Truck sabotage investigated at former Quinn firm

Police on both sides of the Border are investigating attempts to sabotage trucks belonging to Seán Quinn’s old manufacturing business.

The business, now called Quinn Industrial Holdings, has been the focus of growing tensions around its Cavan-Fermanagh base recently. A spokesman confirmed yesterday that, on a number of occasions, "foreign substances have been introduced to company vehicle engines", an act that threatened to damage the trucks.

“These incidents have been reported to the relevant authorities,” the spokesman said. It is understood the company does not know who was responsible.

A group of Mr Quinn’s former colleagues, led by chief executive Liam McCaffrey, now runs the business, while its founder works there as a consultant on manufacturing and customer relations. It is understood differences emerged between Mr Quinn and management over his role after he returned late in 2014. He originally believed he would have a bigger part in the business.

Local criticism

A local organisation, Concerned Irish Citizens, recently began criticising on its Facebook page the way in which the firm is being run. It questioned management’s commitment to investing in the business.

The organisation, drawn from the area, originally wanted to see Mr Quinn reinstated at the head of the group he founded, but which came under the control of the Irish Banking Resolution Corporation in the financial crisis.

Trade union Unite, which represents workers in Quinn Building Products and also Encirc (formerly Quinn Glass), has offered to mediate.

Branch chairman Pádraig Murphy said the union knew that Quinn Building Products workers had concerns over “recent divisions” within management at Quinn Industrial Holdings. He confirmed that Unite has repeatedly offered to mediate between all the parties to help safeguard jobs and to protect its members’ interests.

Campaign of intimidation

“For more than a year, Unite has been demanding an end to the ongoing campaign of intimidation and sabotage in the area,” he said. “We have met political parties, both North and South, to raise our concerns. But, with the exception of First Minister

Arlene Foster

and

Brendan Smith

TD, they have remained silent on the issue.

“There has been little to no action by police or relevant agencies either side of the Border.”

Mr Murphy pointed out that when Encirc was sold to Spanish-based Vidrala, Unite secured a commitment from the new owners to upgrade its furnaces and negotiated a substantial deal for members going to work for the new owner.

Quinn Industrial Holdings plans to begin replacing its old fleet of trucks and to upgrade machinery. The group is in the middle of a €20 million investment round, backed by US bondholders Brigade, Contrarian and Silver Point.

It will shortly publish results showing that sales and profits last year far outstripped 2014.