Official opening of Glanbia at IDA Science & Technology Park, Gorteens, Belview Port Road, Co.Kilkenny 5 March 2015

Glanbia Ingredients Ireland (GIIL) are officially opening  their new state-of-the-art world class processing dairy processing facility in Belview port South County Kilkenny today. This is the largest single infrastructural investment in Ireland by an indigenous company for more than 80 years.

Located on the border between Kilkenny and Waterford, this world class plant has the capacity to produce up to 100,000 tonnes of nutritional dairy powders annually, making it one of the biggest facilities of its kind in Europe. All of the dairy and nutritional products produced are destined for export to consumers in the Middle East, Africa, Central America, and Asia but the facility is primed for expansion should the market demand it The plant is ideally located near Belview port, and situated in a location that has been heavily promoted for investment by both local authorities in Kilkenny and Waterford, by IDA Ireland, and under the ‘Invest Kilkenny’ and ‘Invest in Waterford’ marketing initiatives.

The completion of this facility represents a huge boost and a major vote of confidence in the Irish dairy sector as well as the 4,800 dairy farmers supply milk once EU dairy quotas are removed. CEO of Glanbia Ingredients Ireland Jim Bergin said it was a major development for Irish dairy which will unlock the great potential of milk suppliers.

The scale of Ireland’s position in the global scale Ireland currently supplies 10% of the world's infant milk formula but the hope is to increase production by 63% over the next five years. 

The official opening ceremony sees Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Minister Simon Coveney, Commissioner Phil Hogan, Minister Richard Bruton, senior management of Kilkenny County Council and neighboring stakeholders join Glanbia management and over 300 invited guests to launch the facility in Co Kilkenny in what is anticipated to be a jewel in the crown of the Irish Agricultural story.