Minister Martin announces €10 million investment for Monaghan with new Combilift manufacturing facility

Investment will create100 new jobs over the next 3 years

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheal Martin TD today (Thursday, 22nd June, 2006) officially opened the new €10 million headquarters of Irish company Combilift in Monaghan town, which will create 100 new jobs over the next three years bringing total staff numbers to 250. A high proportion of the new jobs will be high-skilled requiring technical and engineering qualifications.

Combilift manufactures the world’s first engine-powered, all wheel drive, multi-directional forklift. The company was set up in Clontibret, Co Monaghan in 1998 by entrepreneurs Martin McVicar and Robert Moffett. In just eight years the company has grown to become the global market leader in the long-load handling market. The company has developed a unique and innovative, space-saving forklift for materials handling, which solves the issue of needing a number of forklifts to handle long and awkward loads.

Minister Martin said: “Today’s official opening of Combilift’s new facility is tremendous news for Monaghan, Ireland and particularly the BMW region. The international successes of Combilift, and other Irish entrepreneurial companies, is a foundation stone of Ireland’s remarkable economic performance over the last 10 years.”

Commenting on the announcement today, Martin McVicar, Managing Director of Combilift, said: “This new facility in Monaghan will help us to strengthen our position in global markets by developing our product range, and significantly expanding our ability to produce up to one unit per hour.

Combilift exports 94% of all its forklifts to over 45 countries around the world with India and Dubai being the latest markets to be developed. Between 2006 and 2010 the company predicts that exports will increase from €60 to €100 million. The United States accounts for almost 30% of the company’s sales followed by the United Kingdom and France.

Martin McVicar attributes the company’s success to a strong link between research, product development and exports, creating innovative products that customers need. “We maintain a very close link between research and development and marketing so the two functions are always connected. This means everything we do is driven by our customers’ needs and we’re always first to market with what we’re offering,” he concluded.