CATERPILLAR is to invest more than £7 million in a major manufacturing project in Northern Ireland, the global engineering giant has said.
Making the announcement as management met the first and deputy first ministers in Chicago, Illinois, the group said its operation in the north would assemble some of its huge trademark yellow vehicles for its industrial and waste wing to be sold in international markets.
The project to start next summer will provide work for 100 people its plants in west Belfast, Larne and Monks-town in Co Antrim.
However, far more than that number have been made redundant in recent times at the former FG Wilson sites.
Last September it announced that 760 staff were to go, months after another 160 had been earmarked for departure while a further 500 position were expected to be lost with 70 per cent of production switching to China.
Those losses were tempered somewhat when Caterpillar said it would add 200 to the payroll at its financial services and human resources centre in the Springvale Industrial Estate in west Belfast.
That was supported by £1.7m in public money while the latest announcement comes after £1m from Invest NI and £220,000 from the Department of Employment and Learning.
First Minister Peter Robinson described the move as "extremely positive".
"Caterpillar has a long tradition of manufacturing and I welcome that this is the first manufacturing project to be located in Northern Ireland from outside the firm's electric power division."
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said: "Meeting with the company in the US has allowed us to cement relationships with management and assure them of our continued support for Caterpillar's growth and development".
The machines to be made are typically used by customers around the world for scrap sorting and handling, and forestry applications.
Caterpillar's operations director in the north Robert Kennedy said: "All Caterpillar Northern Ireland locations will benefit through the diversification of manufacturing, enabling us to continue to develop the skills and expertise of our local workforce."
"This expansion recognises the high standard of the facilities, processes and skills in Northern Ireland."
Jody Howard, general manager for Caterpillar's industrial and waste group, said: "We are making investments with a long-term view towards meeting our customers' needs while building an industry-leading range of products and support services from the base of operations in Northern Ireland."
Enterprise minister Arlene Foster said: "I travelled to Chicago in September 2012 to meet Caterpillar management and discuss its Northern Ireland operations. At that time this project was at an early stage and the company was looking at other sites outside Northern Ireland."
Employment and learning minister Stephen Farry said: "As the chair of the advanced manufacturing and engineering services working group I welcome this diversification by Caterpillar in Northern Ireland and the fact that part of the investment will be targeted at further enhancing core skills for the sector.
"Assured skills funding from my department will ensure that the organisation has the support necessary for training initiatives to develop the specific skills required."
PICTURE: Kelvin Boyes/
Press Eye