Glanbia to Create 90 Jobs in Ireland

17 Dec 2013 --- Glanbia plc, the global performance nutrition and ingredients group, has announced two new investments in Ireland. Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, has welcomed the announcement which will create 90 jobs in Monaghan and Dublin.

Glanbia Consumer Products, owner of the Avonmore and Premier brands, will build a new UHT (Ultra - Heat - Treated) facility to produce long - life liquid milk and cream suitable for export to emerging markets such as China, Europe and the Middle East. The new facility in Monaghan is expected to be operational by early 2014 and will employ up to 40 people.

It will manufacture a range of standard and fortified UHT milk and cream products, including export versions of Glanbia’s market dairy leading brand, Avonmore Milk. The announcement follows increased collaboration between Irish and Chinese Government Officials, with recent visits to China by both Irish Prime Minister, Enda Kenny and Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney. China is active in seeking sustainable sources of quality dairy produce globally, to meet its growing domestic demand for dairy. This investment is being supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland and the Department of Agriculture and Food and is part of an international business development Consumer Products is undertaking.

In other corporate developments, Glanbia Global Performance Nutrition is locating its Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) head office in Dublin to support the international growth of its leading sports nutrition brand family. Glanbia Global Performance Nutrition is a €700 million global business. This development combined with a number of new positions being created in Global Ingredients and Global business services, will create an additional 50 skilled jobs to be located in new offices in Dublin.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD said: “Food is a sector which we have targeted as part of our Action Plan for Jobs, and in the past year in particular we have seen strong employment growth in this area. Today’s announcement that Glanbia is creating 90 jobs in Dublin and Monaghan is a major boost for the sector and further evi dence of what can be achieved right across the country. I wish Glanbia every success with these investments and commend Enterprise Ireland on their hard work in this area”.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD said: “I am delighted to welcome the announcement of 90 jobs and associated investments by Glanbia. They are an endorsement of Ireland’s Food Harvest 2020 plan and demonstrate the confidence that Glanbia has in its suppliers to deliver high quality milk. Developing an Irish branded, UHT product, for the Chinese market is a really important, strategic move for both the company and the Irish Dairy industry. I am also heartened to see the company set up its EMEA, head office, in Dublin for its Performance Nutrition business. This is a part of the dairy industry where Ireland and Glanbia are leaders.”

Colin Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of Glanbia Consumer Products said today “This new state of the art UHT facility is a key part of our strategy to develop an international busine ss for Irish liquid milk and cream products. There is a strong business case for this investment and we have had an excellent response from potential customers, globally. “We greatly appreciate the support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, and Enterprise Ireland for this project. We look forward to commencing operations in 2014, with first exports planned in the second half of the year,” he added.