FOOD COMPANY Danone is to create 45 jobs as part of a €20 million expansion at its manufacturing plant in Wexford, the firm has said.

Danone is expanding to meet growing demand for its infant nutrition products across Europe.

The investment will fund a new processing and packing line, doubling capacity to 70,000 tonnes annually in finished packed product of brands including Aptamil and Cow Gate.

The openings will be in operations, food science, engineering and logistics. The investment is supported by the Government through Enterprise Ireland.

“Today’s announcement that Danone is investing €20 million in its Wexford manufacturing plant and creating 45 jobs is . . . great news for the southeast,” said Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton at the Wexford plant.

Danone employs 350 at plants in Wexford and Macroom, Co Cork. The Wexford plant produces consumer packs of infant milk such as Aptamil, Cow Gate, Nutrilon and Bebilon for the Irish, British, Dutch, Belgian, Spanish, Portuguese and Polish markets.

The site also produces infant milk base powder for other finishing plants in the Danone group. The company is at the commissioning stage of a €50 million expansion at Macroom.

Mr Bruton also unveiled the 14 winners of Enterprise Ireland’s €200,000 Pilot Competitive Feasibility Fund yesterday.

Mobile payment specialist Brooklyn Technologies, waste management software developer Sunrise Innovations and biomass boiler manufacturer Wood Energy Solutions were among the winners.

The fund, which was announced earlier this year, is aimed at stimulating start-ups and creating jobs in the southeast.

Meanwhile, A further 30 posts are to be created in Waterford by pharmaceutical firm Eirgen.

The maker of niche cancer drugs said the jobs would help support research and production of a new range of products. The company is focusing on 16 drugs, which will be developed over the next four to five years.

Eirgen employs 50 people in Waterford, and was founded in 2005 by Patsy Carney and Tom Brennan.