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THE MANAGING DIRECTOR of the factory gutted in a blaze has said that the future for the plant is “uncertain”.
In an emotional interview on Morning Ireland Vincent Cleary of Glenisk in County Offaly spoke about how lucky it was that no one was seriously injured.
All workers were safely evacuated following the fire at the dairy production facility in Killeigh near Tullamore.
“We don’t know 100% (what happened) as yet, but around midday, smoke was smelled, and within, what seems like seconds, fire started in where our yogurt is actually made what we call the incubation room.
“Within seconds, it spread along a wall. A shout went out, the alarm went off to evacuate the premises. We’re well drilled and trained in that. I’d be straight up, I thought it was a drill at first because we’ve had so many, but it was a real thing, I guess, training, saved a lot of life yesterday,” Cleary said.
The family business was set up 35 years ago but Cleary said that a plan would be developed today to save the company.
“Probably at this point in time, (the future is) uncertain, but I would say by 10 o’clock this morning we will have a plan in place.
“We’ve got a great crew – most of our staff at with us for 20 odd years. So, I have a responsibility to your staff as well. We give them gainful employment and we’ll continue with that trend,” he added.
Cleary said that the company has been approached by other factories to help them get back on their feet.
“(We are) humbled, to say the least, all, of what I would have termed as competitors, have reached out to us to offer us support and capacity in their own manufacturing units.
“I will be you in touch with a few of them over the coming days,” he added.
The company will continue to collect milk from farmers and are expected to make efforts today to examine the possibility of rebuilding the destoyed plant.
A message of thanks. ❤️ #OneMillionTrees @selfhelpafrica #glenisk https://t.co/BV3Tcrpbb2 pic.twitter.com/baIMOtQDIF
— Glenisk (@Glenisk) September 27, 2021
In a statement Irish Farmers Association Organic Project Team Chairman Nigel Renaghan said the fire in the Glenisk plant is devastating for the Cleary family and the Glenisk brand.
“The fire could have disastrous consequences for organic milk suppliers. The facility handles the majority of organic milk across the island of Ireland.
“Glenisk sources milk from approximately 50 organic dairy farmers across Ireland and it’s the destination for 90% of organic milk.
“Up to now, the company had bolstered its sale of organic yogurts, following a period of growth since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The number of staff employed by the firm had grown to 85 and it held the number one position in the yogurt market in Ireland with a 19% share.
“Glenisk suppliers must be safeguarded at this time, and alternative arrangements put in place for the processing of the milk,” he said.
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Fully completed early 2020?? Another year of it. Soul destroying every day
@Brian Dunne: The main work on the M7 is due to finish in 4 weeks. The rest if the work is mainly around the Sallins bypass and the new junction 10 exits
These boys would have it knocked out and be home within the first night…. https://youtu.be/KrPgXYrNGG4
@⚡ Seánie ⚡: except the video says it took them 21 days, and the chaos caused by trying to get 200 excavators up the N7?
Surely an early April Fools joke? 25km/h is a ridiculously slow speed
@Stingray Jones: it is to do with worker safety.
@Stingray Jones: advisory only… Not enforced… Limit is still 60 km/h
@Finbarr Barry: from the article ‘speed limit in force of 25km/hr’. Key words being limit and force, but hey, it’s your speeding ticket
@Vocal Outrage: Gardai said in yesterdays article it’s not enforceable but is advisory.
@Ian Breathnach: about 2 years ago there were roadworks near where I lived, 50km/hr limit during works, temporarily dropped under an advisory limit to 25km/hr for 2 weekends, I got the ticket doing 40km/hr. Strangely enough the judge didn’t agree with your logic of it being un-enforceable, although, he didn’t increase the fine or points
@Vocal Outrage: doubt you went to court as there must be a bye law to prosecute… Advisable speed limits do not have bye laws enacted
@Finbarr Barry: if not enforceable you could still be done for dangerous driving
@Finbarr Barry: ah, so you counter-argument is to simply call me a liar, very mature. Perhaps, just perhaps, you don’t understand the law as well as you think?
Ah here
@kokonutter: i agree
Are some speed freaks (being polite) here seriously suggesting they want to barrel through busy roadworks ?
25 km/h is an advisory… The speed limit is still 60 km/h
@Finbarr Barry: are you sure though? the traffic is getting diverted off onto sliproads &even on motorways sliproads have 50km /h speed limits.so 25 on a sliproad with roadworks going on sounds about right
@Dean Anderson: The Minister for Transport issued a direction to road authorities under section 95(16) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 in February 2007 with respect to a range of non-regulatory traffic signs. Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual was superseded by an updated version which allowed for the erection of signage stating a cautionary speed limit in the vicinity of Road Works. These speed limits are purposely different from legal speed limits and always display a speed limit that ends in 5, for example 35 km/h (22 mph), 45 km/h (28 mph), etc. They are not legally binding on drivers but it is likely that in the event of a road traffic accident that the issue of if they were being complied with, would be taken into account.
@Finbarr Barry: again, use of the word limit, it would be termed something like maximum advisory speed, but a limit is just that, a limit
No diversion in place this morning at 4am when I travelled that stretch. Sailed through it.
have your say