UPDATE: Future of Guinness' Dublin brewery in doubt - company plans to develop a new brewing facility close to Dublin

by infomatique | May 8, 2008 at 01:40 pm

4512 views | 20 Recommendations | 6 comments

Here is the promised update:

Guinness manufacturer Diageo has announced it is to close its brewing facilities in Dundalk and Kilkenny with the loss of up to 250 jobs.

The company intends to rejuvenate its St James's Gate Brewery in Dublin city and invest €650m in the historic site.

Diageo estimates that the sale of property and lands in Dundalk and Kilkenny will raise €500m.

Brewing has been taking place in Kilkenny for almost 300 years.

Diageo employs 85 people at its Dundalk brewery.

800 people are employed in Diageo's brewing operation, which also manufacturers Smithwicks, Kilkenny and Harp.

Staff at Diageo were told this morning that employees affected by the change will be offered relocation packages where possible, but severance packages, career counselling and outplacement support will also be made available.

It is announced plans to develop a new brewing facility close to Dublin, but the exact location of the new facility has yet to be announced.

It is possible that Diageo might be considering splitting off Guinness as a separate enterprise.

I live within a mile of the Guinness Brewery and would not be too upset to see it relocate to a greenfield site outside the city centre. At present it occupies a lot of very valuable land close to the city centre.

I will update you tomorrow

Diageo says it will make an announcement tomorrow on the future of its brewing operations in Ireland including the historic Guinness brewery at St James's Gate.

It has been anticipated for some time that the company plans to consolidate its operations in Ireland into a new greenfield site.

Diageo Chief Executive Paul Walsh is to fly to Dublin for a news conference at St James's Gate tomorrow morning.

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He will give the results of a review of its brewing operations.

A company spokesman said there will be a significant announcement at the news conference.

It is widely anticipated that a new site in Clondalkin will be used for brewing operations, with a possible closure of plants in Dublin, Waterford, Kilkenny and Dundalk.

2,500 people are employed in total with 800 employed in Diageo's brewing operation, which also manufacturers Smithwicks, Kilkenny and Harp.

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Jordan Yerman

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 13:45 on May 8th, 2008

Nooooooo!

Amy Judd

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 13:48 on May 8th, 2008

infomatique, I loved the Guinness Brewery! I can't believe this! I guess it is really valuable land though...

Menacing Buddha

at 18:14 on May 8th, 2008

A freshly poured Guinness earned after the tour at the Storehouse in Dublin.

Menacing Buddha has contributed a photo to this story.

climbing18away

at 18:35 on May 12th, 2008

Don't let them close it...

climbing18away has contributed a photo to this story.

miroslaw

at 00:49 on June 7th, 2008

Photo taken from the hole in the fence, shows amazing atmosphere in St James's Gate Brewery in Dublin. Barrels full of Guiness are ready for travel.

miroslaw has contributed a photo to this story.

sheadonato

at 07:46 on June 8th, 2008

This was taken in December 2005 right outside the Guinness factory in Dublin. The factory was actually partially closed off due to an expansion they were building, so they offered us a "free admission" card for 2006 after they finished it.

sheadonato has contributed a photo to this story.