03-08-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Dulux Paints takes court action over Cork site
The site, which straddles the River Bride near the Commons Road in Blackpool on the northside of the city, had been used to manufacture paint for 140 years before Dulux closed it down at the end of last year.
Dulux Ireland has now filed in the High Court a special summons, which is normally a fast-track procedure that can be used to resolve questions around deeds or the administration of trusts.
Simon Colvan, head of communications UK and Ireland, for Akzonobel — the Dutch company that owns the Dulux paint brand — said in response to queries that the action was 'a relatively routine administrative process'.
'The case relates to our site in Cork and aims to resolve a historical ownership issue around part of the site. We're taking the necessary legal steps to ensure property records are accurate and up to date,' he said.
Colvan did not respond when asked whether the legal move was necessary as part of a potential plan to sell the site by the firm.
In May last year, Dulux announced it was shutting the paint manufacturing business on the Commons Road with the loss of 45 jobs. Most manufacturing of Dulux paint was moved to existing UK facilities. The news was a blow to the area and there were calls at the time for the site to be redeveloped.
Reports at the time said although more than €2m was invested in an upgrade of the plant in 2010, that modernisation was needed and a new facility would have been required to retain production at the site.
In 2019 the firm pleaded guilty after it was prosecuted by the Environmental Protection Agency for a breach of its Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Licence.
A spokesman said 'the department has not received any papers in relation to any case involving Dulux Ireland. As such we cannot offer any comment.'
