Aldar Tissues has officially opened its new €15 million, purpose-built manufacturing facility in Rathcoole, Dublin.
The 100,000-square-foot facility will see the workforce at Ireland’s largest household and commercial tissue paper manufacturer double by 2026, creating 30 new full-time jobs.
Both Aldar Tissues and its parent company, Zeus Group, are committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
They are both working to actively reduce their carbon footprint by prioritising local manufacturing and sustainable raw materials.
Aldar Tissues supplies to major customers such as Musgrave, Lidl, Aldi and Essential Supplies.
The state-of-the-art Dublin plant features fully automated high-speed production lines, and robotic packaging and wrapping technologies.
These innovations will enable Aldar Tissues to transition to a seven-day-a-week operation by 2026, further increasing capacity.
The plant’s cutting-edge technology enables the high-speed production of consumer and professional tissue products at a rate of 600 metres, or 200 packs, per minute, offering more than 60 variations of kitchen towel and bathroom tissue.
As of 2023, the Irish toilet tissue market was worth approximately €155 million, driven by demand from both the retail and away-from-home sectors.
Zeus, Europe’s leading independent packaging manufacturer and distributor, acquired Aldar Tissues in 2019.
‘Meet Growing Demand’
Speaking at the opening, the chief executive of Zeus, Keith Ockenden, said, “Our goal is to help our customers reduce their packaging usage and lower their carbon emissions by providing innovative products and services.
“By processing industrial production rolls into smaller finished products on site in Ireland, Aldar Tissue significantly reduces the need for long-distance transportation of raw materials, thereby cutting carbon emissions from shipping bulk materials from mainland Europe.
“This streamlined approach not only lowers our carbon footprint, but also enhances supply chain efficiency, ensuring products are delivered to customers more sustainably and cost-effectively.
“Currently, 80% of the Irish tissue market is supplied from the UK and mainland Europe.
“This new facility increases our production capacity and will enable us to fulfil up to 40% of Ireland’s bathroom tissue and kitchen towel needs.
“This will allow us to meet the evolving demands of local markets while driving sustainability within the industry.
“With the addition of 30 new jobs, Aldar Tissue is doubling its workforce to meet growing demand.
“We have plans to further expand production capacity by 2026.
“Our products adhere to the highest standards of performance, offering a real alternative to imports and supporting the Irish economy.
“Aldar Tissue’s investment aligns with Ireland’s broader sustainability goals, with the new production lines capable of using paper-based wrapping materials.
“At Aldar, we are not just producing tissue products, we are building a sustainable future for Ireland.”
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