Montupet has won a major order from a customer in eastern Europe to produce cylinder heads for car engines at its plant in Dunmurry, just outside Belfast. The French manufacturing group, which produces cylinder heads for General Motors, Ford, Peugeot and Citroen, said that this contract is expected to be worth around £140 million over six years.
Montupet is investing £14 million in new equipment and will produce around 450,000 cylinder heads a year for this customer. It has had an operation in Dunmurry for 25 years and employs more than 600 people; it delivers its products to engine plants in the UK, France, Turkey, Romania, South Africa and China.
Jim Burke, Montupet UK’s managing director, said: “Combined with an order received just four weeks ago, this new order will secure more than 100 jobs from 2018 onwards, which is great news for the future of the plant and for our employees. We have the capacity to produce roughly 1.5 million heads a year, so this is around 30% of our future business, and the order was won against competition from all over Europe, including eastern Europe.”
Alan Malcomson, product and process development manager at Montupet UK, said: “Montupet’s commitment to investing in training and expanding the skills of its employees, embracing new technology and improving processes, positions Montupet Dunmurry at the leading edge of casting-industry efficiency and excellence. This contract will sustain jobs and secure the company’s long-term future in international markets.”