The employment will result in a 25% increase in the site’s production capacity and new positions in engineering, operations, supply chain, and quality assurance.
Building the Edgeworthstown factory extension will result in the creation of an additional 100 jobs.
With the help of Enterprise Ireland, more automated multi-packing and pouch filling lines with the most eco-friendly technologies will be built as part of the investment.
With 11 manufacturing sites spread throughout the continent, ABP Food Group, one of the biggest own-label pet food producers in Europe, includes C&D Foods as its pet food branch. There are 500 employees of the firm in Ireland and 1,400 more around Europe.
The investment, according to C&D Foods’ managing director Colm Dore, is an exciting and major step forward for the company.
“We are seeing a trend across Europe where consumers are favouring pouched pet food for smaller companion animals, and we are in prime position to continue to capitalise on the growing demand for these types of products,” said Mr. Dore.
“This investment will enable the company to maintain its position at the forefront of the pet food market while also leading to the creation of new high skilled jobs and positive economic development in our local community,” he stated.
One of Enterprise Ireland’s main objectives, according to CEO Leo Clancy, is to help businesses become more innovative and competitive to help them transition to the low-carbon, resource-efficient economy of the future.
“We have worked closely with C&D foods to support them with their sustainability strategy, reducing carbon by investing in carbon abatement technologies and driving productivity through investing in digitalisation technologies,” added Clancy.
“This large investment into the new showcase plant in Edgeworthstown reflects highly on the entire Irish food sector – pooling together innovation with best-in-class facilities to drive sustainable practices,” he stated.
Fostering regional company growth and job creation throughout all of Ireland’s regions is a top priority for the government, according to Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital, and Company Regulation Dara Calleary.
“C&D Foods is an Irish company that has experienced impressive growth, producing premium pet food and today’s expansion announcement is a great boost for Longford as well as the wider Midlands region, paving the way for this home-grown company to significantly scale its business,” said Mr. Calleary.