First Milk's dairy facility in Cumbria has been upgraded following a £20 million investment by the UK farmer owned co-operative.
First Milk has officially opened the company’s multi-million-pound investment at its Lake District creamery in Aspatria.
As part of it, five new high-capacity cheese blockformers have been installed, capable of packing cheese at a rate of 7 tonnes per hour.
In addition, milk intake and milk storage have been upgraded, as well as two new milk pasteurisers installed and two new whey pasteurisers.
An end of line robotised stacking and palletisation system has also been installed, alongside a 120-tonne automated cooling store.
According to First Milk, the investment has seen capacity at the site increase by 40% over the last four years.
The co-op added that the upgraded facility would further strengthen its commitment to the Cumbrian dairy sector.
Shelagh Hancock, First Milk chief executive said: “Cumbria is a county with a strong dairy heritage, and we are proud to have so many co-operative members in this area.
"That’s why our investment at Lake District Creamery is so important – it sits in the heart of our Cumbrian milk field."
Ms Hancock said this capital investment was part of a wider programme, as the co-operative focuses on increasing capacity, productivity and building operational resilience.
She explained of the new investment: “Altogether, this transforms the site, allowing us to process 1 million litres of milk a day and ensuring that we can continue to play our part in meeting the growing global demand for dairy.”
