Dungannon company Dunbia creates 200 new jobs
Dungannon-based food processor Dunbia is to create 209 jobs through a £27m investment over the next three years.
The company made the announcement on Tuesday.
The investment will see the creation of a new boning hall as well as upgraded production lines at its Dungannon headquarters.
Almost 1,000 people work in procuring, slaughtering and de-boning of cattle and sheep, and wholesale distribution and retail packing of beef and lamb.
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said the meat sector played an important part in Northern Ireland's economic success and the sector had continued to grow, despite the downturn.
"Dunbia is investing in innovative technology and production processes to enable it to maximise the return on its resources and remain cost-competitive," Mrs Foster said.
"The new boning hall will help the company achieve improved butchery efficiencies and economies of scale, while the installation of new production lines using the most modern automated retail butchery will increase retail packing efficiencies.
"As a result of the anticipated increased output, the company will need to implement further shifts and will be creating 209 jobs to meet this requirement."
The new jobs will generate annual salaries of £3.4m.
Invest NI has offered £2m of support and said it would continue to work closely with the company as it grows.
Dunbia NI is part of the Dunbia Group, which employs around 4,000 people over 13 sites.
Jim Dobson, managing director of Dunbia Group, said: "Innovation has been at the heart of Dunbia's success and this investment in new production technology will create a centre of excellence for beef deboning.
"It will help us to maintain our position as a leading meat processor in the UK and Ireland and to deliver on our growth strategy over the next three to five years."