IRISH business Kerry Group Plc has inaugurated a €20 million (£18m) facility in Southern Indian state of Karnataka as the company plans to expand its research and innovation efforts.
The new site was opened by Irish Ambassador to India, Brian McElduff on Monday (24).
The new, state-of-the-art 40,585 square metre facility in Tumkur, located 120 kilometres from India’s silicon valley- Bengaluru, will serve global and regional customers in the South West Asia (SWA) region, with Kerry Taste and Beverage systems.
This is Kerry Group’s fourth significant investment in India and supports 150 new jobs in factory management and production, with further expansion and an additional 150 jobs planned when running at full capacity in the future.
Scott Scharinger, Kerry’s vice president and general manager, SWA said: "Our Tumkur facility will enable Kerry to offer a broader range of technologies, and more comprehensive scientific research and innovation and application expertise across Kerry’s Taste & Beverage Systems, to our customers with unrivalled speed”.
The Tumkur facility also supports Kerry’s ambition for sustainable production. The site is equipped with energy efficient LED technology and maximises natural light to reduce energy consumption.
Utilities make use of solar power, and the site has been constructed with the capacity to deliver more of its future energy needs from renewable sources, the company said in a statement.
Water harvesting measures reduce water intake and the facility will deliver significant water efficiencies, with wastewater treated and re-used on site to achieve zero liquid discharge.
The site also operates as zero waste to landfill, with waste volumes segregated and sent for recycling and recovery of resources.
