Electrical firm to create 65 new jobs

The downturn in manufacturing in Donegal was briefly halted today as an electrical firm announced plans to create 65 jobs.

PowerBoard, based in Burnfoot, will design, develop and produce a range of electrical products for the European market.

The start-up company has a high growth potential and will take on 65 workers over the next three years. Some 14 employees will make up a dedicated research and development team.

The move comes following the success of sister company PowerBar also based in Burnfoot and making electrical goods.

Micheál Martin, Enterprise Minister, commended PowerBoard for their initiative and strong commitment to Donegal.

“I am very pleased that the new jobs being announced today include a 14 person research and development team,” he said.

“Market led research and development will ensure that diverse customer needs are met on a continuous basis. Growing the number and scale of new start-up exporting companies is very important in developing and sustaining our regional economies.”

Donegal has borne the brunt of manufacturing job losses in the last number of years.

Thousands of workers have been laid off with the closure of textile firms Fruit of the Loom, Unifi and Clubman Omega while in the last months a high profile pharmaceutical manufacturer Hospira announced it would close with the loss of more than 500 posts.

Mr Martin said boosting regional economies was a key element of Enterprise Ireland’s strategy for 2005 to 2007.

Philip Doherty, promoter of the PowerBoard project said: “We are very pleased that PowerBar and now PowerBoard could establish their operations in the one location in Burnfoot, Co Donegal,” he said.

“Both of the companies will have their own discrete customers and are developing their own knowledge and intellectual property through intensive research and development and design projects.”