Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition has opened a new production line, which is the final phase of a €180m expansion programme in Ireland.

The new production line has come up at its Wexford facility with an investment of €26m.

This investment will create 50 new jobs in the region.

The company plans to increase the number of employees in Ireland from 180 to more than 400 by the end of this year.

The company undertook a four-year investment programme and the new production concludes with the opening of the Wexford facility.

Danone expects that the addition of the new production line will help it to cater to the increasing demand for infant and toddler milk in Europe and Asia.

Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition Ireland managing director Donal Courtney said: "We have a significant track record of growth and investment in Ireland over the past four years.

"This reflects both a growing demand for our products in the European and Asian markets as well as the high regard in which the Irish operations are held amongst the Danone Groupe.

"Locating our state of the art new generation packaging line in Wexford reinforces the strategic nature of the Irish based operations."

The facility was officially opened by Ireland’s Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton.