A potential jobs boost from Aurivo Co-op could hinge on it receiving planning permission for a development in Co. Roscommon.
Submitted earlier this month to Roscommon County Council, Aurivo has applied for full planning permission for the construction of an extension to the existing spray dryer facility to contain a new replacement spray dryer plant at its site in Ballaghaderreen.
It is also interested in carrying out alterations to the existing car park to accommodate the new extension, together with associated local underground drainage and miscellaneous site works.
Early in 2017, Aurivo’s site in Ballaghaderreen made headlines after a fire broke out; but, no major disruptions to production were caused as a result of the blaze.
A decision date on the planning application has been set as March 6.
Speaking about the development on Shannonside FM, Willie Murphy – head of operations for Aurivo’s consumer foods and dairy ingredients businesses – said: “We have a strategic plan set here for this business for the next five years and part of that is growing the employment potential of this site.
“It’s difficult to quantify; it depends on what volume of milk comes in and how expensive our product range could be.
But, you could be talking anywhere from 10 to 15 people of an increase – both on the service side and the supply chain, as well as here on the production site.
As it stands, the co-operative society claims to employ in excess of 700 people directly and provides additional jobs in transport, distribution and forestry.