Engineering giant opens new R&D facility in Dundalk

Swedish-Swiss engineering and automation behemoth ABB has opened a new research and development centre for the paper and pulp industry in Dundalk, Co Louth, that it says has the potential to create up to 30 jobs in the area.

On Monday the Zurich-headquartered multinational, which makes software and hardware for manufacturing industries, said the “multimillion dollar” investment is “at the heart” of its offering to the paper sector, and will be home to the “ongoing evolution” of its ABB quality control system (QCS).

The company’s QCS products allow paper and pulp companies to monitor their processes to, among other things, automatically control their output of waste.

ABB said its “vision” for the centre, which will incorporate new technologies like 3D printing and collaborative robots, is to “develop solutions that respond to global trends” and meet sustainability goals.

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Speaking at the opening of the new facility, Minister of State for Trade Dara Calleary, said it was a “very welcome investment for Louth and the wider region”.

“ABB’s new centre here in Dundalk will support technology advancement in the pulp and paper industry with the creation of up to 30 new highly-skilled jobs to the area. The new R&D facility will provide an exciting space for innovation to help papermakers in areas such as waste reduction, reducing emissions, including finding new ways of reaching sustainability goals.”

The facility is supported by IDA Ireland, which secured ABB’s initial presence in Dundalk in the 1980s.

“ABB’s pulp and paper business grows year on year, and this investment into our quality control systems’ development will allow us to sustain our global market leadership and push the industry forward for the next generation of papermakers,” said Joachim Braun, president of ABB’s process industries division said.

“With Ireland ranked in the top 10 EU countries for innovation and boasting the fourth highest international share of workforce in the EU, it is the perfect location for our new R&D site. From this base we will continue to advance the future of the industry and pioneer new technologies to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

ABB, which employs some 105,000 people globally, reported revenues of $29.5 billion (€27.9bn) in 2022.