The Northern Ireland based Ryobi Aluminium Casting (UK) Ltd has secured the momentous contract with an emerging transmission supplier specialising in electrified drivetrains for the automotive market.
The Carrickfergus manufacturer obtained the deal to produce 150,000 clutch and transmission cases per annum, worth almost £15 million annually for new hybrid vehicles initiating 2023.
David Watson, Managing Director, said: “This is an exciting project which was won against stiff competition from across mainland Europe. Ryobi’s growing reputation in the development of new technically challenging products is what 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.”
The announcement was made in the presence of East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson and Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Peter Johnston, while they were on a visit to the factory.
Mr Wilson said: “I am delighted with this significant investment in Ryobi, which is rightly regarded as one of Northern Ireland’s top manufacturing firms. I commend all of those at Ryobi for securing this much-sought-after contract which provides a very timely boost for our world-class manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland. This is a great news story for Ryobi, Carrickfergus, Mid and East Antrim, and our country as a whole.”
The Mayor added: “This announcement is a ringing endorsement in Ryobi and Mid and East Antrim. Ryobi 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 company is a major employer in our borough and this move will secure approximately 70 highly skilled jobs, moving forward.”
“The past year has seen our manufacturers operating in a hugely challenging financial environment. This investment provides hope for our economic recovery in Mid and East Antrim, and I congratulate Ryobi, which continues to demonstrate remarkable innovation, resilience and commitment.”
David Watson also delivered appreciation on behalf of all the local directors and employees to Ryobi’s parent company in Japan, who financially supported the £12 million capital investment required to install state of the art manufacturing processes to produce these new products.
The new contract will secure the jobs of around 70 highly skilled people and will run for at least the next seven years. Presently, Ryobi employs almost 600 staff, making it one of the largest contributors to the economy in East Antrim.
In 1990, Ryobi was established in Carrickfergus to manufacture aluminium castings for the European automotive industry.
Ryobi pioneered from supplying to Ford Motor Company and it has grown substantially and now includes VW, Skoda, Peugeot Citroen, Jaguar Land Rover, Magna within its expanding portfolio.
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