315 technology jobs for Ennis

15 Dec 2008

Christmas has come early for the people of Ennis, Co Clare, in the form of 315 jobs, which will be created by Microsemi Corporation as part of an IDA Ireland-supported investment.

Microsemi designs and manufactures high-performance analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs) and discrete high-reliability (hi-rel) semiconductors.

These high-reliability chips are used in devices that need to perform under the most extreme conditions in which failures can be very costly, for example chips for regulating pacemakers, high-temperature diodes for oil drilling and transistors for aircraft engines.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD, congratulated the management and existing workforce of Microsemi in Ennis.

“This is excellent news for Ennis and the greater mid-west region, and is testament to the depth and quality of the workforce available here,” Minister Coughlan said.

“This expansion is a clear demonstration of Ireland’s premier position as a leading location for premium overseas high-tech manufacturing investments.”

The chief executive of Microsemi, James J Peterson, said that 115 of the positions have already been recruited, with the remaining 200 workers in place in the next 18 months.

“Microsemi Ireland is a flagship facility acting as a gateway between the European and US marketplaces for Microsemi,” Petersen said.

“It is a shining example within the greater Microsemi family in terms of its day-to-day operational efficiency and long-term potential for growth.

“The size and scale of our investment in the Ennis facility is a direct reflection of the calibre and talent of our existing workforce, coupled with our faith in the exceptional standard of the high-quality recruits available within this region.”

“I would like to extend our gratitude to IDA Ireland for its assistance with this expansion and compliment it on the role it has played in the growth of our Irish operation since our arrival here in 1992,” Petersen said.

By John Kennedy

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com