Over 20 jobs to be created at new £2m Topframe Engineering plant
A new 30,000 sq ft Topframe Engineering factory is set to be built in Castledawson thanks to investment of £2m.
The company, a specialist in structural and general engineering, machine design and fabrication, currently operates across two sites in Castledawson and Portglenone.
The new facility will allow the business to focus its operations at its primary site in Castledawson, significantly improving efficiency.
Announcing the investment of £1.96million by the firm, Economy Minister Conor Murphy said: “This investment is a significant boost for mid-Ulster, creating 22 skilled jobs with competitive salaries while enhancing Topframe’s overall productivity.
“I’m pleased to see the new factory and equipment will help the company achieve an almost 40 per cent rise in productivity per employee.
“This investment will open doors for Topframe to secure new export contracts and accelerate its growth. I’m also encouraged by the company’s commitment to achieving ISO 14001 Environmental Accreditation, which supports our goal of transitioning to a net zero economy.”
Topframe Engineering currently employs 26 staff. The new factory will be built on its 14 acre site adjacent to the existing facility.
Matt Connery, Topframe Engineering’s managing director, stated: “We’ve bold growth plans for the next three to five years, including significant investments such as refurbishing and expanding our Castledawson factory and building a new, state-of-the-art 5,000 sq ft office block.
“These investments will drive an increase in sales within the structural steel industry, materials processing industry and our Biddy Attachments brand, positioning us to expand into new markets beyond NI.”
Invest NI is supporting the investment with a capital grant as well as technical assistance to help the company install a software system that will optimise operations across all aspects of the business.
Brendan McGuigan, director of advanced manufacturing and engineering in Invest NI, commented: “Topframe has doubled its turnover over the past five years, a testament to the company’s commitment to innovation.
"Its plans for new products continue to reflect that ongoing focus, and earlier this year, it was awarded silver recognition through our Invest NI Innovation Assessment. The addition of a graduate design engineer among the 22 new roles will strengthen the company’s design capabilities.
“This investment will provide the infrastructure, skills, and operational efficiency needed to increase its sales outside NI to 40 per cent of turnover by the end of 2026.”