Lakeland Dairies Expands to Become Europe's Largest Milk Drying Plant

Lakeland Dairies has significantly enhanced its operations in Bailieborough, County Cavan, establishing itself as Europe's largest milk drying plant. This facility processes an impressive one billion litres of milk each year, positioning itself as a leader in the dairy industry through a combination of modern engineering, sustainability, and cooperative integration.

The plant sources milk equally from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, maintaining a year-round supply and processing equilibrium. Recent investments of €14.4 million have bolstered the facility's capabilities, adding five new silos each with a capacity of 330,000 litres, thereby increasing the daily intake capacity to 5.9 million litres. The facility now efficiently manages 140 tanker deliveries daily, with each tanker being unloaded in just 16 minutes.

Annually, the Bailieborough plant produces 135,000 tonnes of milk powder and 55,000 tonnes of butter, serving over 100 export markets and enhancing Ireland's reputation for premium quality dairy products. The integration of advanced automation technologies ensures product consistency, while energy recovery systems minimize emissions, underpinning the plant's sustainable processing practices.

The cooperative model of Lakeland Dairies ensures that profits are distributed among its 36,000 farmer-members, supporting rural economies and fostering sustainable growth. This business model serves as an exemplar for emerging dairy nations, demonstrating the potential of scale, smart infrastructure, and sustainable practices in achieving global competitiveness.