Fresh from grabbing part of the deal to supply Tesco with its own-brand milk from Glanbia, north-west agricultural co-op Aurivo has signed a deal with Sligo’s Institute of Technology under which a flagship new building on the college campus will be named the ‘Aurivo Auditorium’.

Last week Glanbia lost part of the contract to supply Tesco’s own-brand liquid milk to Aurivo and Arrabawn, stirring a degree of concern among milk producers about possible deterioration in the terms for farmers supplying liquid milk as a result of the competition between processors for retailer contracts.

Aurivo Co-Operative Society, formerly the North Connacht Farmers Co-Op, is a multi-purpose co-operative with businesses in dairy ingredients, consumer foods, retail stores, animal feeds, and livestock marts. The co-op has 10,000 shareholders, employs over 700 people, exports dairy ingredients to almost 50 countries, and had a turnover of €420m in 2015.

As part of the deal with IT Sligo, Aurivo will use the lecture theatre and conference centre for its main conferences and for its annual general meetings. In addition, the IT Sligo logo and marketing message will appear on several of Aurivo’s Connacht Gold milk products.

Construction of the 280-seat lecture and conference space in the heart of the campus is nearing completion and will be opened by Irish Nobel Prize winner Professor William C Campbell, who is a native of the North West.

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The college believe the auditorium will enhance IT Sligo’s ability to meet the needs of its students and staff as well as those of the community and regional business.

College president, Vincent Cunnane commented: “This is a facility which will be an important academic resource for the institute’s students and staff, but it is also a facility for Sligo and the wider community. Bringing people to our campus is one of the best ways to enhance our engagement with the community. That is what makes this new relationship with Aurivo a very good fit.”

The institute is the largest third-level centre in the region, with over 6,000 students.

Photo: Aurivo CEO Aaron Forde (left) with chairman Pat Duffy and Vincent Cunnane (right). (Pic: James Connolly)