Birthday expansion plan to herald 90 new jobs for Lockerbie's Arla creamery

Half a century of cheese-making at Lockerbie’s Arla creamery is being celebrated with more than £144m of investment and a new Centre of Excellence to create 90 jobs.

- SHARON LIPTROTT

Since its opening in 1975, Arla Lockerbie has grown into one of the UK’s largest cheese-making facilities and a new £34m cheddar cheese facilities upgrade building was officially opened last week by Mairi Gougeon MSP, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands.

And to mark the 50th anniversary, the farmer-owned dairy company has also given a long-term commitment to UK dairy manufacturing at Arla Lockerbie by confirming it will now expand the site with a £90m Centre of Excellence for the production of UHT and lacto free milk - creating a UK hub for long-life and speciality milk and new local jobs.

Fran Ball, SVP of UK supply chain at Arla Foods - the UK's largest dairy cooperative - said: “This is a landmark moment for Lockerbie. As we celebrate 50 years of production, we're also unlocking the site's next era with significant investment to power future growth.