Mulrines invests in new factory and creates 54 jobs
The company has purchased 22 acres of the former Herdmans site at Sion Mills and is renovating existing buildings to create a large-scale manufacturing facility producing oat drink and fruit juice products.
New roles to be created at the site cover a number of disciplines – including operatives, administrators, team supervisors, maintenance and logistics – with average salaries in the mid £20k range. Mulrines planned to create the new jobs by 2026.
Investing in Northern Ireland
Mel Chittock, interim chief executive at Invest Northern Ireland, said: “We are pleased that our support has helped secure this investment for Northern Ireland. Sion Mills is one of Northern Ireland’s most historical industrial sites and we are delighted the company has chosen it as the location for this new factory.”
Mulrines chairman Peter Mulrine described the investment as the culmination of a number of years of research, planning and negotiation supported by Invest NI.
He added: “The UK plant-based beverage market is experiencing year-on-year growth and this new factory will provide an opportunity for us to enter the fast-growing oat drink market. It also offers additional capacity for our core fruit juice and beverage business.
First phase of investment
“The construction of the new factory capacity and the resulting new jobs are just the first phase of our investment in Sion Mills. The additional production capacity offers a significant opportunity for us to deliver additional fruit juice sales across our existing and new markets.
“As a result of increased production, we are likely to need additional storage which will form the basis of our second phase of investment in the facility.”
Mulrines is a fourth-generation family business that includes apple orchards, juice pressing, blending, and the production of fruit juices, fruit drinks and plant-based beverages, for the retail, wholesale and food service sectors in the Republic of Ireland, UK and other markets.
Meanwhile, Princes has completed a £60m investment to expand its drinks facility in Cardiff, Wales.
