merrion street

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, TD, today announced the approval, with the agreement of his colleague, Brendan Howlin TD, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, for a major €59m investment in the Smartply facility in Belview, Waterford Port, South Kilkenny.

Minister Coveney said that “Smartly has been located in Belview for almost 20 years and in that time it has become an integral part of the business community. The investment is a major vote of confidence in the forest products sector in Ireland and will include the upgrading of the current plant and the development of a new innovation centre.” He added that “This Facility is of significant strategic importance in the south-east and will support over 400 jobs directly and indirectly. It will allow for the development of new and innovative products and is tangible evidence that the company is focused on growth and meeting the demands of its customers.”

The downturn in construction had a major negative effect on Smartply and the markets that it served. Minister Howlin said that “The upgrade of the existing facility will bring valuable construction jobs over the next two years, as well as ensuring that the facility will support future innovations in the sector and provide a major market for private as well as public timber.”

Note for Editors

Smartply, a wholly owned subsidiary of Coillte, currently employs 160 people directly and 250 indirectly in the region. The plant uses forest thinning to manufacture innovative building products for export to 32 countries worldwide.