THE German media company Bertelsmann is expanding its Irish operations with a £10 million investment which is expected to lead to 200 new jobs over the next three years.
Bertelsmann intends to enlarge its Sonopress CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory) plant in Balbriggan, Co Dublin and to establish an associated software service facility in a new location in north Co Dublin.
This represents the second investment decision in Ireland by Bertelsmann in recent months. In December the company announced the setting up of a joint venture operation with American Online at the East Point Business Park in Dublin. This on line services project is expected to employ 3001 people by 1997 and over 500 by the end of the decade.
Sonopress was formed in 1994 with an investment of £3.7 million. Serving the fast growing European CD ROM market the company now employs 50 people. It expects to add 300 new jobs at Balbriggan within about four years.
The north Co Dublin location for the new services facility has not yet been decided. But the operation will offer services to the software and hardware industries in the Irish and British markets.
Based in Gutersloh in Germany, Bertelsmann employs 57,000 around the world. The group is involved in book, magazine and newspaper publishing and distribution, music and entertainment, radio, television, video, printing and manufacturing.
