CO ANTRIM company Randox has announced it is creating 160 jobs for engineers in response to the surge in demand for its Covid-19 testing kits.
Crumlin-based Randox Laboratories became one the first European firms to develop a testing kit for coronavirus.
The company has been selling them worldwide and is also now supplying the UK Government.
In response to the demand, Randox is recruiting 160 mechanical, electrical and manufacturing engineers.
The company said the engineers, due to begin work at the Randox Science Park from the middle of May, will be involved in the fast-tracked development of specialist molecular analysers used to detect the presence of Covid-19.
Randox said the testing platforms will be used to help the UK Government’s ramp up its testing programme.
Invest NI is currently contacting companies which may be able to temporarily release staff to meet the demand.
Managing director Peter Fitzgerald said the company is interested in speaking to anyone with experience in mechanical, electrical or manufacturing engineering.
“To meet the unprecedented demand for COVID-19 testing, we have been redeploying our own personnel to various Covid-19 critical departments, but are now also recruiting for a number of specialist disciplines.”
Mr Fitzgerald said testing at scale is the most effective way to save lives and achieve a pathway back a more normal society.
“We continue to ramp up our COVID-19 testing capabilities – not only by increasing our production of testing kits, but also by accelerating the build schedule for the testing analysers on which the tests are performed,” he said.
“We are aiming, by working at maximum efficiency in a greatly accelerated time frame of 6-7 weeks, to manufacture 200 of our most state-of-the-art testing platforms, which will greatly enhance our testing capacity at Randox..
The managing director added: “Everyone at Randox has a vital role to play in the practical application of COVID-19 testing, and for engineers in particular, this is a unique opportunity to make a positive impact in the fight against COVID-19, by directly contributing in no small part to the national testing programme.”
