Tánaiste Announces the Creation of 500 New Jobs with a Major Expansion at Celestica in Swords, Co. Dublin

Mary Harney, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, announced today (Friday 18th September, 1998) that Celestica Inc. of Canada is investing £26 million, with the support of IDA Ireland, in a major expansion of its high-tech electronics manufacturing facility at Swords, Co. Dublin, which will create an additional 500 jobs over the next five years. With recruitment underway 85 of the new jobs have already been filled bringing current employment at Swords to 260 people.

Celestica is the world's third largest electronics manufacturing services company. Celestica Ireland specialises in printed circuit assembly and system build and is being expanded to provide further electronics manufacturing services for customers throughout Europe. Celestica purchased its Dublin facility in February, 1998 from Madge Networks as part of a strategic relationship with that company.

The Tánaiste making the announcement at a function in Dublin, attended by Mr. Iain Kennedy, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Celestica Inc, and senior representatives of IDA Ireland, said that "the expansion further underlined Ireland's continued attractiveness as a location for the expansion of such international operations. The Irish facility utilises the most advanced manufacturing and supply chain management systems. The expansion will allow Celestica to more than double production output".

Iain Kennedy, speaking at the announcement, said "Ireland's highly developed electronics industry infrastructure and the availability of people with relevant electronics manufacturing skills were primary factors in our decision to locate here. Along with our other facilities throughout the world, the Dublin facility will play a key role in our further growth and development."

Demand for Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) has grown significantly in recent years with the decision by the world's leading companies to outsource activities which are not core competencies. This outsourcing is being driven by the need for decreased time to market on a global basis and for improved inventory control. The EMS industry is currently the fastest growing sector of the electronics market, with annual growth in demand of around 25%.

Celestica Inc, of Toronto, Canada, provides a broad range of services including design, prototyping, assembly, testing, product assurance, supply chain management, worldwide distribution and after-sales service. Celestica, whose growth has included nine strategic acquisitions in just over a year, employs more than 10,000 people worldwide and operates 17 manufacturing and design facilities in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK and Ireland.