Tánaiste Announces major new Food Investment for Dundalk, Co Louth

Posted on 03/03/10 by Mary Coughlan

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary

 

Coughlan, TD, announced today (Wednesday 3 March 2010) that leading

 

Australian healthcare company Probiotec Limited is to establish its

 

European manufacturing headquarters in Dundalk, Co Louth where it will

 

produce its range of weight management and other food products. This

 

investment is expected to create 70 new jobs and generate sales of over

 

€30m over the next three years. The facility will be the strategic

 

production centre for Probiotec to drive their continued growth in the

 

European market. It is a highly significant investment for Probiotec and

 

reaffirms Ireland’s reputation for excellence in the food ingredient sector

 

and as a primary location of choice for international food companies.

 

 

 

The Dundalk operation will enable Probiotec to manufacture in Ireland its

 

range of dietary/meal replacement products, branded as Celebrity Slim, for

 

the European market. Since their launch in the Irish and UK markets in 2007

 

these products have achieved significant growth levels. Now Probiotec,

 

with the support of the Government through Enterprise Ireland, is setting

 

up a dedicated European production facility in Dundalk to exploit the

 

strong potential in the wider European market and build on its proven

 

success in Ireland and the UK.

 

 

 

Making the announcement the Tánaiste said: “On behalf of the Government, I

 

am delighted to announce the decision by Probiotec to locate its European

 

manufacturing base in Ireland. This investment, and the creation of 70 new

 

jobs, is significant not just for Probiotec, but for Dundalk and the Border

 

region. It is also highly significant for the food sector in Ireland,

 

which employs over 46,000 people and contributes over €8bn in exports to

 

the economy. This project will also add significant value to locally

 

sourced raw materials, particularly dairy ingredients.

 

 

 

“It also says a lot about the very high regard for the Irish food sector

 

across the globe. Probiotec is a leading Australian company with major

 

expansion plans for the European market. It has chosen Ireland as the base

 

from which to spearhead this strategic drive, confirming once again that

 

Ireland and its food sector are seen internationally as offering a very

 

attractive and highly competitive base for business. I want to welcome

 

Probiotec to Ireland and to Dundalk, and the Government looks forward to

 

working with them in developing their Irish operation into the future.”

 

 

 

Wayne Stringer, CEO of Probiotec Limited commented:

 

“This project establishing our European manufacturing base in Dundalk is a

 

highly strategic investment for Probiotec and demonstrates our commitment

 

to our international expansion goals. We see the wider European market as

 

offering serious potential for our products, and Dundalk as offering us the

 

optimum base from which to realise our growth ambitions to become a leading

 

international provider of branded weight management and other speciality

 

food products in this market. Our decision to locate Probiotec in Dundalk

 

was based on Ireland’s unrivalled reputation as a world leading centre for

 

food ingredients excellence, the availability of excellent raw materials

 

and top class infrastructure. We plan to move fast, start recruitment in

 

early 2010, and be shipping from Dundalk by mid 2010. This is a very

 

exciting and challenging time for our company, and we are delighted to have

 

Enterprise Ireland’s support.”

 

 

 

Welcoming the announcement, Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, said:

 

“I am delighted to welcome Probiotec to Ireland and to Dundalk and to

 

acknowledge their decision to choose Ireland as their base for spearheading

 

their strategic drive into new European markets. This project underpins

 

the Government’s and Enterprise Ireland’s strategy for the food sector and

 

building export focussed innovative companies capable of achieving

 

significant global reach. EI works with all the stakeholders in the food

 

industry to support its position in the Irish economy as a leading

 

contributor to export growth and job creation. We welcome Probiotec to the

 

family of food companies that are already operating so successfully out of

 

Ireland. They are a leader in their field, have demonstrated a very strong

 

capability to develop innovative products that meet market demand and have

 

achieved rapid growth in their target export markets in a very short time

 

frame. This is a really significant investment for the food sector in

 

Ireland and we look forward to working with Probiotec and supporting their

 

new venture in Europe.”