RLC, an international aerospace component production company, has announced plans to create 80 highly-skilled jobs as part of £35m investment to create a new 10,000sq m facility in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim.
As part of the investment, RLC will also be undertaking a research and development project to enable it to manufacture structural guide vanes at high production rates for the next generation of aircraft engines.
The investment was part-funded by Northern Ireland’s business development agency, Invest Northern Ireland, having offered almost £6.5m of support for the new facility and the R&D project.
RLC currently employs 258 staff in Northern Ireland and has a total global workforce of 850, and with this new hard-metal machine operation plant, its number of Irish manufacturing sites will be increased to five.
Speaking at the announcement, Northern Ireland’s Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Jonathan Bell welcomed the news that it would bring £2.8m in salaries, while also welcoming more jobs in the aerospace industry.
“The global aerospace sector is a dynamic one that will continue to grow for the foreseeable future,” said Minister Bell. “RLC’s investment secures its presence in Northern Ireland and demonstrates to the international aerospace community that this region represents a sound location for providing advanced manufacturing and engineering solutions.”
Aerospace component manufacturing image via Shutterstock
