Right now, manufacturing companies in Ireland are hanging on by their fingertips. For decades, manufacturing was the engine room of the Irish economy, responsible for over 50% of exports in 2000.
That reduced to 33% in 2017, with an ever-increasing share going towards the service sector (a trend that looks set to continue). The country places 7th out of 34 OECD member countries in value-added manufacturing contribution to GDP.
Despite this fall, manufacturing has remained one of Ireland's most popular jobs sectors. According to 2016 jobs figures released by CSO, manufacturing employs approximately 209k people across 1,300 businesses operating within the industry. This represents about 5% of total employment and an estimated 9% industrial employment.
The manufacturing industry in Ireland is relatively diverse, with the food & drink manufacturing subsector being responsible for 38% of manufacturing GDP. This includes Irish beef and dairy products and soft drinks, and water.
Waterford Wedgwood plc was one of Ireland's leading manufacturing companies for over 200 years until it went into administration in 2009 due to the worldwide recession. However, this doesn't mean that every manufacturing business in Ireland has gone out of business or moved overseas - far from it! Use this article to see how other manufacturers are successful and adopt manufacturing ERP software.
Here are 5 manufacturing companies you should know about:
1. DCC Plastics
DCC Plastics is a family-owned manufacturing business based in Dublin City. It was established in 1991, trading as DCC Plastics (Europe) Limited since the same year. In 2003 they acquired a manufacturing facility in Navan, County Meath, which is now their primary manufacturing base for manufacturing operations and warehousing under the name of DCC Plastics Ltd. They have been manufacturing from this site ever since.
In 2003 they also began manufacturing plant equipment from a factory located at Aitkenvale, Co Armagh under the name of Dial-A-Lift Ltd. This company was purchased by DCC plc in 2009 and is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of DCC Plastics Ltd.
DCC has three main divisions:
• Controls & Automation
• Service Solutions
• Plant & Material Handling
Controls & Automation essentially manufactures control panels and switchgear of all types for the Irish, UK, and international markets. They have been manufacturing these products from their Navan manufacturing facility since 2003. Control Solutions team is a dedicated team that provides a reliable control panel manufacturing service to customers.
2. Cork-Based Manufacturing Companies
Suppose you search online for "Cork manufacturing companies" or "manufacturing in Cork." In that case, you'll find many fantastic companies making all sorts of things from foodstuffs to medical supplies, as well as large-scale manufacturing plants producing plastics, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Lydon Engineering is one such company that comes up multiple times on any list of manufacturing businesses operating in Cork.
Lydon Engineering was established in 1973 as a manufacturing company manufacturing various types of equipment for pharmaceutical manufacturers, food processors, and other manufacturing plants. In 1991 they developed a manufacturing process to produce manufacturing equipment from PVC, which has since become their primary focus – making high-quality, durable injection-molded machines for the pharmaceutical sector. They also manufacture plastic tanks, extrusion lines, and other machinery for this industry from their Cork base.
3. Established in 1976, Kärcher
Kärcher started out as a one-man business operating from the owner's garage, but today they're an international manufacturer specializing in manufacturing pressure washers, vacuum cleaners, and floor cleaning equipment. They have manufacturing sites worldwide, including manufacturing plants in Germany, France, and the UK, manufacturing facilities in South Africa and Japan, and a manufacturing plant in Ireland: Kärcher (Ireland) Ltd.
Their manufacturing facility located in Mahon, Cork, was established in 1976. It now encompasses an area of over 100,000 sq ft. It employs over 200 people to manufacture pressure washing equipment for domestic and industrial use, manufacture commercial cleaning systems such as conveyor scrubber machines and tunnel washers, and manufacture parts such as pumps for other Kärcher manufacturing plants across Europe.
4. R&A Manufacturing
Established in 1978 by former Dunnes Stores porter Pat Healy, R&A manufacturing is a manufacturer of plastic containers run by the second generation of the family. From their manufacturing site in Mahon, Cork, they produce injection molded components for manufacturing plants around Europe and manufacture all sorts of things from wheelie bins to wheel chocks and even animal feeding troughs.
5. Tipperary Manufacturing Company
Tipperary Manufacturing Company was established in 1991 with just three employees manufacturing metal products at its manufacturing facility located outside Cashel, Co Tipperary. Today, however, it's grown into a large-scale business with 260 people working across multiple locations, including manufacturing facilities in County Mayo and County Roscommon as well as sales offices in the UK and manufacturing plants in France – manufacturing everything from conveyor systems to walk-in coolers and equipment for meat processing plants.
