Irish trade mission delivers jobs and opportunities for North West

From left: Leo Clancy (CEO Enterprise Ireland), Leo Varadkar, Emily King and Paul Tierney (ESS Modular)

A trade mission from Ireland has generated jobs and opportunities for the North West region.

Headed by Ireland’s deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar, the mission to the UK today (September 6) is the first stop in a three-country trade mission to boost greater trade collaboration, before moving on to France and Germany.

During the day-long event, Irish modular construction business ESS Modular announced plans to create 70 jobs with the opening of a Manchester, office.

Also, Limerick based Serosep, a supplier to NHS hospital trusts in the UK, announced it has secured a five-year contract with Liverpool University Hospital to supply its innovative molecular diagnostic solution, EntericBio, used to diagnose gastroenteritis, in a deal worth more than £1m.

ESS Modular has grown to become an industry leader in modular construction in both Ireland and the UK and after its impressive growth in orders and turnover, the company has announced the doubling of its UK footprint with the new presence opening in Manchester.

Founded in Dublin in 1989, ESS Modular has three decades of experience delivering award-winning buildings using modern methods of construction (MMC). Backed by Enterprise Ireland, ESS Modular has more than doubled its workforce over the past 12 months, adding a total of 110 new employees across its five sites in Ireland and the UK.

Paul Tierney, CEO at ESS Modular, said: “We are delighted to be opening this new office in Manchester, which will significantly enhance our presence in the UK. In the last 12 months we have seen a big shift across the sector to adopt, embrace and actively pursue modern methods of construction.

“In the UK, there is an increasing demand for modern methods of construction with a number of dedicated MMC frameworks across multiple government departments including, Education, Healthcare and Justice as well as the private sector.”

He added: “For public sector projects, there is a focus on maximising the pre-manufactured value (PMV) of the building which allows the Government to see tangible benefits around how quickly buildings become operational.

“For obvious reasons, 2020 also saw a big demand for healthcare projects to address the need for additional ward space, as well as clinical and nightingale facilities. We have recently secured over £80m-worth of new healthcare projects in the UK and Ireland as healthcare teams realise the benefits of modular construction for the sector.”

Leo Varadkar said: “Ireland and Britain will always have a close relationship. Our two countries are interlinked in myriad different ways, and we will be looking to strengthen those ties as we emerge from the pandemic and face into future challenges, such as climate change and digitalisation.

“Irish companies have created over 125,000 jobs in Britain. By working closely together, building on existing partnerships and building new ones, we hope to create more jobs and prosperity for both countries.”

 

Close