FARM PRODUCTS COMPANY BENEFITS FROM TRAINING PROGRAMME

A County Tyrone-based supplier of speciality meat products has increased its operational efficiency and sales capability through an Invest NI backed staff training programme. Cloughbane Farm Foods in Pomeroy, near Dungannon, provides a variety of cooked and uncooked meat products, including award-winning mince pies, to retail outlets and foodservice businesses. The skills development programme has enabled staff to improve operations throughout the business, helping the company prepare to ramp up its cross border trade. Invest NI offered £33,940, part financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), towards the total project costs of £97,971. Commenting on the success of the training programme, Invest NI's Director of Business Improvement Services, Niall Casey, said: ???As local businesses such as Cloughbane Farm Foods concentrate their efforts on increasing sales outside Northern Ireland, specific training can help staff to improve internal procedures and boost production capability so further demand can be met effectively.??? ???The potential cost-savings from leaner operational processes can be huge for all companies, particularly those with high unit outputs,??? added Mr Casey.Lorna Robinson, Co-Owner of Cloughbane Farm Foods, said: ???Invest NI has helped us to further develop the skills levels of new and existing employees. Performance across the business has been significantly enhanced, and major operating efficiencies have resulted which will support us as we target increased sales in the Republic of Ireland. ???In addition to increased efficiency, this programme enabled us to introduce new management and control systems and ensure that our products continue to reach the high standards expected by our customers.??? ???Without Invest NI's support for this initiative, our company would not have achieved the same level of success that we have experienced to date,??? added Ms Robinson.