Teagasc has appointed Dr. John Colreavy as the Director of the Meat Technology Centre (MTC), a new Enterprise Ireland, industry-led initiative.
The aim for the MTC is to build a strategic research and innovation base in beef and sheepmeat processing in Ireland.
It is hoped that the centre will be a ‘one-stop shop’ for meat processing research and technology, serving as a hub to co-ordinate all beef and sheepmeat processing research needs.
Meanwhile, the centre will be hosted by Teagasc at its Ashtown Food Research Facility in Dublin, where Declan Troy, who is the Assistant Director of Research at Teagasc, will act as the academic sponsor.
Other research providers will also include Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), University College Cork (UCC) and the Irish Cattle Breeders Federation (ICBF).
The companies behind the initiative are ABP Ireland, Ashbourne Meat Processors, Dawn Meats Group, Dunbia (Ireland), Hilton Foods Ireland, Irish Country Meats, Kepak Group, Liffey Meats, and Slaney Foods International.
New Director of the MTC
Colreavy has both MSc and PhD qualifications from the University of Surrey and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) in the UK.
John Colreavy Source: DIT
The new Director has almost three decades of experience in the commercialisation of research within the private sector having worked with ICI Paints Research, British Steel Technical and Courtauld’s International.
Having returned to Enterprise Ireland in June 2012 as a Senior Development Advisor, Colreavy was responsible for significant commercial investments in the meat sector.
This resulted in company investments of €44.3m and the creation of an additional 635 jobs. He also has authored over 500 certified technical consultancy reports in the UK and Ireland.
Colreavy’s experience in the sector will be a huge benefit to him in his new role, according to Dr Frank O Mara, Director of Research in Teagasc.
“John brings a wealth of experience to this role which will help create a ‘technically smart, competitive and consumer oriented meat processing’ industry.
He will drive the MTC research programme, innovating for consistent meat quality excellence and innovating for value in Irish meat processing.”
Michael Cantwell, who is the Divisional Manager Food in Enterprise Ireland, believes that the MTC is a fantastic initiative for the Meat Industry.
“We are delighted at the pro-active involvement and support from Ireland’s leading meat processors and look forward to ground breaking developments over the coming years that will benefit the entire Meat industry,” he said.