THREE of the world's top four connector manufacturers for computers and telecommunications equipment now have major IDA Ireland supported operations in Ireland with the announcement that Berg Electronics is to establish a £7.4 million plant in Fermoy, Co Cork.
The American company plans to manufacture a wide range of connectors at the Fermoy facility, primarily for use in the computer and telecommunications industries, employing 310 people over the next three years moving into a 4,000 sq m building constructed by local entrepreneur, Mr Tom Cavanagh, in conjunction with the Fermoy Enterprise Board.
The official announcement of the arrival of Berg was made yesterday by Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Mr Hugh Coveney. He said Berg was a welcome addition to the Irish electronics industry both as a manufacturer and as an existing supplier to leading companies in the telecommunications and computer industries.
Mr James Mills, chairman and chief executive of Berg, said Ireland was selected as its third European location because the country was pro business, offered a competitive economic environment, had a workforce among the best educated in Europe if not the world and was close to Berg's key global clients.
He added that Berg chose Fermoy because of the immediate availability of a building and the town's experience in supporting other major electronics companies.
Berg, which has its headquarters in St Louis, Missouri, is the fourth largest worldwide supplier of connector, socket and cable assembly products with sales of more than £440 million in 1995. The company employs 5,700 people worldwide at its 20 manufacturing and research facilities in The Netherlands, France, the USA, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Korea, Mexico and India.
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