Boortmalt is planning to increase the annual output of its malting plant in Athy, located 80 km southwest of Ireland’s capital Dublin, by 20,000 tonnes to reach 160,000 tonnes of malt. The company has applied for planning permission to demolish the existing canteen and two silos, and to replace them with a germination vessel and two new barley intake silos, as reported by the Kildare Nationalist. Additionally, Boortmalt aims to expand the existing on-site wastewater treatment facilities, make alterations to the malt screen building, construct a new building to house offices and a canteen, and build 14 new car parking spaces.
Since Boortmalt acquired Minch Malt in 2010, the company has consistently invested in the operation. In 2017, the Belgium-based maltster initiated a 30,000 mt expansion of the site (inside.beer, 9.11.2017) However, in 2019, a collapse of an old production line reduced the capacity for one year by 70,000 mt. In 2020, Boortmalt commissioned a new 40,000 ton malt plant in Athy, increasing the yearly capacity again to 140,000 mt of malt.
The company stated that the expansion will enable Boortmalt to offer its customers a 100% Irish supply chain, from seed to barley to malt.
