A major new investment project by US multinational Xerox is set to provide some 2,000 jobs in Dundalk and Dublin, The Irish Times has learned. The company is investing substantially in the two locations to provide a European centre for its operations, including both manufacturing and tele-services facilities.
Full details of the biggest project won by IDA Ireland this year are set to be announced shortly; it is understood that the agency has already earmarked locations in Dundalk and in Dublin - probably to the west of the city - for the project. The 2,000 jobs are likely to be split evenly between the two locations.
The decision by Xerox to undertake such a major investment in Ireland is the biggest success for the IDA since last year's announcement that Boston Scientific, the healthcare company, was to create over 2,000 jobs in Galway and Cork. Xerox currently has a small operation in the Republic.
Like IBM - which is establishing a "campus" facility in Blanchardstown - Xerox has committed itself to a project which has a number of elements, including both high-technology manufacturing and tele-services.
In recent months, the IDA has placed particular emphasis on enticing multinational firms to establish their operations outside Dublin; this latest project, offering up some 1,000 jobs in Dundalk, supports such a strategy.
The investment also has particular appeal because of its mix of employment opportunities - with both manufacturing and call-centre operations, Xerox will seek a wide range of skills, from straightforward customer service to advanced electronics expertise.
The company, which has it headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, has almost 90,000 employees around the world. Its products range from copiers and fax machines to scanners, publishing systems and document management software. Corporate spokespersons say the company aims to help the customer "master the flow of information, from paper to electronic form and back".
Last year, it had total revenues of £12.8 billion and recorded after-tax profits of £1.1 billion. The company said its growth had been underpinned by strong sales of digital products, such as its new black-and-white copiers, as well as growth in publishing and colour copying.
The company also believes collaborations with other companies are necessary to keep customers happy. The list of companies Xerox has signed such agreements with includes several other technology giants with major European operations in Ireland, such as IBM, Microsoft and Digital.
According to company documents, Xerox is particularly proud of its industrial relations - many US staff are members of UNITE, the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees.
"Floor workers at the principal US manufacturing facilities in Webster, New York, are organised in production teams jointly administered by management and the union," the company says.
"Quality specifications are posted for each product, and any worker can stop assembly work to address a problem. State-of-the-art technology includes the use of robots for repetitive assembly tasks where possible. Adjustable work stations relieve physical stress and ensure ergonomically sound work habits," says the document.