Dairygold move to city temporary
Dairygold also said that it is working on plans to develop new purpose-built offices in Mallow, to be ready to return to within the next three years.
The co-op's recent decision to transfer 120 office and administrative staff to the Airport Business Park from current offices in Mitchelstown and Mallow created fury in North Cork last week. It was also reported at the weekend that the initial view of Cork County Council officials was that such a move would not be in line with existing planning legislation in that companies seeking to operate from the Business Park have to be involved in airport related activities.
The €1 billion a year turnover co-op is nearing the end of a major restructuring and cost cutting programme that has seen it shed some 1,200 jobs, sell plants, outsource operations and make other changes.
Dairygold chief executive Jerry Henchy said last night that Dairygold is working in partnership with a developer to prepare plans for a major development on its town centre site around its 4Home store in Mallow.
"While this is at the very early planning stage, we hope that new, purpose-built offices will be ready in Mallow for Dairygold to move back to within the next three years to coincide with the end of our lease on the Cork Airport Business Park premises," he said.
Mr Henchy said Dairygold currently housed its corporate, HR, IT, finance, secretariat and business process operations staff at thirteen different sites.
The challenge for the organisation was how to correct this quickly and cost effectively because it was acting as a serious impediment to the organisation's development.
"The decision to take a three-year lease of a fully furnished office at the Cork Airport Business Park, at a cost below the maintenance and capital costs associated with remaining within our current offices, achieves this objective."
Mr Henchy said all stakeholders in the organisation have shown tremendous fortitude in supporting the necessary changes implemented by the co-op.
"The response to these challenges has been tremendous.
"I can only describe as inspiring the passion, energy and sacrifice brought to bear by the Dairygold team of owners, workers and management over the last 18 months," he said.
Mr Henchy said tough decisions were implemented quickly and have allowed the co-op to begin the process of catching up with its competitors.
