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Dairy solutions provider Gemak UK has announced the completion of a new whey, milk and cream processing facility for South Caernarfon Creameries (SCC) in Wales.

Known as Project Dragon, the development sets new benchmarks in dairy processing efficiency and sustainability, including the ability to process whey concentrate with 30% total solids and net-zero water goals.

SCC, Wales’ oldest and largest farmer-owned dairy co-op, recently undertook £15 million expansion to ramp-up cheese production from 15,000 to 23,000 tonnes annually, with £5 million support from the Welsh Government.

Gemak provided expertise in designing and manufacturing, creating a new milk and cream processing plant, storage silos and a CIP unit for SCC’s existing cheese plant. The facility boasts a processing capacity of 600 tonnes per day of milk and whey concentrate. According to the company, the completion of Project Dragon reinforces SCC’s position in the global cheese market.

Alan Wyn-Jones, managing director of SCC, said: “After a thorough tendering process, Gemak was chosen due to their ability to integrate into our existing processes and systems, lead times, quality and competitiveness. Completing this project has been both a challenging and rewarding experience. Gemak’s team demonstrated dedication and expertise, making the collaboration productive.”

Kursat Uysal, director of Gemak UK, added: “We were proud and excited to have been chosen by SCC as their technology partner for this project and even more proud to have successfully completed and achieved KPIs. This milestone marks an important step for Gemak in entering the UK whey processing market.”