IRISH dairy co-operative LacPatrick is to create 20 new jobs through its new £30 million technology centre in Co Tyrone.
The 30,000 sq ft dairy technology centre in Artigarvan will double capacity at the site and has been described as one of the most innovative and modern facilities of its kind in the European dairy industry.
The new facility, which opened yesterday, houses a leading edge new evaporation and spray drying technology capable of making advanced dairy ingredients for LacPatrick’s rapidly expanding markets in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia.
LacPatrick chief executive Gabriel D'Arcy said the new centre has the potential to significantly increase the product portfolio and company turnover in the years ahead.
“This is one of the most exciting innovations and investments within the dairy sector and positions LacPatrick as one of the largest producer of dairy ingredients in the UK. Not only does it make us self-sufficient in terms of processing our own milk pool but it means we can now also assist other processors with additional high end milk,” he said
The new £30 million facility took 18 months to build and has created an additional 20 highly-skilled technical posts for the LacPatrick group, most of which will be based at Artigarvan. More than 70 people are now employed at the Co Tyrone site.
Mr D'Arcy added that the major investment ensures the cooperative will be in a strong position post Brexit.
"Given the uncertainty presented by Brexit, having three strategically-located, world-class facilities both north and south of the border positions us in a stronger competitive position to deal with any Brexit consequences. This market resilience is particularly important as LacPatrick is a local company with a growing global reach with our products being found on shelves throughout the UK and Ireland and beyond in places such as Africa, Middle East, Far East Australia."
LacPatrick formed in 2015 as a result of the merger of the Ballyrashane and Town of Monaghan Co-ops.
The co-operative, which has a combined turnover of £300 million, has sites in Monaghan, Ballyrashane, and Artigarvan. It employs over 300 people across the island and buys approx 600m litres of milk annually from around 1110 Ulster farmers.
Just last month the group announced it had secured more than £1 million worth of sales in the lucrative United Arab Emirates (UAE) market.
