Clír News

Up to 60 new jobs created as Clír Water makes multi-million investment to reopen Armagh manufacturing facility Plant becomes Ireland's first multi-source spring water operation March X, 2026: Clír Water has announced a muti-million pound/euro investment in a production plant in Thornleigh, Co. Armagh, creating 14 initial jobs with up to 60 roles expected by the end of 2026. The facility relaunches almost two years after the original water bottling plant closed under previous ownership in 2024. Following a comprehensive infrastructure upgrade programme, the plant has been redeveloped as a modern water production facility with a strong focus on safety, quality and efficiency. Clír is currently recruiting across a range of areas including operations, product creation and development, and distribution. Additional indirect employment is also expected through local suppliers and service providers.

Many members of the initial team bring experience from the beverage manufacturing sector. The plant produces a range of spring water products including mixers and flavoured water in formats from 330ml bottles to 19 litre containers. A key product in the range is a 5-litre boxed spring water format designed for both domestic and workplace use. The facility has the capacity to produce up to 40 million litres of water annually across three production lines, including two high-speed bottling lines The facility is Ireland's first multi-source spring water operation, giving Clír the ability to produce a wide range of products while ensuring a secure and reliable stock. This model differentiates Clír from other Irish bottled water companies which rely on a single well or spring. This structure allows Clír to maintain a consistent supply to retailers and commercial customers if one source is temporarily disrupted. Water used in Clír products is sourced from springs in the Eskragh and Boyne Valleys. In addition to the Thornleigh plant, Clír operates an additional bottling and distribution facility in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone for its Eskragh operations. These locations position the company to serve customers across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Following the closure of the previous bottled water facility and subsequent gap in the market, Clír is also ideally placed to rebuild domestic supply in this area.

Product quality and compliance are a core focus for the business. Independent testing has been carried out by Drogheda-based laboratory Fitz Scientific to ensure that products meet all required standards. The facility has also undergone inspection by the relevant regulatory authorities. The investment is led by Clír Water CEO Neil Sands, an Irish entrepreneur with experience across multiple business sectors. He previously founded Lost Irish Whiskey, which is now sold in more than 30 countries worldwide. His experience includes over ten years as a Silicon Valley innovation executive. Clír is committed to environmentally responsible manufacturing. A significant proportion of packaging materials are recyclable, while boxed water products are made from fully recyclable materials. The company has also invested in modern production systems designed to support efficient and sustainable operations.

Working alongside Neil Sands is a senior team with extensive experience in beverage production, including Head of Quality and Compliance Chloe McCullough and General Manager, Peter Martin. Chloe and Peter bring significant expertise in quality assurance, compliance and manufacturing operations, supporting the company's focus on maintaining high production standards as the business grows. Neil Sands, CEO of Clír Water, said: "This significant investment marks a strong vote of confidence in Thornleigh as a manufacturing location. We are pleased to be bringing jobs back to the area and building a skilled team with significant beverage industry experience.

"We are redeveloping this historic facility into a modern production hub with the capacity to serve both domestic and export markets. Over the coming year we look forward to expanding our team significantly as production increases." Chloe McCullough, Head of Quality and Compliance at Clír Water, added: "I am very excited to embark on this journey with a fantastic new team. We take quality and compliance extremely seriously at Clír Water. From sourcing through to production, every stage of the process is carefully monitored to ensure our products meet all required standards. "Our team is committed to maintaining consistent quality as we scale production and continue to grow the business."

Northern Ireland - Clír Water has announced its expansion into the mixers category with the launch of: Lemonade, Tonic Water, Slimline Tonic, Ginger Ale, and Soda Water. The move marks a strategic step beyond bottled water, positioning Clír within the fast-growing premium mixers segment across the UK and Ireland.

Clír’s entry into mixers reflects a broader shift in its business model, from a single-category water brand to a multi-product liquid platform.

The new range has been developed to serve both retail and on-trade channels, including bars, restaurants, hotels, and convenience outlets. The portfolio has been designed to complement premium spirits, while also functioning as standalone soft drinks.

This expansion sits alongside Clír’s existing water formats, from 500ml bottles through to 19L supply, reinforcing its capability as a full-spectrum liquids manufacturer .

Lemonade – a crisp, clean citrus profile designed for both casual drinking and premium serves Tonic Water – balanced bitterness and carbonation for classic spirit pairings Slimline Tonic – a low-calorie alternative maintaining the same flavour structure Ginger Ale – a smooth, rounded ginger profile suited to dark spirits and cocktails Soda Water – a neutral, high-carbonation mixer for versatility across drinks

Each product has been formulated to deliver consistency, clarity, and compatibility with premium spirits, targeting both everyday consumption and higher-end hospitality settings. The mixers have been developed with a clear focus on usability across different environments.

In retail, packaging and branding are designed for strong shelf presence and clear differentiation. In the on-trade, the focus is on reliability, carbonation quality, and pairing performance. This dual-channel approach allows Clír to capture value across both consumer and hospitality markets, a key driver of margin expansion in the category.

The launch is enabled by Clír’s manufacturing base in Northern Ireland, where multiple production lines support a range of liquid formats. As capacity increases, particularly with the planned unlock of additional bottling capability, the company expects to scale mixer production alongside its core water business .

Mixers are also seen as a higher-value category within Clír’s portfolio, contributing to improved unit economics and faster cash cycles over time. The mixers range forms part of a wider product roadmap that includes functional drinks, isotonics, and wellness products.

By expanding into adjacent categories, Clír is building a diversified liquids portfolio designed to reduce reliance on any single product line while increasing overall market reach.

With distribution discussions underway across retail and wholesale partners, Clír is positioning its mixers range as a credible alternative within a category traditionally dominated by established global brands.

The launch signals the company’s intent to compete not just in water, but across the broader premium soft drinks and mixers market.

Dublin, Ireland — Clír Water has been named a winner at the 2025 Institute of Designers in Ireland Awards, recognising a major brand transformation delivered alongside Crown Creative.

The award highlights a strategic repositioning of Clír from a traditional spring water brand into a design-led, multi-category platform built for scale across Ireland and the UK.

A Redesign Built for Growth

The brief focused on elevating Clír’s identity without losing the core principles that define the brand, sustainability, purity and Irish provenance. Crown Creative’s approach was evolutionary rather than disruptive. The result is a refined identity system designed to improve clarity, increase shelf impact and support expansion into new product categories. At the centre of the redesign is a sculptural logotype paired with a kingfisher marque, symbolising agility and connection to nature. This is supported by a restrained visual system built on serif typography and a palette drawn from the Eskragh Valley landscape.

From Brand to Platform

The redesign extends across Clír’s full product ecosystem, including bottled water, boxed water, and a developing range of mixers and functional liquids. Packaging was a key focus, with improved hierarchy and clearer messaging to strengthen visibility in retail environments. The system has been built to scale across formats from small bottles to 10L and 19L products, supporting Clír’s broader commercial rollout.

This reflects the company’s operational model as a multi-source manufacturer supplying a range of liquid formats across retail, wholesale and convenience channels .Clír’s growth strategy is underpinned by a multi-source supply model, drawing from Eskragh Valley and the Boyne Valley, with production based at its Thornleigh facility. This approach is designed to reduce reliance on single-source extraction, a longstanding structural risk in the Irish water industry .

The new identity mirrors that model, structured, flexible and capable of supporting multiple product lines under a unified brand. The timing of the award coincides with Clír’s scale-up phase, with production lines operational and expansion underway through 2026.

As the company grows its presence across key retail and distribution channels, brand execution is expected to play a central role in:

Driving consumer recognition Supporting premium positioning Enabling expansion into higher-margin categories

The project was delivered by Crown Creative, with contributions from:

Matty Butler, Lead Designer Ryan Crown, Creative Director Tasmin Bryden, Project Manager Adam Bell, Designer

With additional product launches, sub-brands, and a new digital platform in development, Clír is positioning itself as more than a water brand.

The IDI award signals that its design foundation is now aligned with its broader ambition, to build a scalable, modern liquid innovation business rooted in Ireland. More here: https://www.idiawards.ie/projects/clir-water/