NEWS
PepsiCo to invest €39m in expansion of its Irish manufacturing facility
PepsiCo Ireland has announced a €39 million expansion of its manufacturing facilities at its site in Little Island, Co. Cork.
The Little Island site produces concentrate for PepsiCo’s portfolio of global brands including Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Gatorade, 7Up and Mountain Dew. The majority of the investment will expand manufacturing capacity for a range of beverage ingredients, support increased demand for existing PepsiCo products, and ‘play a key role in bringing PepsiCo’s innovation pipeline to its global customer base’. A further €2.4m will go towards a major solar PV installation at
the Little Island facility, which will significantly reduce the amount of electricity consumed at the site. The solar PV installation is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The installation is expected to
generate 1820 kW and will have peak capacity to provide 100% of the plant’s electrical demand. Over the course of a year, the solar panels will provide 22% of the electricity required by the site. PepsiCo has had a presence in Ireland since 1974.
Little Island site director, Brian Colgan said: “This latest investment
Astellas Pharma to pump €330 million into Irish manufacturing facility
Japanese firm Astellas Pharma has applied for planning permission to construct a drug manufacturing facility in Tralee, Co. Kerry, Ireland worth around €330 million.
The three-storey facility is expected to be based in Kerry Technology
Park, Tralee, with a footprint of around 7,300 square metres. If planning permission is granted, Astellas aims to begin construction in 2024 and begin operations by 2028. With the new facility, Astellas aims to expand its capacity for the production of aseptic drug products, bulk up global supply muscle and speed up the development of new products including antibody drugs. “This announcement from Astellas is excellent news for the South West region and indeed Ireland,” Michael Lohan, chief executive of IDA Ireland. “Astellas already has a presence in both Kerry and Dublin and this significant investment of approximately €330 million, adding a new state-of- the-art aseptic drug product facility, underscores the strategic importance Ireland plays in Astellas’ global operations. “The new facility in Tralee will be built with sustainability at its core and
will showcase Ireland and our regional attractiveness as a location for investment.”
will provide additional capacity for the markets we serve, enhance production capability, and further reinforce the strong sustainability credentials of our site in Little Island.
“As we approach 50 years in Cork,
we are extremely proud of this latest milestone and the benefits that will arise for Little Island and the wider Cork region.”
FANUC completes production of one millionth robot
Factory automation expert FANUC has celebrated a milestone achievement with the production of its one millionth industrial robot. The company deployed its first robot back in 1974. Today, thousands of robots build new robots at FANUC’s headquarters in Japan – one of the most automated factories on the planet. While industrial robots were traditionally used mainly in the automotive and electronics industries, they have now become prevalent in many other industries, including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and plastics. Increasing labour shortages and improved usability are just some of the reasons behind the rising popularity of robotics across a range of different sectors. FANUC offers over 200 robot models that perform various tasks
in manufacturing, such as welding, painting, assembly, and packaging. Collaborative robots (cobots) are also gaining popularity as they can work alongside employees, often without external safety guarding. Marco Ghirardello, president and chief executive of FANUC Europe,
said: “Demand for our robots is currently at an all-time high. “Applications for robots are expanding, and the demand is expected to continue to grow significantly in the future. In order to support our customers’ automation needs, FANUC will strive to further improve quality, performance, and supply capabilities.”
4 October 2023 Irish Manufacturing
www.irish-manufacturing.com
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