbia, he pointed out that his home county of Kilkenny wore jerseys with Avonmore emblazoned across them and joked that he would be shouting for Avonmore in the weekend’s league hurling clash between the two counties.
He remarked that the plant expansion in Rocklands was not just a financial investment, but one made in concrete and steel, that was a 50-year commitment that would result in subseqeunt economic activity in the local community, with €111m going out to farmer suppliers. Glanbia, he said, was a ‘large oak’ in the fabric of County Wexford.
He commended the Wexford board of directors who, he said, had shown great leadership which resulted in a better return for farmers. He also thanked the company’s customers, pointing out that Glanbia products were selling in Ireland, the US and Dubai, and were ambitious about expanding further:
‘Between now and 2020 we expect to invest between €250 and €300 million 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.’
Orla Battersby, Enterprise Ireland’s Divisional Manager for Food, said: ‘This is a hugely significant and very welcome development for Glanbia Ireland and the south-east region. Enterprise Ireland has worked closely with Glanbia Ireland in developing its investment plans for the future. The investments will have very positive impacts for the region, not only in terms of the new direct jobs they will create, but also in the indirect benefits to the local and wider economy.’
Minister of State John Paul Phelan remarked that despite being a Kilkenny man he loved Wexford Cheese and described Glanbia as a ‘leading light’ in the South East region and business in general. He wished all at the plant good fortune for the future, adding that they would continue to help promote the Wexford brand.
It was widely acknowledged that the southeast had, the previous week, experienced a torrid time following Storm Emma and the Beast from the East and all of the speakers paid tribute to the farming community for their hard work during the subsequent clean-up.
Minister Michael Creed said that this highlighted the important concept of collaboration and that was something the Glanbia excelled at too, creating employment, opportunities and profit. The farmers, he said, were the bedrock of business in the plant and he saluted them for all that they do. He also acknowledged the role the local leadership had played in pushing forward with such development, remarking that Glanbia was preparing for the future.
As regards Brexit, he hoped that a sensible solution could be reached but said that the government was seeking to diversify its market base.
He 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. 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.’