ANGLO Beef Processor, the British arm of Irish Food Processors, has acquired Lurgan Chilled Meats, one of the most modern processing plants in Northern Ireland.

No consideration has been disclosed, but the Lurgan plant is seen as an effective processor with a killing capacity of 500,000 lambs and 125,000 cattle per annum. It is understood that ABP intends to retain the management and workforce at Lurgan. Irish Food Processors chief executive Larry Goodman said, "The plant is ideally located to serve the beef industry in Northern Ireland. It will compliment our major plant at Newry and our substantial storage and distribution facility at Craigavon. The acquisition is a key part of our strategy to enhance the efficiency and capacity of the beef industry in Northern Ireland."

It is understood that the Lurgan plant will increase ABP's processing capacity in Northern Ireland by 20 per cent and further shifts the balance of the group's, business from Ireland to the UK. ABP has plants at Bathgate in Scotland, Blisworth, Nuneaton, Shrewsbury, Ellesmere, Ellingborough and York in England. ABP has recently opened a £8 million frozen consumer products plant at Lowestoft in England.

Anglo Irish Beef Processors, the Irish arm of Irish Food Processors has sold its plant in Bagenalstown, Co Carlow to Clonmel Chilling. This plant has been closed for 18 months.