Arla expands cheese production
is now in construction.
Arla Foods' new 12,500 sq m expansion of Høgelund Dairy in Denmark is now in construction. The foundations are now being cast, and the company believes that the end result will increase the dairy's capacity from 6,000 to 15,000 tons of blue-mould cheese per year.
Excavation work began during the summer and the roof is expected to be on by the end of December in order for work to commence on the interior during the winter. The new extension is expected to be commissioned in February 2004, and will be followed by an upgrading of the dairy's current buildings.
The total budget will amount to DKK 222 million (€29.9m).As part of the expansion of Høgelund Dairy, large sections of the production will be modernised which, despite the big increase in capacity, will eliminate the need for more staff.
The new buildings will also address working environment issues, e.g. the packing department will have a large glass façade with anti-noise, sunken ceilings. The project, which is part of Arla Foods' 2001 strategy and structural plan, means that Grenå Dairy will close and the dairy's production of approximately 5,000 tons blue-mould cheese will be transferred to Høgelund.
This means that Arla Foods' production of Danish Blue will be centred at one plant.
