Ex-Dell boss heads consortium bid to save 3,000 jobs

FORMER Dell senior executive Nicky Hartery is understood to be leading a new business consortium which wants to take over the company’s Limerick plant and save its 3,000 jobs.

Michael Dell has decided to outsource all manufacturing at his nine plants worldwide and follow the lead of arch rival Hewlett-Packard.

Waterford-born Hartery left Dell last summer after he failed to get a commitment from the firm to proceed with further investment in the Limerick facility.

His consortium has now put a takeover package together and have held talks with Michael Dell and Tánaiste and Minister for Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan.

Ms Coughlan and Defence Minister Willie O’Dea were given a clear signal that major job losses were looming at Limerick when they met Michael Dell at his Texas headquarters earlier this month.

Mr Hartery and his group hope that with strong government funding, they will be able to continue producing Dell products at Raheen industrial estate on an outsourcing basis.

Welcoming the move yesterday, the Mayor of Limerick, Cllr John Gilligan said it must be remembered that the Limerick plant has been regarded as the most outstanding performer within the Dell empire with regard to productivity and quality.

He said: “It goes against any economic sense to close your best factory.”

Fine Gael deputy finance spokesman Kieran O’Donnell said the Taoiseach must get directly involved in the new talks to save Dell in Limerick.

“The consequence are far too catastrophic for the region for him not to intervene. My view is that he has no choice.

“We need a roadmap for Dell, like Apple had in Cork, where they were effectively able to get their workforce back over five years,” Mr O’Donnell said.

Nicky Hartery had driven the onward success of Dell’s Limerick plant since 2000. The plant started production in 1990.

The company’s global slide started in 2004 after Michael Dell stepped aside as chief executive and handed control to his friend Kevin Rollins.

As share prices dived, Michael Dell returned to the helm in January 2007 and then appointed Mike Cannon as president of global operations to cut costs and catch up on Hewlett-Packard, which had taken over the number one spot in personal computer sales.

Nicky Hartery, who is a well known racehorse breeder, left Dell last summer after Cannon refused to give a commitment for further investment in Dell’s Limerick site.

With up to 15,000 jobs in the mid-west dependent on Dell, the success of the Hartery move will be crucial for not just the region, but for the wider economy given the value of Dell’s exports.