60 new jobs for IDL

IDL has announced a €100 million investment in the expansion of its Midleton distillery in response to the continued growth of global sales of Jameson which reached 3.4 million in the year to last June and is expected to hit the four million mark next year.

It will create 60 manufacturing and technical jobs, bringing the companny’s total employee numbers in Ireland to 560.
30 of the jobs will be at the company’s Fox & Geese bottling plant in Dublin.
 
The Midleton distillery is now operating at full capacity and to meet the growing demand for Jameson, an expansion is necessary.

And subject to the normal planning process, 250 construction jobs will arise from the 15-month construction process, expected to start in 2012.
 
Irish Distillers currently sources 33,000 tonnes of Irish barley each year, supporting 11,000 acres of farmed land. As the Jameson brand continues to grow, so will the agricultural benefit.
 
While upholding the heritage and traditions of whiskey distilling at Midleton, the expansion programme will include contemporary best-practice methods in environmental sustainability. There will be a reduction of 33 per cent in energy consumed and 20 per cent in water consumed per litre of alcohol distilled.
 
Earlier this year, Irish Distillers announced a further €100 million investment in a new whiskey maturation facility in nearby Dungourney.
 
The investment in reflected the “international success of Jameson and the great future potential for the brand,” said Anna Malmhake, Chairman and Chief Executive of Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, “Jameson is now in its 23rd consecutive year of growth and is experiencing double-digit growth in 40 markets.
 
“With this investment, we are confirming Midleton, where the tradition of distilling dates back to 1825, as the global centre of Irish whiskey production,” she added.
 
As one of Ireland’s most successful export products, Jameson is playing a leading role in the export-led recovery for the Irish economy.  Last week, Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine presented the Bord Bia Food and Drink Export Award to Jameson.

At the event he said, “Irish Distillers has shown huge marketing commitment to Irish Whiskey and its exceptional export performance is to be welcomed not only for the sustained double-digit growth in exports, but for the fact that it promotes the Irish identity in more than 120 countries around the world. It is proudly rooted in Irish heritage and tradition and its global reach provides a platform to build awareness and enhance the bra06nd reputation of our entire food and drink industry”.