Business

Carrickfergus manufacturer Yelo looks to grow global business with new facility

Yelo has officially opened its new 25,000 sq ft facility at Trooperslane Industrial Estate, Carrickfergus. Pictured are Invest NI chief executive Alastair Hamilton and Yelo managing director Richard Furey
Yelo has officially opened its new 25,000 sq ft facility at Trooperslane Industrial Estate, Carrickfergus. Pictured are Invest NI chief executive Alastair Hamilton and Yelo managing director Richard Furey Yelo has officially opened its new 25,000 sq ft facility at Trooperslane Industrial Estate, Carrickfergus. Pictured are Invest NI chief executive Alastair Hamilton and Yelo managing director Richard Furey

A CO Antrim manufacturer is planning for the future after unveiling new state of the art premises in Carrickfergus.

Test equipment manufacturing firm, Yelo has opened a new multi-million pound facility at Trooperslane Industrial Estate, which it hopes will allow the company to grow business worldwide and staff numbers.

Yelo purchased the 3.5 acre site from Invest NI and constructed its purpose built 25,000 sq ft facility in less than two years. The high spec mechanical and electrical manufacturing facility boasts a clean room, anti-static flooring and a flexible production layout to suit business needs.

Yelo managing director, Richard Furey said the new base is a "significant achievement in the history of the business".

“Our new site offers the amenities we need to continue to grow in our target markets," he said.

"With Invest NI’s continued support we have been able to develop our advanced technology through R&D assistance and then to bring the technology to market by means of trade missions, particularly the US market, still our biggest and now our most successful source of business. We want to continue to increase market share in our target areas by developing new and complementary products. Our new facility will enable us to accommodate the additional staff and production levels we need to deliver this vision.”

Invest NI provided £243,000 towards the construction project and chief executive Alastair Hamilton said the new facilitate will support the company’s continued growth in North America, Asia and Europe.

“The investment that this high tech company is making in Carrickfergus is a positive endorsement of both Northern Ireland’s manufacturing industry and the expertise of its skilled workforce.The company has experienced an increasing demand for its products. This new state of the art building, constructed with our support, gives Yelo the additional capacity and capability to win and fulfil larger projects for its growing, global customer base."

Peter McRoberts, business acquisition manager at Danske Bank, added: “Danske Bank is proud to have supported Yelo in the construction of its new premises and, more importantly, to be supporting the company as it continues to grow and develop. Yelo is a great example of an innovative Northern Ireland company, which is dealing in a fast moving, global industry with top tier tech companies as clients."

Yelo designs, develops and manufactures sophisticated automated test equipment for testing and measuring the performance of lasers, radar systems and electronic products. Its customers include high-end manufacturing/software development companies such as Cisco and Schneider Electric.