Marketing materials firm to create 250 jobs

There was good news on the jobs front yesterday with a marketing materials firm based in Dundalk, Co Louth, announcing it will take on 250 seasonal call centre workers.

It is likely a number of the posts will become permanent in the coming months as the company, National Pen, relocates to new manufacturing facilities in Dundalk.

The announcement follows the creation of 85 jobs across three firms earlier this week.

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton welcomed the expansion of National Pen and said manufacturing will continue to make a considerable contribution to the economy.

He said he had brought together a team of industry experts to develop a plan aimed at creating a further 20,000 extra jobs in the sector.

Mr Bruton said he is confident there will be jobs growth and increased exports from the sector.

The European head-quarters of National Pen, which was founded in New York in 1948, is based in Dundalk where it services 19 countries around the world.

It has 255 permanent staff, having grown from 186 in 2009. Recruitment for seasonal staff has begun at the company which has been in the Co Louth town since 1987.

Peter Kelly, senior vice president at National Pen Europe, said when the company started, it only had four staff but it now services markets across the globe from the Co Louth facility.

It is a direct selling firm doing business primarily through mail order.

IDA chief executive, Barry O’Leary, said the jobs announcement was great news for Dundalk.

“The company is a great case study in showing us all how Ireland can compete in the traditional business sector of manufacturing,” he said.

Meanwhile, the business advisory firm Deloitte is to take on an additional 80 people and is also offering 200 graduate positions.

Graduate positions are for an initial three-and-a-half-years and will be available in the firm’s offices in Dublin, Cork, and Limerick.

Positions are available across all departments including audit, consulting corporate finance, tax, and enterprise risk services.

The firm is seeking applications from students of all academic disciplines, not solely those with accountancy and business backgrounds.

The 80 jobs on offer are mainly in the enterprise risk services, technology and management consulting areas.

Earlier this week, Taoiseach Enda Kenny was at the Dublin-based Jelly Bean Factory for the announcement of 25 jobs at the firm which is set to double its manufacturing base.

Boots Ireland announced 30 jobs at its store in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and another 30 jobs are on the cards with the opening of a Dealz store in Stillorgan, Dublin.