· The Magni Group announces 50 new jobs for new manufacturing plant near Portarlington · Flagship Management sets up EMEA HQ with 15 jobs in Kinvara, Co. Galway · Ark Energy Consulting expands to Longford town with the creation of 10 jobsAn Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD today [Friday] announced that three multinational companies are establishing new operations near Portarlington, in Kinvara, Co. Galway and Longford town with the creation of a total of 75 new jobs.
The companies were introduced to Ireland through ConnectIreland, the company responsible for delivering the Government’s Succeed in Ireland initiative, as part of the Action Plan for Jobs.
The Magni Group, which operates an automotive coating business, will set up its new manufacturing plant and R+D laboratory near Portarlington. The company, which is headquartered in Michigan, USA, already operates a paint business in Mallow, Co. Cork. The new facility, which will employ 50 people, will include a purpose-built 40,000 square foot factory with room to expand to 80,000 square feet over five years.
The Magni Group is considered a global leader in the production of corrosion resistant, automotive coating and in order to support the global marketplace the company operates out of 23 locations in eight countries across the globe – all of which will be supported by the new Irish facility.
Before being put in touch with Connect Ireland through the Connector and the GAA (see below), the Magni Group was close to deciding to locate the facility in the Czech Republic.
Meanwhile, Flagship Management has confirmed it is to locate the EMEA headquarters of its maritime consultancy and recruitment business at Kinvara, Co. Galway. Some 15 jobs are expected to be created over the next three years in the business, which has its US headquarters in Florida. Flagship Management currently serves the North American and European market from the US.
The European operation will provide consultancy and recruitment services to maritime companies operating in the North Sea and Gulf regions. The operation will also focus on the growing German and continental European markets.
And a further 10 jobs are to be created in Co. Longford by Ark Energy Consulting Limited as it expands its Italian operation to Ireland. Parent company, ARK Srl is a privately-owned company based in Genoa, Italy which specialises in providing consulting services to the ETRM (Energy Trading Risk Management) sector.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: "It is great to be here today to announce 50 jobs at the Magni Group near Portarlington, along with 15 jobs at Flagship Management in Kinvara and 10 jobs at Ark Energy in Longford town. This is a very welcome boost for these local communities. Every job that is created through ConnectIreland, under the Succeed in Ireland Initiative, is a job that may not have come to Ireland without the intervention of a ‘connector’. Whether it is individual connections like this or wider Government strategy, our message is: Ireland is open for business and a great location for inward investment."
Minister Bruton said: “This is a fantastic announcement for three communities in regional areas, and provides a great example of precisely what the Government’s Succeed in Ireland has been established to do. As a result of informal social connections and with the support of the GAA, three companies that would otherwise have gone elsewhere are locating operations in regional areas and creating 75 jobs. These are companies which would not otherwise have come on to the radar of the IDA, now choosing to locate operations in regional locations which do not traditionally benefit from multinational investment and jobs. This is great news for Portarlington, Kinvara and Longford, I commend all involved and wish them every success for their future in Ireland”.
Each of the companies was referred to ConnectIreland by a registered ‘Connector’ who put the company in touch with the expert FDI team at ConnectIreland, when they learned that they were in expansion mode.
In the case of The Magni Group, for example, Laois man Kieran Leavy stands to receive a reward of up to €75,000 after putting the company directors, who he knew socially, in touch with ConnectIreland. Mr Leavy’s heavy involvement in the GAA played a role, as he first heard of ConnectIreland at the GAA Annual Congress where the company had a stand. The Magni Group will now create 50 manufacturing jobs in Mr Leavy’s local area in Co. Laois.
These are three of a number of successful projects secured by ConnectIreland, the most recent being the announcement of 70 jobs for Kells in Co. Meath, through the help of a local ‘Connector’.
For further information or to arrange an interview with a ConnectIreland representative, contact:
Naoise Coogan on 087 1959938 or email ncoogan@connectireland.com. See also www.connectireland.com.
Note to Editors:
About The Magni Group
The Magni Group started in Detroit in 1974 when founder David Berry, began operating his first coatings company, Depor Industries. The Magni Group grew rapidly during the '80s to accommodate the auto industry's demand for lighter, longer lasting metal components. The Magni Group is the global leader in corrosion resistant, automotive coatings. Virtually every automobile assembled around the world uses the Magni Groups’ coatings. The Magni Group currently has 23 locations located within eight countries. North America and Europe are the largest markets but China and the Far East are also increasing. With the US HQ in Michigan, USA, the Irish facility is to be the new European centre for the company. See www.themagnigroup.com
About Flagship Management Ltd
Flagship Management is the maritime industry’s leading consulting firm for executive recruiting and personnel solutions The company was established in 2006 and has successfully conducted thousands of searches ranging from sea-going and entry level positions through to C-level executives. Flagship Management’s Principals and Associates are maritime academy graduates who have over 200 years of practical maritime experience at sea and ashore. Flagship Management also services related industry sectors including: Oil & Gas, International Trade, Commodity Trading & Marketing, and Alternative Energy & Power Generation. The EMEA HQ in Ireland is being established to provide a formal structure around Flagship Management’s growing European business, and to provide a solid platform for future growth. The European operation will provide recruitment and consultancy services to maritime companies operating in the North Sea and Gulf regions. The operation will also focus on the growing German and continental European markets. www.flagshipmgt.com
About Ark Energy Consulting Ltd
ARK Srl based in Genoa, Italy specialises in providing consulting services to the ETRM (Energy Trading Risk Management) sector. The company was founded in 2010 by Charlotte Bird and Francesco Arci who had worked in the financial industry and in the energy business. ARK Srl started as a consultancy practice focussed on providing IT services to the ETRM clients. It saw the opportunity to capitalise on knowledge and skills acquired in consultancy engagements and to develop a new cloud-based SaaS offering to compete with more expensive and complex offerings on the market. The Irish project will require software development skills and as this work can be carried out independently of the location of its clients, the company chose to base the project in Ireland in Co Longford. The new entity is called ARK Energy Consulting Ltd (ARKlab) http://www.ark-energy.eu.
About ConnectIreland
ConnectIreland is an innovative way to create new jobs in Ireland by harnessing the power of the global Diaspora – at home and abroad. The mission is to attract foreign companies that are expanding internationally to Ireland through ordinary people – creating jobs and securing the future of the Irish economy. The Irish Government will financially reward those who attract new, sustainable jobs into the country. The objective of the initiative, part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, is to bring 5,000 new jobs to Ireland within the next five years under the Irish government’s Succeed In Ireland Initiative, which is managed by IDA Ireland and implemented by ConnectIreland. www.connectireland.com.