15 Mar 2010 --- Leading plastic milk bottle manufacturer, Nampak Plastics, has entered into a long-term partnership with Dale Farm, Northern Ireland’s largest dairy processing business, to develop Ireland’s biggest dairy bottle in-plant.

The new in-plant, where bottles are taken straight ‘through the wall’ from the manufacturing process to the filling line, is scheduled to be operational early in summer 2010.   It is the result of a £3 million investment from Nampak Plastics along with significant investment by Dale Farm to develop the dairy.  Invest NI, Northern Ireland’s Economic Development Agency, provided financial assistance of £254,000 towards the project and to develop additional export sales across Ireland, with part funding also coming from the European Regional Development Fund.

The in-plant, which will be located in Ballymena, Northern Ireland alongside Dale Farm’s Pennybridge dairy, will operate four blow-moulding machines, manufacturing more than 100 million milk bottles annually. Nampak’s bottles manufactured at this new facility will also be exported to other dairies in Ireland who will benefit from this substantial new investment.  Twenty jobs will be created when the in-plant becomes operational.

Jamie Tinsley, Sales Director, Nampak Plastics, comments: “This collaboration marks a very positive and exciting step for Nampak, Dale Farm and the wider milk industry in Northern Ireland.  We have been working closely with Dale Farm for a number of years to identify the most appropriate solution to support the company’s ongoing expansion and this in-plant is a perfect example of what can be achieved.”

Jamie Tinsley continues: “Both Nampak and Dale Farm are renowned for their environmental credentials and this new in-plant will further strengthen our respective positions; we also plan to include a minimum of 10% rHDPE in the bottles produced at the new Nampak facility, which will help to divert recyclable material from landfill.

“Furthermore, locating the bottle manufacturing and filling in one location removes the need to transport bottles between our sites, dramatically cutting transportation costs and the associated carbon emissions.”

Stephen Cameron, Supply Chain Director at Dale Farm, adds: “The new in-plant at Ballymena is a significant milestone in our expansion plans and firmly reinforces our leading position in the Irish dairy market.  Environmental performance is key to our business - by investing in leading technology and developing sustainable practices, we not only improve our compliance but also improve competitiveness and increase consumer and customer appeal.  We look forward to the new bottle in-plant being operational early in summer 2010.”

The Dale Farm in-plant marks Nampak’s sixth such facility, with other bottle in-plants located in Glasgow, Oakthorpe, Severnside, Manchester and Chadwell Heath.  The company also operates two considerable support sites in Newport Pagnell and Consett, providing customers with a robust network of back-up and overall supply.