Seagate to create 95 R&D jobs in North

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY will invest almost £60 million in the North in two new research and development (R&D) projects that will create 95 jobs.

The US group, which employs 1,300 people at its plant in Derry, said the investment boost would “substantially enhance the importance and technical relevance of the Springtown plant”.

Seagate intends to create 85 R&D jobs in Derry and a further 10 related research posts at Queen’s University in Belfast.

Seagate has committed to invest £47.3 million in the project, which will be enhanced by grants totalling £12.7 million from Invest Northern Ireland.

The technology giant opened its wafer fabrication facility at Springtown Industrial Estate in Derry in 1993.

It uses advanced technology in the development and manufacture of read-write heads for hard drives.

The Springtown plant is the largest factory of its type and currently supplies over a million heads every day for Seagate disc drives.

In a gesture which underlines how significant the new R&D project is, both Steve Luczo, the chairman, chief executive and president of Seagate Technology, and Bob Whitmore, its executive vice-president and chief technology officer, travelled to Derry for the official investment announcement yesterday.

Speaking at the Springtown facility, Mr Luczo said the investment was “of major importance to Seagate globally”.

Mr Luczo said: “Technical innovation is the cornerstone of our success.

“And the decision to locate this important strategic RD investment in Northern Ireland is a measure of our confidence not only in the Springtown operation, but also in the wealth of intellectual talent available here.”