Published: 05 September, 2013
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 the Jameson Irish whiskey brand worldwide.
In the year end to end June 2012, Jameson sale volumes reached 4.3m cases; the equivalent of 51m bottles, according to the Pernod Ricard subsidiary.
The distillery where Jameson is produced, reached full capacity and to cater for future forecasted growth, €100m was invested by Irish Distillers in the Midleton. A further €100m was also invested in the construction of a nearby maturation facility in Dungourney, bringing the total investment to €200 million.
The new distillery is located on the 128-acre site and is said to be 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 60 permanent manufacturing and technical jobs created; thirty at the Midleton distillery, and a further 30 in the Fox and Geese bottling plant in Dublin, bringing the company’s total employee numbers in Ireland to 560.
The distillery currently spends in excess of €60m annually on cereals, energy, capital projects and payroll in the local economy and this is set to rise as sales continue to grow.
Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, said: "I am delighted to return to Midleton to mark the official opening of the new distillery. The success of Jameson is to be admired and is illustrated by the staggering figure of 4m cases annually exported. 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. "
CEO and chairman of Irish Distillers, Anna Malmhake, said: “The company is proud to play its role in the Irish drinks industry, which is a hugely important part of the Irish economy with annual exports of almost €1.3 billion, a value added contribution of €2bn, and a tax contribution of €1.8bn by consumers. Jameson is a real Irish success story, having achieved 24 years of consecutive volume growth. As one of Ireland’s most successful exports, Jameson and Irish Distillers are playing their roles in the export led recovery of the economy.”
She said: “This is a fantastic day for Midleton, for Irish Distillers – and for Irish business. The €100m investment in Midleton, the home of Irish whiskey production, is a reflection of the growing international success of Jameson. In 1988, Jameson sold 466,000 cases globally. Now, 30 glasses of Jameson are consumed every second around the world. This expansion signifies a great day in the history of Jameson and Irish Distillers and we look forward to building upon our success story here in Midleton by continuing to bring innovative facets of Irish whiskey to the market.”