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Caterpillar in £7m NI investment Caterpillar in £7m Northern Ireland investment
(35 minutes later)
US engineering firm Caterpillar is investing £7m in a manufacturing project in Northern Ireland. US engineering firm Caterpillar says a £7m investment in its Northern Ireland factories will create new jobs.
The money will go towards making wheeled material-handling machines, used by the scrap sorting and forestry industries. The company is to begin manufacturing vehicles used in the scrap metal and forestry industries.
Part of the investment involves skills development for 100 staff. Currently the firm only makes generators across its plants at Larne, Belfast, Springvale and Monkstown.
The announcement was made by Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness, who are in the US on a business development trip. The new operation will require 100 positions. Some will be new jobs while others will involve retraining existing staff.
US-based Caterpillar bought over the Northern Ireland engineering firm FG Wilson - which makes diesel generator sets - in 1999. Diversification
First Minister Peter Robinson said: "The project is especially important as it has the potential to help attract additional projects from the wider Caterpillar family. In September 2012, the firm cut more than 700 jobs as it moved some manufacturing to China.
It later added about 200 jobs in a "shared services centre" which provides back-office support for Caterpillar's global operations.
Caterpillar Northern Ireland operations director, Robert Kennedy, said all of its local plants would benefit from the investment.
He said the diversification would "enable us to continue to develop the skills and expertise of our local workforce".
The announcement was made by the first and deputy first ministers, who are in the US on a business development trip.
Peter Robinson said: "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.""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."
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said "This £7m investment supported by a range of assistance from both Invest NI and DEL will ensure that Caterpillar has the support it needs to fully realise its manufacturing potential within this key area. Martin McGuinness said: "This £7m investment supported by a range of assistance, from both Invest NI and the Department for Employment and Learning, will ensure that Caterpillar has the support it needs to fully realise its manufacturing potential within this key area.
"The 100 quality manufacturing positions required to run the operation will generate salaries in the region of £2.2m annually, ensuring that existing employees and local people have an opportunity to progress high value career development opportunities.""The 100 quality manufacturing positions required to run the operation will generate salaries in the region of £2.2m annually, ensuring that existing employees and local people have an opportunity to progress high value career development opportunities."
The ministers made the announcement after meeting senior management at Caterpillar's headquarters in Peoria, Illinois.The ministers made the announcement after meeting senior management at Caterpillar's headquarters in Peoria, Illinois.
Invest Northern Ireland offered Caterpillar more than £1m to secure the project, and the Department for Employment and Learning offered £220,000 through its Assured Skills Programme.Invest Northern Ireland offered Caterpillar more than £1m to secure the project, and the Department for Employment and Learning offered £220,000 through its Assured Skills Programme.
US-based Caterpillar bought over the Northern Ireland engineering firm FG Wilson - which makes diesel generator sets - in 1999.