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Industry in Galway just got greener as Thermo King announced
that it will be designing new environmentally-friendly technology
at its plant in the city.
Thermo King, which designs and manufactures transport refrigeration
equipment, is to undertake research and design work on environmentally-friendly
technology at its long-established Galway facility.
The project, which is being supported by IDA Ireland, will
see the firm try to build the platform for the next generation
of refrigeration units for the European, Africa and Middle
East markets. New products will be designed to be both greener
and more cost-efficient by consuming less energy than current
alternatives.
"This development will have a strategic corporate impact
and the Research and Design initiatives will play a very significant
part in the Ingersoll-Rand strategy - ‘Progress is greener
with Ingersoll-Rand’" - said the Minister for Enterprise,
Trade and Employment Micheál Martin. "The Thermo King
Galway facility will now lead its Corporation in this ‘green’
technology and this is a measure of the facility’s position
within the parent company and recognition for its successes
in R&D; over the years."
Thermo King became part of the Ingersoll-Rand Corporation
in 1997 and is part of its Climate Control Technologies division.
Based in Galway since 1976, Thermo King originally manufactured
truck and trailer refrigeration units for the European market.
However, its remit has grown considerably over the years and
this latest move will see the Galway firm conducting R&D
work on Trailer Cryogenics Products, for example. These products
provide high-performance transport temperature control with
zero emissions from refrigerant or engine sources.
The move also marks a jobs boost for the city. Thermo King's
Galway operation already employs over 600 people and this
new project will add a further 19 new positions.
Thermo King's Galway management said the city was succeeding
on the jobs front because of the quality of staff available.
Cormac MacDonncha, Plant Manager and site leader stated -
“These highly innovative leading-edge projects are critical
to the success of the Galway site. Research and Design is
an integral part of our business model in Galway. We have
the opportunity to design and manufacture the next-generation
environmentally-friendly products for our customer base in
Europe, Africa and the Middle East."
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