At the announcement of 300 new jobs in Kirby Group Engineering, (L to r): Eve Cassidy, Civil Engineer, Kirby Group Engineering; Mark Flanagan, Group Managing Director, Kirby Group Engineering; An Taoiseach Micheál Martin; and Paul Lynam, Apprentice, Kirby Group Engineering.

Kirby Group Engineering has announced plans to create 300 new jobs as part of a significant expansion to meet the demand for its services in Ireland and across Europe.

The family-founded, privately-owned company says the new jobs will include engineering, commercial, operations and administrative staff, with recruitment for many of these roles already underway. As part of this recruitment drive, Kirby is looking to attract almost 100 people to be deployed across its hugely successful apprenticeship scheme and graduate programme.

Kirby has also announced a significant structural investment, comprising a €2m plan to upgrade its company headquarters in Co Limerick. The company currently employs over 1,200 people, with 200 new employees having joined during 2020.

Cutting edge of construction

Speaking at the announcement, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “Today’s announcement of an additional 300 jobs represents another great milestone for Kirby Group Engineering, Limerick and the wider mid-west region. We want Ireland to be a great location and a competitive location to start and scale businesses just like this. Kirby’s expansion is testament to the skills and talent this country has to offer, and I note in particular the value the company places on graduates and apprentices in shaping its future. I wish everyone at Kirby Group Engineering many more decades of success.”

Kirby currently operates in seven countries around Europe, and its expansion has been greatly supported by Enterprise Ireland. CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Leo Clancy, said: “At Enterprise Ireland, we welcome this significant announcement by Kirby Group as they invest in the mid-west region and right across Ireland. Our global network has been delighted to help to support the company’s operations and growth in new overseas markets where they provide high-value services in mission-critical applications for global customers across multiple sectors.”

Mark Flanagan, Group Managing Director, Kirby Group Engineering, commented, “I’m very proud to unveil this expansion plan at our Limerick headquarters on a landmark day for Kirby. This announcement, coupled with recruitment last year despite the global pandemic, will result in our team growing by 500 in two years. Our team is making fantastic inroads at the cutting edge of construction across Europe, and the people we welcome onboard in this phase will be a vital support to the future of the company”.

Kirby headquarters expansion

The construction phase of the Limerick expansion is projected to take six months, with the facility expected to be operational by the end of 2021.

Limerick native Ruairi Ryan, who is an associate director with Kirby, is taking on the role of business unit leader for the Munster region to lead this expansion. He says: “This announcement demonstrates our commitment to our staff and customers in this part of Ireland, which set us on the road towards an exciting journey of growth. I have been with Kirby since serving my time as an apprentice, and it’s a real honour to lead the company forward in a region I know so well. I look forward in particular to working with the new intake of apprentices and graduates, as they chart their careers using the Kirby Way”.

About Kirby Group Engineering

Since its foundation in 1964, Kirby Group Engineering has built a reputation for being a trusted provider of mechanical and electrical engineering and construction services. The company has significant operations across Ireland, the UK and is establishing a solid foothold in mainland Europe. The company is predicting turnover in 2021 of €360m.

Most of Kirby’s growth in the next 12 months will come from constructing new data centre projects while also meeting the demands of its customer base across life sciences, industrial, commercial and energy sectors.