Lyons hails innovation and resilience of Thales Belfast

The Minister visited the Thales facility at Castlereagh where he received an update on the company’s Belfast and wider UK operations and viewed the business’s Covid safe working practices.

The Minister said: “Thales has a 60-year heritage in Northern Ireland in leading-edge, high technology engineering, employing around 500 people and sustaining a significant wider local supply chain. The company has shown great resilience through what has been a very challenging period, continuing to innovate and push the local engineering sector forward, whilst putting in place safe working practices for company staff.

“The company’s position as a global leader was underlined by its recent success in securing a significant contract from the Ministry of Defence and its impressive presence at the Defence and Security Equipment International Exhibition in London earlier this month.

“I found my visit to be engaging and enlightening, and I wish the company the very best for the future.”

Philip McBride, managing director of Thales Belfast, added: “We were delighted to host Minister Lyons at our facility in Castlereagh, where we showed him our leading edge technology, developed by Thales Belfast and underpinned by our supply chain in Northern Ireland.

“Our ongoing success allows us to continue to provide highly skilled jobs in Northern Ireland and supports the development of the next generation of engineering excellence, and we are incredibly grateful for the continued support of the Northern Ireland Executive and Invest Northern Ireland in that endeavour.”

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