Ireland-based nutrition firm Glanbia received the first deliveries of milk this month at its new $470 million Glanbia Nutritionals cheese and whey plant in St. Johns, MI as the facility commenced operations and the start of its commissioning phase, the company announced in a recent release.  

“We are very pleased to reach this important milestone on our journey to deliver a new ultramodern dairy facility in Michigan for our customers. As we enter this key commissioning phase and begin production at the plant, I would like to thank the entire Glanbia Nutritionals team, and in particular the onsite team, whose expertise and focus have kept the project on track and on budget particularly during the challenges of the last seven months,” Brian Phelan, chief executive officer of Glanbia Nutritionals, said in a statement. “I would like to thank the state and city authorities for their continued support and of course our great partners, DFA and Select Milk Partners.”

After the site, known as MWC, is commissioned over the next eight months, the 375,000-sq-ft plant will be capable of processing 3.6 million ltr, or 8 million lb, of milk each day. The plant will be operated by a joint venture between Glanbia Nutritionals, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), and Select Milk Producers.

Glanbia said the plant in St. Johns is “one of the most technically advanced dairy processing facilities in the US.” The site was picked because of its access to high quality milk in the region, existing transportation infrastructure, the local workforce, and the location’s proximity to customers.