High tech jobs for town

MITIE – a top company with 56,000 employees – is building the technology centre in the Silverwood Industrial Estate to support its security systems across the UK and beyond.

The technology centre called - known as MiTec has received backing from Invest Northern Ireland, which has offered support of 259,000.

When complete in March next year, the state of the art facility will be the most advanced non-military installation in the UK.

It will provide remote monitoring of CCTV and alarm systems, vehicle tracking, lone worker support, helpdesks and screening and vetting services.

The centralised communications hub is the first of its kind in the UK. It will monitor buildings across the UK – including banks, corporate offices and business parks and transport hubs regardless of distance or location and has the capability to reach as far away as America and New Zealand.

Arlene Foster, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland formally announced the project and took a guided tour of the MiTec technology centre on Thursday to view early construction of the facility

The building will feature highly advanced security features in order to keep it secure. These include reinforced bombproof walls and “Mission Impossible” style vibration detecting floors, ceilings and walls that can sense intruders.

Bob Forsyth, Managing Director, Security said: “We are extremely proud to be in Lurgan to announce our partnership with Invest NI.

We chose Northern Ireland because it offers a commercially attractive, cost competitive location for the company as we seek to expand our service offerings and increase our market share.

“The decision to construct this facility is part of our ‘total security management’ approach which emphasises the important role technology can play in keeping buildings secure and future proof our approach.”

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: “MITIE is a major player in the UK security sector and has chosen to set up this facility in Lurgan because of the technical expertise available in the workforce, our excellent infrastructure and the support offered by Invest Northern Ireland.

“The jobs being created offer salaries above the private sector average and represent a real boost to the local economy.”

MITIE’s security business is part of the MITIE Group which employs over 56,000 people and provides facilities, property and asset management services. Its clients include Rolls-Royce, UBS and Marks & Spencer.

Bob Forsyth, Managing Director, Security, said: “MITIE is seeking to strengthen its total security management offering and meet the future needs of our clients by investing in risk based products and specialist services. Our new MiTec centre will not only use the latest technology to deliver cutting edge solutions to support and enhance our core offering, but will also enable our business to support MITIE in its growth aspirations outside of the UK market.

“We chose Northern Ireland because it offers a commercially attractive, cost competitive location for the company.”

Councillor Carla Lockhart welcomed the minister’s announcement: "I was delighted to hear of this great news for Lurgan and the surrounding area particularly at this time of economic hardship.

“I am pleased that MITIE which is a UK based company has decided to locate their state of the art technology centre within Lurgan and as a result creating 37 new jobs.

"This demonstrates that Lurgan is very much open for business and is a good news story for this area.”

Alderman Sam Gardiner, the Ulster Unionist Assembly Member for Upper Bann also welcomed the new centre and resulting 37 new jobs"

“These are jobs which offer salaries which are above the private sector average and represent the kind of employment we really need in Northern Ireland, " he said.

"I am grateful for the 259,000 support from Invest Northern Ireland to help secure these jobs. MITIE Security is a first rate firm and employs 56,000 people worldwide. The Lurgan jobs, I understand, relate to remote control security and support services.

“Every bit of good news like this on the jobs front is to be welcomed at a time when gloom hangs over the public sector with spending cuts likely.”

The Mayor of Craigavon Alderman Stephen Moutray said: “This is great news for Lurgan and good news for the Borough overall. The company chose Lurgan for a variety of reasons including workforce, infrastructure and cost competitive location.

"These attributes are well known in Craigavon and I am delighted that they are now being recognised externally. I wish MITIE Security and their workforce all the best and look forward to hearing of their success."