CARRICKERGUS car parks maker Ryobi has secured a £15 million contract with an emerging transmission supplier specialising in electrified drivetrains for the automotive sector.
The deal will see Ryobi, a world leader in aluminium die casting, produce 150,000 clutch and transmission cases a year for new hybrid vehicles, commencing in 2023.
And the new business will secure the jobs of around 70 highly skilled people from among the firm's existing 600-strong workforce, and will run for at least the next seven years.
“This is an exciting project, won against stiff competition from across mainland Europe,” the firm's regional managing director David Watson said.
“It was our growing reputation in the development of new technically challenging products which sealed this deal after a lengthy bidding process.
“This is testament to the knowledge, creativity and skill of our engineers and the confidence our customers have in us to deliver good quality products on time.”
Mr Watson expressed gratitude from the local directors and employees to Ryobi’s parent company in Japan, which financially supported the £12 million capital investment required to instal state-of-the-art manufacturing processes in Carrickfergus to produce the new products.
The contract announcement coincided with a visit to the Ryobi factory by East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson and Mid and East Antrim Council mayor Peter Johnston.
Mr Wilson said: “Ryobi is one of Northern Ireland’s top manufacturing firms, and securing this much-sought-after contract provides a timely boost for our world-class manufacturing sector. It's great news story.”
Mayor Johnston added: “This is a ringing endorsement in Ryobi and Mid and East Antrim. It is a key member of our manufacturing taskforce, and its members continue to work very closely to identify and maximise all opportunities to grow the sector locally.
“The past year has seen our manufacturers operating in a hugely challenging financial environment, but this investment provides hope for our economic recovery in the borough, and I congratulate Ryobi, which continues to demonstrate remarkable innovation, resilience and commitment.”
Ryobi was established in Carrickfergus in 1990 to manufacture aluminium castings, transmission and structural components for car manufacturers throughout Europe, and its customer list reads like a who’s who of the motor world, including Jaguar Land Rover, Volkswagen, Peugeot Citroen and Ford.
With an annual wages bill of around £18 million, it is a huge asset to the wider Northern Ireland economy, and since 2012 it has invested more than £50m in its Carrickfergus operation.
