A newly constructed 40,000 sq ft manufacturing facility was officially opened by Minister Pat Breen TD in Shannon, Co Clare.
Smithstown Light Engineering, a precision engineering firm serving the top medical device and orthopaedic companies in the world, has trebled the size of its new production facility and will create up to 60 new jobs over the next two years.
Based in Smithstown Industrial Estate in Shannon, Smithstown Light Engineering currently employs 128 people.
Having reached capacity at its original plant, the rapidly growing firm opened a second manufacturing site in August 2017 and hired 30 new employees to meet increased production levels – this new site reached capacity by the end of 2018.
The Enterprise Ireland supported company has invested over €6 Million in the last 12 months in new machining technologies along with the 30,000 sq ft manufacturing floor extension.
Gerard King, CEO at Smithstown Light Engineering, said, “This is about future-proofing. Our customers are experiencing incredible growth and are keen to reduce lead times in sourcing products around the world.
“This expansion ensures we can keep up with their growing demand for ultra-precision products used in life-saving treatments,” he continued.
The new facility will create 60 new jobs over a two to three year period, creating roles for engineering machinists, programmers and quality control specialists. It will also house an innovation centre so the precision engineering firm can collaborate with customers in R&D, examine opportunities with new technologies in the additive manufacturing sector and potentially deliver advanced technology roles.
Pat Breen TD, Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection said, “This expansion and the announcement today of 60 new high-quality jobs is very welcome news for the Shannon area and is an endorsement of Ireland’s growing reputation as a global leader in Life Sciences and medical devices.”
Enterprise Ireland Senior Development Advisor, John Shiel added, “Smithstown Light Engineering is a vital component of the ever-growing life sciences industry in Ireland, and today’s announcement is particularly positive for the Shannon region.”
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