THE British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, sent a special message of congratulations to US computer company Seagate Technologies on its commitment to create more than 1,000 new jobs in Derry.
Management at the Derry factory, which makes heads for computer discs, yesterday announced 1,125 new jobs doubles its workforce in the city.
Seagate is already the world's leading manufacturer of disc drives for the computer industry and has plants at Derry and Limavady in Northern Ireland and Clonmel in the Republic.
The company has enjoyed spectacular success since coming to Derry in 1993 and has increased its workforce in the city almost on a yearly basis.
Explaining the reasons behind thee latest increase, Seagate vice president, Dr Brendan Hegarty, said the company was expanding to keep pace with the evergrowing demand for components.
The new facility which will open in December 1998, will bring the total workforce at Seagate's Derry site to 2,200 and to 3,000 overall in Northern Ireland. The company is also understood to be examining the establishment of a major new plant in Cork.
The massive jobs boost was announced by new Northern Ireland economic development minister, Mr Adam Ingram, who described Seagate's success as "a stunning story and a tremendous endorsement of Northern Ireland."
In a surprise development, the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, sent a message of congratulations to the company. Mr Blair had been invited to announce the new jobs but declined because of other commitments He said the news was good for Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.
