Taoiseach and Minister for Jobs announce 200 new jobs and €40 million investment

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD today (Friday 6 February 2015) announced the creation of 200 new jobs over the next five years by Combilift as part of a €40 million investment by the company over the next two years in building a new, state-of-the-art, greenfield manufacturing site. The majority of the 200 jobs to be created in the next five years will be for skilled technicians and design engineers. A further 200 jobs will be created during
the two year construction period of the new facility. This investment programme has been supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland and will position Combilift to double its current €150 million turnover over the next five years. The company currently employs over 300 people between its current facilities in Monaghan town and in Clontibret.

Combilift has recently purchased 40 hectares of industrial zoned land on the Monaghan by-pass with plans to invest €40 million in building a purpose-built, 40,000 square meter, greenfield global HQ and manufacturing facility with a devoted Research & Development building and adjoining back office facilities. Combilift is best known for its wide range of multi-directional forklifts, Aisle-Master articulated forklifts and other innovative material handling solutions such as the Combilift Straddle Carrier, designed to handle large containers and over-sized loads. The company was set up by Managing Director Martin Mc Vicar and Technical Director Robert Moffett in 1998 and thanks to the continued 7% investment of turnover in R&D they export innovative products to over 75 countries.

Welcoming the announcement, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: “Supporting recovery in the regions is behind this fantastic announcement today of anadditional 200 jobs in Combilift and a further 200 construction related jobs. It is growing and dynamic Irish companies like Combilift which are driving a recovery across Ireland’s regions. Combilift’s new €40 million facility in Monaghan will make a profound difference to the local economy and the national export economy. These new jobs will have a deeply
positive impact on those who get back to work or take up new opportunities, but they also have a knock-on economic benefit for local businesses, shops, restaurants, tradespeople and service providers. This is part of the Government’s plan to secure economic recovery and see it spread to every part of the country”.

Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton, who has been accompanied by Combilift on several Enterprise Ireland trade missions around the world since taking office, said: “This is a great boost for Monaghan and the North East region, and a great example of what we are trying to achieve with our plan. Combilift is a world-class Irish exporting company, developing and manufacturing cutting edge products in a regional location for sale abroad, creating employment for hundreds of people in Monaghan. Irish companies like Combilift have huge potential to drive employment growth in regional locations, and tend to have even greater impact on the local economy through knock-on spending than multinationals due to their links with the
area.

“At the very heart of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs is the creation of a powerful engine of Irish enterprise alongside the strong multinational sector and in the past two years we have seen a net increase of over 13,500 in employment by Irish exporting companies. Through strong implementation of our Action Plan for Jobs and our Regional Strategies, I am determined to ensure that we see more announcements like this over the coming years”.

Commenting today Martin Mc Vicar, Managing Director of Combilift, said: “With this greenfield investment and sufficient industrial-zoned land available on the new site for future expansion, Combilift are committed to continuing its organic growth in Monaghan for many years to come”. In addition to the new jobs that are being created, Combilift on behalf of the mid-Tier Irish engineering companies are very pleased to announce that they are in the process of submitting an Apprenticeship Application to accredit our employees and employees of other Irish engineering companies as ‘Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) technicians’. Martin states that “this apprenticeship course plans to educate technicians to be competent in hydraulics, electrics, and troubleshooting diagnostics”.

Martin is delighted to announce that “the Cavan Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB) are prepared to pilot this new apprenticeship and this has been a strong factor in deciding on the location of the new Combilift greenfield manufacturing site which is conveniently located close to the Monaghan Institute”.

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD, said: “This major jobs announcement will provide a significant boost to Monaghan town, and will secure Combilift’s position as one of the most important employers in the county. Combilift is an excellent example of a locally
based company which has expanded its operations overseas, with the help of Enterprise Ireland, allowing it to create more jobs here at home. I am also very pleased that Combilift is launching a new apprenticeship programme with Monaghan Institute. I have been personally involved in bringing about
this project, which will help to boost our local skills base.”

Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland welcomed the jobs announcement adding, “Combilift has grown phenomenally since its start in 1998, continually investing in R&D, management development, sales and marketing to bring it to the leading global position it holds today. Enterprise Ireland has worked closely with the company to support its continued growth and expansion. It is recognised as one of the top forklift manufacturers internationally offering innovative products which serve market needs unidentified and unserved by competitors multiple times larger. Combilift is a role model for ambitious, highly innovative Irish companies to follow and Enterprise Ireland will continue to work with them as they grow
further, creating sustainable jobs in Ireland”.