Engineering news
Manufacturing giant Caterpillar has announced a £7 million investment at its factories in Northern Ireland.
The firm, which last year shed more than 750 jobs, said it plans to build new products at its local plants.
Development of the yellow material-handling vehicles will start in the middle of next year, creating up to 100 jobs. Some of which will be new roles and others will involve re-training existing workers.
Invest Northern Ireland has contributed £1 million towards the development, while the Department of Employment and Learning has handed over £220,000 through its Assured Skills Programme.
Caterpillar Northern Ireland operations director Robert Kennedy said: “All Caterpillar Northern Ireland locations will benefit through the diversification of manufacturing, enabling us to continue to develop the skills and expertise of our local workforce.”
The announcement was made as the First and Deputy First Ministers visited Caterpillar's Chicago headquarters, where they met senior management.
First Minister Peter Robinson said: “This is an extremely positive investment of £7 million from one of Northern Ireland's most established engineering firms.
“The project is especially important as it has the potential to help attract additional projects from the wider Caterpillar family. This new project for Northern Ireland will also offer our local workforce the opportunity to develop key transferable skills that will add value to our manufacturing sector, bringing further economic benefit.”
Caterpillar bought out Northern Ireland engineering firm FG Wilson, which makes diesel generator sets, in 1999. The company has plants in west Belfast, Newtownabbey and Larne.