Glen Dimplex announces 300 redundancies as it seeks to restructure Irish operations

The business manufactures a range of heat pumps as well as a range of home appliances. 

Appliance-manufacturer Glen Dimplex has announced a massive restructuring of its Irish operations including the consolidation of a number of sites with hundreds of redundancies expected over the next two years.

The company said it was making these changes, as well as investing €50m across its operations, so that it can focus on low carbon heating and ventilation solutions for homes and businesses.

It will reduce the number of sites it has across the island of Ireland from five to three. Currently it has manufacturing locations in Newry and Portadown in Armagh, two sites in Dunleer in Louth and a sales and distribution operation in Cloghran near Dublin Airport which also houses its head office.

Subject to a staff consultation process, up to 300 net redundancies are expected between late 2024 and 2026. Glen Dimplex said there will be no job losses for at least the next six months.

These decisions are being made following an island-wide strategic review of Glen Dimplex’s operations. Staff were briefed on the changes earlier today.

Investment

The company said it plans to invest €50m to re-orientate its manufacturing operations here and in Europe. Of that total investment, €40m will be invested in manufacturing, research and development, and on a new sales and distribution centre on the island of Ireland.

The Cloghran distribution centre will be relocated to Dunleer in the next two years. The head office will be relocated to another Dublin location.

The company said it will invest €15m in its Dunleer operations resulting in consolidation from two sites to one multi-purpose facility at Ardee Road.

In addition, manufacturing of flame products from Dunleer to a long term partner in China.

It will invest €25m in its Newry site repurposing it for the manufacture of zero carbon, renewable heating solutions including heat pumps.

Panel and storage heating manufacturing will transfer from the sites Newry and Portadown to its existing manufacturing site in Lithuania.

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Fergal Leamy, chief executive of Glen Dimplex Group, said by signalling these proposed changes significantly in advance of proposed implementation “we aim to mitigate the impact on staff and minimise redundancies through training and redeployment”.

Mr Leamy added that carbon reduction targets means the “status quo is not an option” as "consumer demand and public policy chart course for zero carbon future”.

Glen Dimplex said it expects to grow the number of people it employs in Ireland by 2029 from 800 today, to over 1,000 as a result of this investment. It currently employs 8,000 worldwide.