Silver Hill Duck confirms expansion plans for its Emyvale site in County Monaghan

The new facility will allow the company to significantly increase its processing capacity, from the current 80,000 to 120,000 ducks per week. A new petfood processing plant is also being developed as part of the expansion and the existing plant will be modernised.

Notification to grant planning permission was received from Monaghan County Council in March. This followed the approval of a Drip Irrigation system by the EPA to install a full scale, state-of-the-art drip irrigation system to comply with EU Water Quality Directives, following the successful completion of a comprehensive trial piloted from August 2021 to January 2023.

Silver Hill Duck is the first Irish company to be granted EPA approval for the installation of a full scale, innovative drip irrigation system.

It will ensure all water used in duck production in Emyvale is recycled, cleaned and dispersed in an environmentally sustainable manner with no negative impact on any local water courses or any adverse impact on the local environment.

Micheál Briody, Managing Director of Silver Hill Duck: “This expansion has been planned for a number of years and we are delighted to be in a position now to move forward with our plans. This is an important step forward in the company’s long history and builds on the success we have achieved in recent years in both domestic and overseas markets. It means that the premium Silver Hill product we have developed over many years and established a worldwide reputation for, can continue to be prepared here in Emyvale, providing local jobs and enhancing Ireland’s reputation as a top quality food producer.”

Silver Hill Duck began operations in Emyvale in 1962, starting with just six top-quality ducks. The company has grown over the years, developing the unique breed the ‘Silver Hill Duck’, and becoming a leading supplier of quality duck to the international market.

Employment grew alongside the company’s evolution, and Silver Hill Duck is now a substantial and valued employer in the region, employing 220 people.

The planned expansion has the potential to increase employment at the site by some 50 employees. In addition, it will create significant direct and indirect employment during construction, and longer term through the expansion of Silver Hill Duck’s outside contract grower model that offers farmers, both North and South of the border, the opportunity to generate income from a sustainable family farm enterprise.

The acquisition by Fane Valley Co-op in 2019 cemented local interest in Silver Hill Duck and has allowed the progressive evolution of the company through continued investment.

Silver Hill Duck is an integral part of the agri-food sector, contributing substantially to the national and regional economies. This expansion will see the company increase that contribution by creating additional jobs and increasing spend in the local economy.