Arla Foods has marked 50 years of cheese making at Lockerbie with a multi-year investment programme of more than £144m.
The site opened in 1975 and has since grown into one of the UK’s largest cheese-making facilities.
Arla has recently invested £34m to upgrade its cheddar facilities and will now expand the site with a Centre of Excellence for the production of UHT and lactose-free milk in the UK.
The site takes over 600 million litres of milk every year, producing around 200 million litres of fresh bottled milk and 42,000 tonnes of cheese.
“This is a landmark moment for Lockerbie,” said Fran Ball, SVP of UK supply chain at Arla Foods. “As we celebrate 50 years of production, we’re also unlocking the site’s next era with significant investment to power future growth.”
She added that the investment would bringing 90 new roles and opportunities to the local area.
“The scale of investment here represents a real boost to the local economy, strengthens vital partnerships with Scottish farmers and suppliers, and sends a clear signal of confidence in the future of Scotland’s dairy sector,” said Mairi Gougeon MSP, Scottish cabinet secretary for rural affairs, land reform and islands. “It reflects a shared ambition for long-term sustainability, innovation and growth, something the Scottish government warmly welcomes.”
Arla has also nearly completed construction of a second anaerobic digestion plant at its creamery in Lockerbie, which will help to turn waste from whey permeate – a by-product of cheese making – into renewable energy by supplying bio-methane to the gas grid.
The existing plant can process up to 36,500 tonnes of whey permeate per year and can generate around 30,500 MWh of gas annually, enough to heat more than 2,600 average UK homes.
“By investing in Lockerbie, we’re strengthening the backbone of British dairy – boosting capacity, innovation and skilled jobs,” said Bas Padberg, managing director of Arla Foods UK. “The UK food sector has a vital role in public health, and we’re committed to delivering nutritious, affordable dairy for more people.”
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