Each month, we put the spotlight on a Tirlán employee. For our December newsletter, we caught up with our Site Manager at Ballitore, Aidan Rowan, who’s gearing up for a busy festive season

This month, we sat down with Aidan Rowan, Site Manager at Ballitore, who’s currently ‘in the thick of it’ as he balances a hectic Christmas Cream production schedule along with GAA coaching commitments. Aidan’s story is one of loyalty, to his community, his colleagues and the high standards that define Ballitore’s production excellence.

“I’ve lived all my life in The Swan, Co Laois,” Aidan begins. “It’s a little village of about 500 people with a strong community spirit. We’re on the better side of the Laois-Kilkenny border, located almost halfway between the Ballyragget and Ballitore sites. It’s a village where almost everyone still knows all their neighbours and has been a great environment to raise a family.” That sense of belonging has influenced his approach to leadership and collaboration.
Aidan joined Tirlán, then Glanbia, in February 2013. “I started in the Whey Plant as Shift Manager, then moved into Process Manager and Production Manager roles over the next 10 years,” he explains. “After that, I spent six really interesting months in Business Excellence covering Portlaoise and Clonroche Agri sites, along with Thomas Street, before moving to Ballitore as Production Manager in 2024.” Just two months ago, Aidan stepped up to Site Manager. “It’s rewarding, challenging, interesting and fun, all at the same time!” Before Tirlán, Aidan spent 12 years with the Lagan Group in The Swan, first as a fitter and then as Production Manager. “So I’ve spent the best part of 25 years working with just two companies.”

Despite Ballitore having close to 100 employees, Aidan says the site feels like a much smaller and close-knit team. “There’s a real willingness across the team to help each other and a real drive to hit the numbers every day. Motivation isn’t usually needed because the process is so target-driven, everyone knows what we’re trying to achieve.” Clear measures like OEE and service level keep everyone focused and there’s room for plenty of good-natured banter on the floor. “I had a few testing days earlier this year when Kildare hurlers beat Laois!” he laughs.

Two standout moments for Aidan highlight the team’s spirit. “One was a visit from The Lalor Centre in Baltinglass where 20 people came to the site for a chat and a look at what we do. It was great to meet people who have far bigger challenges in their lives than ourselves and to give them a day out and a bit of fun.” The second was Ballitore’s first off-site training day at the Clanard Hotel in Athy.

“Ballitore never shuts down, so getting large groups together for training is very difficult to co-ordinate. Earlier this summer we made a big leap forward, when over 50 people attended our training day at the weekend, and the engagement was fantastic.”

When it comes to the famous Christmas Cream process, Aidan lights up. “It’s relatively straightforward, we pasteurise and separate cream from milk, add a few magic ingredients, then flavour, whip and package. A typical week sees us produce about 40,000 units, but in December we ramp up to 24/7 production and fill up to 220,000 units per week.” And that’s alongside keeping milk on shelves, 900,000 two-litre units and over a half million smaller cartons. “It’s a really busy month, but you see the very best of Ballitore and its employees in that time.”

Preparation for this starts in late October and early November. “We work with Commercial, Planning, Maintenance and Supply Chain on everything from simple items like the ordering of pallets to flavours, packaging and of course, people. Making sure we’ve enough people and that the workload is fairly shared is a big focus. And we always need a plan for abnormalities such as weather events. Storm Eoghan last year knocked us out for 26 hours and proved to be really challenging.” By the 29th of December, the Christmas campaign winds down, but milk volumes stay steady. “It doesn’t ever feel like we’ve finished, it’s more like going back to the normal day job straight after Christmas.”

Managing such a high-profile seasonal process is something Aidan genuinely enjoys. “It’s rewarding to see people take on the challenge of Christmas Cream each year. You see the pride and willingness to hit those numbers and make top-class products that will sit on most people’s dinner tables over the festive season. Our Brandy, Baileys and Belgian Chocolate flavoured whipped creams, apart from tasting fantastic, are such a key component for the profitability of Ballitore. It’s great to see the shelves filled with them as we approach Christmas.”

Outside of work, Aidan usually heads for the nearest pitch. “I’m fanatical about sports and have worn the ‘Bainisteoir’ bib on every sideline up and down Laois and surrounding counties for at least 15 years, mostly with Ladies Gaelic Football teams. I’m definitely over-competitive and I love the buzz of winning.” Sport is a huge part of his family life and Aidan finds it incredibly rewarding to see young players grow and develop in both skill and personality. When he’s not on the pitch, he’s usually found reading. “I’m an avid reader, especially history, and get through a book or two most weeks on the Kindle, mostly between midnight and 3am!”

As the festive season approaches, Aidan’s leadership and the dedication of the Ballitore team ensure that every dollop of cream and every carton of milk reaches tables across the country, making Christmas just that little bit sweeter.