CO FERMANAGH glass manufacturer Encirc has completed its switch over to natural gas.
The Derrylin company made the conversion as part of a three-year £40 million investment programme.
It followed the completion of the main construction phase of the £250m ‘Gas to the West’ project in January this year. The gas line will eventually connect 40,000 homes and business premises west of the Bann to natural gas, with work continuing over the next decade.
Some 9,000 premises in key market towns are already capable of making the switch, with Encirc among the first major firms to take advantage.
The glass group, which employs 1,500 people across sites in Derrylin, Cheshire and Corsico in Italy, manufactures containers for some of the world's most recognised brands.
Managing director Adrian Curry said the move to gas has enabled the company to further reduce its carbon foot print.
“Switching from heavy fuel oil is integral to Encirc’s strategy to boost efficiency and minimise energy consumption across our facilities.
“These initiatives will further reduce our own environmental impact and support our customers in also shrinking their carbon footprint.”
Danny O’Malley, director of SGN Natural Gas said Encirc was one of the first major industrial facilities identified by the Gas to the West project.
“A growing portfolio of large manufacturers, food processing companies and commercial users are now operating with natural gas while others are proceeding to connection.
“We are also looking forward to converting many more homes to natural gas in our network area as soon as possible.”
