Employment - Thurles Information

Over 1,600 People Attend Manufacturing Events In Mid-West Region.

More than 1,600 people attend the largest ever Irish-UK manufacturing collaboration events to be held in the Mid-West.

Organised by TUS and the GTMA the event took place over two days on TUS, Moylish Campus Limerick.
The British Ambassador to Ireland describes it as a perfect example of UK/Ireland collaboration.

More than 1,600 exhibitors, delegates, manufacturers and visitors from across Ireland and the UK travelled to TUS, Moylish Campus Limerick, to take part in one of the largest ever manufacturing collaboration events to be held in the Mid-West.

**President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane and British Ambassador to Ireland Mr Paul Johnston**, **attending “Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2022” event**.

Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2022, organised jointly by the UK manufacturing supply chain trade association the GTMA and the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), encouraged businesses from both sides of the Irish Sea to share ideas about new technologies and precision tools, build strong working relationships, learn about developments in manufacturing, and do business.

This year’s event extended its offerings over two days (Wednesday 15th & Thursday 16th June 2022) to include a multi-million euro Manufacturing Technology Zone, the IDEAM Digitalisation of Manufacturing Conference, Meet the Manufacturer and the successful manufacturing supply trade exhibition.

The British Ambassador to Ireland Mr Paul Johnston, who attended the second day of the event, described it as a perfect example of UK/Ireland collaboration.

He stated, “Manufacturing Solutions is a perfect example of UK/Ireland collaboration, enabling businesses from across these islands to form new relationships and display the latest innovation in manufacturing technologies and engineering solutions. Further demonstrating strong UK/Ireland connections, the event is jointly organised by a UK trade association and an Irish university and has the involvement and support from both the Irish and UK Governments alongside InterTradeIreland and Enterprise Ireland.
These events display practical, business and technology-focussed UK/Ireland collaboration in action here in Limerick, and I and my team are proud to be involved and give our support”.

Speaking about the success of the annual event GTMA Chief Executive Officer, Ms Julia Moore said, “Manufacturing Solutions Ireland which began in 2016 as a conduit for opening up new possibilities within the supply chain to customers and suppliers from both Ireland and the UK, has resulted in advancing stronger trading relationships between both”.

President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane explained that the collaborative event reflects TUS’s ethos of working with industry to research and develop new technologies, share new ideas and educate highly skilled work ready graduates.

Professor Cunnane stated, “We are delighted to welcome Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2022 back to the TUS, Moylish campus, this year. The partnership between TUS and the GTMA supported by the PTMA, and the resulting extended two-day event, is reflective of the Irish and UK manufacturing industry’s determination to work together, share ideas and trade. At the core of this event is the sharing of those new ideas, processes and advance technologies in the newly added Manufacturing Technology Zone, in the Digitalisation of Manufacturing Conference and throughout the TUS Moylish campus”.

The newly added Digitalisation of Manufacturing Conference welcomed SME business clusters, such as Manufacturing Northern Ireland, to Limerick to take part in joint workshops and work collaboratively with the TUS based IDEAM national industry cluster, as well as encouraging movement towards digitalisation of manufacturing among SMEs and providing access to relevant funding.

Meanwhile advance technologies and machines, many never before seen in Ireland and the UK have been on display in the new multi-million euro Manufacturing Technology Zone.

GTMA CEO Ms Julia Moore said, “Each year we see new ideas, new technologies, materials and processes on display, but none more so than this year; through both the 150 trade exhibits and the Manufacturing Technology Zone . The event’s progression to knowledge sharing and doing business is testament to the relationships built over the years. Manufacturing Solutions Ireland continues also to shine a light on the innovation and skills of our SME engineering community, and support them as they remain responsive, fast, flexible competitive in a global market”.

EPA Announces €650,000 Funding Opportunity For Innovative Irish Businesses In Circular Economy.

The EPA’s Green Enterprise: Innovation for a Circular Economy fund worth €650,000 is now open for applications.
A circular economy aims to reduce waste at all stages of the economic cycle and ensure materials are used as efficiently as possible.
Circular business models contribute to a climate-neutral, resource-efficient economy.
Funding in the range of €50,000 to €100,000 will support development of circular solutions by Irish businesses.
The funding is aimed at projects in the areas of food, water and nutrients; packaging, textiles, plastics; construction and buildings; electronics and ICT; batteries and vehicles.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today launches its €650,000 funding opportunity for Irish enterprises to innovate, demonstrate and implement new circular economy approaches in their business models, moving away from the ‘Take Make Use Dispose’ economic model. Circular business models appeal to customers and consumers looking for sustainable options and contribute to a climate-neutral, resource-efficient economy. The EPA’s Green Enterprise: Innovation for a Circular Economy fund worth €650,000 is now open for applications.
Applications for project funding in the range of €50,000 to €100,000 are invited. This funding will support Irish businesses to develop circular solutions in product and service design, production and distribution, use of resources including raw materials, and in water, energy and waste reduction.
The fund is aimed at business-ready innovative projects targeting the areas of food, water and nutrients; packaging, textiles, plastics; construction and buildings; electronics and ICT; batteries and vehicles.

Speaking about the Green Enterprise: Innovation for a Circular Economy funding call, Ms Laura Burke, Director General of the EPA stated:
“Circular businesses reduce costs and environmental impact by reusing, repairing and recycling materials already in use. These approaches can advance the green transition, accelerate digital transformation and can deliver new jobs and skills as Ireland transitions to a more sustainable economy.
The EPA is inviting business and industry applicants from across Ireland’s economy with business-ready innovative projects targeting our priority areas of food, water and nutrients; packaging, textiles, plastics; construction and buildings; electronics and ICT; and batteries and vehicles”.

The EPA’s Green Enterprise: Innovation for a Circular Economy fund supports Irish enterprises to develop and demonstrate circular economy approaches, designing out waste and pollution and keeping products and materials in use for longer.

The types of projects being targeted include:

Use of eco-design to develop sustainable products.
Innovation to reduce the use of raw materials in product manufacturing.
Development and implementation of circular production processes (designing out waste, life cycle analysis),
Recycling, reuse and repair activities in the business and industry sector.
Circular services and business models (to transform consumption patterns, logistics and to foster reuse and repair).

Mr Warren Phelan, (Programme Manager, EPA) stated: “The Green Enterprise fund is an opportunity for Irish business to access finance in support of their innovative and circular business ideas. In the past the fund has supported business to pilot and test new enterprise activities creating new market opportunities and jobs as well as preventing wasted resources. We encourage businesses that are considering new circular activities to consider the support offered by the Green Enterprise fund”.

Some previously funded circular economy projects include:

A project to reduce food waste by using surplus bakery bread as a secondary raw material in brewing beer.
An innovative manufacturing process using recyclable, reinforced plastic for producing wind turbine blades and
Evaluating the potential to recover and use the biomass generated in fruit and vegetable supply chains to produce new food fibre ingredients.

The deadline for submission of proposals for Green Enterprise funding is 19th July 2022.

Further information is available on the EPA website, HERE
Contact: Emily Williamson, EPA Media Relations Office, Tel: 053 9170770, Email: media@epa.ie

Tipperary Employee Injured By 100kg Of Falling Glass.

A Tipperary employee, who was injured when he was knocked to the ground by sheets of glass falling from a trolley, has been awarded a total of €113,000 by the High Court.

The award, which has yet to be fully finalised by Mr Justice Garrett Simons, was made in favour of Mr James Molloy, aged 59 years, with an address at Knight’s Crescent, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, who sustained compression injuries and lacerations to his back and to the region of his lower limbs.

Mr Molloy had sued his employer, Tipperary Glass Limited, with an address at Railway Road, Templemore, Co Tipperary, latter whom he alleged had been negligent with regard to an incident which had occurred on March 16th, 2018.

Liability in the case had already been admitted by the company and the action was before the court for assessment of damages.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Garrett Simons stated that Mr Molloy was entitled to a sum of €75,000 in general damages, together with a further sum of €38,000 in damages for his loss of current earnings. He is also to receive a sum equivalent to four years of earnings in respect of the loss of his future earnings.

Mr Justice Garrett Simons said the accident had occurred because another employee had failed to properly secure the glass sheets contained on a trolley, which in turn had impacted on Mr Molloy’s lower limbs.

It was estimated that the trolley had been carrying between 10 to 20 sheets of glass at the time of the accident, with the combined weight of the glass being 100kg (2cwt).

Mr Molloy, following the accident, was confined to bed for over a month, left him with permanent scarring on his legs. The consensus of the medical evidence arising out of his injuries, left Mr Molloy medically unfit for the sort of manual labour he had previously undertaken at his place of employment.

The case will return before the court to finalise outstanding matters later this month.

Major Objection To €30m Tipperary Solar Farm – Planning Granted By Tipp. Co.Co.

In all over 70 objections have now been lodged against a €30m Tipperary Solar Farm scheme granted permission by Tipperary County Council.
The solar farm was expected to produce in the region of 25 Megawatts of renewable energy, same sufficient, if fully achieved, to power 6,406 homes per year.

Some 26 parties are now appealing the council decision to An Bord Pleanála, with the Larry Goodman owned organic meat producer, “Good Herdsmen” understood to be one of these parties appealing.

Just last month, Tipperary County Council granted planning permission to a company known as “Renewable Energy Systems” for this development. Same is situated at Rathduff, Thomastown Demesne, South Co Tipperary, within 3km of Bansha village and 7.5km east of Tipperary town. Planning permission was granted after Tipperary County Council’s project planner concluded that it would not have any adverse impact on the character of the area or indeed on any adjoining properties in the vicinity of the development.

Not surprisingly, the founder and Managing Director of the ‘Good Herdsmen’, Mr John Purcell, who operate’s a 350-acre organic farm adjacent to the proposed site of this solar farm has claimed, in an objection, that the planned solar farm will indeed have an adverse effect their business.

Managing Director Mr Purcell has stated that the solar panels proposed would have the potential to cause a catastrophic visual impact on the area and would ruin the image that nature and his own organic farm have created, thus killing the vision of everything he has established todate. He claims that the promoters of this solar farm propose to metamorphose 107 acres of Golden Vale land, latter the richest farmland in Europe, into what he calls “a sea of plastic and metal panels”.

ABP’s organic beef brand, “Good Herdsmen” operating their factory in Cahir, currently employ 20 personnel with a further 6 employed on its organic farm, toiling on its day to day operations.

Others to appeal this County Council decision include:- South Tipperary Solar Farm Concern Group; Margaret Kennedy; Caitriona Bn Ui Annraghain;, Caroline and John Bourke; Denis Pollard Jnr; Maria Bailey; Michael & Mary Joyce; Chris Bailey;, VESI Environmental Limited and Carol, Emma and Daisy Welsh.

A decision on this appeal is expected by the end of August 2022.

Manufacturing Solutions Ireland, Returns To Limerick.

An expanded Manufacturing Solutions Ireland returns to Limerick to meet the needs of the Irish and UK precision industry, in a post Brexit & Covid economy.

New Manufacturing Technology Zone will showcase multi-million euro machines never before seen in Ireland and flown in for the event.

Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2022 is returning to the Technological University of the Shannon, Moylish Campus, Limerick [(TUS) with campuses in Thurles, Limerick, Clonmel, Ennis and Athlone), on June 15th and 16th, with an expanded two-day offering to meet the post Brexit and post Covid demands of the Irish and UK precision engineering industry.

In it’s fourth year, and first post Brexit, the popular event hosted by GTMA and TUS has been extended to include the multi million euro Manufacturing Technology Zone and the inaugural Digitalisation of Manufacturing Conference, alongside the traditional manufacturing supply chain roadshow and popular “Meet the Manufacturer.”

Note: The Gauge and Tool Makers Association (GTMA) is a UK-based trade association representing leading companies in precision engineering, rapid product development, toolmaking, tooling technologies, metrology and other critical manufacturing related products and services. It embraces technology, procurement and supply chain initiatives to offer solutions across a full range of business needs.
It also has a committed strategy to focus on major market sector opportunities, from aerospace and automotive to medical and marine.

The Manufacturing Technology Zone has attracted Irish based distributors and international companies such as Mills CNC, Hurco, Wenzel, Werth, Fanuc, Lister Machine Tools, ETG Ireland, Premier Machine Tools and Starrag who will be demonstrating their latest technology and machines. It is also anticipated that Starrag will bring a new machine to Manufacturing Solutions 2022, that has yet to be seen in the UK or Ireland.

Meanwhile, 150 of the most advanced providers of metrology, inspection, machine tools, work holding, cutting tools, and Cad/Cam/PLM manufacturing software and ancillary products and services will be exhibiting at the roadshow.

IDEAM (Irish Digital Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing) Cluster will deliver a two-day conference that will explore new innovative, smarter and sustainable ways of doing business, alongside key regional, national and international stakeholders.

Note: IDEAM (www.ideam.ie) is an innovative national industry cluster launched in April 2021 located in the heart of the Mid-West region supporting businesses to collaborate, innovate and grow. IDEAM assists manufacturing SMEs in digital transformation and our core aim is to unlock new opportunities for industry by working collectively.

The Meet the Manufacture event will once again provide the means by which leading manufacturers from aerospace, medical and materials processing companies will be available to meet directly with suppliers, manufacturers and service providers as part of this direct business-to-business matchmaking event.

GTMA Chief Executive Officer, Ms Julia Moore explained that the demand for the return of Manufacturing Solutions Ireland following a Covid-19 enforced hiatus was huge.
“Bringing all the leading technology suppliers together the GTMA and TUS are providing an ideal conduit for the transfer of technology from the specialist suppliers to the practical industrial landscape, where its take-up and practical application can be used to gain a competitive business advantage. The huge success of previous years has also led to the demand for an extended event this year, with an eagerness among those attending to encourage UK Irish trade relations.”

President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane said he was delighted to welcome the GTMA and Manufacturing Solutions Ireland back to the Moylish Campus, now home to Ireland’s third technological university – TUS.
“TUS is driving development and investment across the Midwest and Midlands, building on our commitment to ensure that manufacturing in the regions continues to adapt, change and remain at the cutting edge internationally.
Our partners in GTMA bring all the leading technology suppliers together at Manufacturing Solutions, so that industry can benefit from collective knowledge, products and technology. We are delighted to host an event that not only allows us to build strong partnerships but facilitates an exchange of ideas.”

Co-organiser and programme leader in Precision Engineering at TUS, Department of Mechanical and Automobile Engineering, Mr Ciaran O’Loughlin explained, “This event is about an exchange of ideas, learning about developments within precision engineering, introductions to the newest machines and technology, while providing an opportunity to do business. All of this takes place in a hospitable atmosphere with free parking and refreshments adding to the community feel of the event.”

Mr David Beattie, General Manager GTMA pointed to the continuous development of productive businesses relationships between Irish and UK since the first Manufacturing Solutions in 2017. “Manufacturing Solutions Ireland is in its fourth year, growing year on year, with even a global pandemic failing to stop its return. We believe the success of the event is due to the quality of the companies it attracts from the UK and Ireland each year, the flexibility of the event to adapt to the needs of the industry and the reputation it is quickly developing as an event to build professional relationships and do business. We are preparing for an even bigger and better event this year, and know those attending will not be disappointed.”

Manufacturing Solutions is sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, Irish Manufacturing Research, Regional Skills and FRS Recruitment and supported by PTMA and IDEAM.

For further information or to register to attend this free two-day event see manufacturingsolutions.ie.

Note: Given the popularity of the event – booking is advised.