Irish Distillers €100 Million Expansion Project Opened

The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD recently visited the Irish Distillers’ distillery in Midleton, Co. Cork to officially open the newly expanded distillery.    The aim of the expansion is to double production capacity in the distillery to 64 million litres of pure alcohol.   The €100 million expansion which began in May 2012, is in response to the continued growth of Jameson worldwide. In the year end to end June 2012, Jameson sale volumes reached 4.3 million cases, the equivalent of 51 million bottles.    The distillery in Midleton where Jameson is produced, reached full capacity and in order to cater for future forecasted growth, €100 million was invested by Irish Distillers in the Midleton Distillery. A further €100 million was also invested in the construction of a nearby maturation facility in Dungourney, bringing the total investment to €200 million.   Speaking at the event, The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, said that he was "delighted to return to Midleton to mark the official opening of the new Distillery".   "This success is built on tradition, hard work and investment and as the Irish agrifood sector continues to grow and expand, the Jameson story, which is one of drive and determination, is one worth noting and sharing," he said.   The new distillery is located on the 128 acre site and is one of the largest projects undertaken by the company since it was formed in 1966.  As part of the investment, 350 construction jobs were created. A further sixty permanent manufacturing and technical jobs created; thirty at the Midleton Distillery, and a further thirty in the Fox and Geese bottling plant in Dublin, bringing the company’s total employee numbers in Ireland to 560.