Business

Quinn Cement spends £2.5m to upgrade export base at Warrenpoint harbour

Warrenpoint Harbour Authority CEO Peter Conway, left agreed the deal with Quinn Industrial Holdings CEO Liam McCaffrey
Warrenpoint Harbour Authority CEO Peter Conway, left agreed the deal with Quinn Industrial Holdings CEO Liam McCaffrey Warrenpoint Harbour Authority CEO Peter Conway, left agreed the deal with Quinn Industrial Holdings CEO Liam McCaffrey

QUINN Cement is to build five new cement silos at Warrenpoint Harbour in a £2.5 million investment.

The silos will have total storage capacity of 7,500 tonnes and will be dedicated to the export of Quinn's products.

The Fermanagh-based company has signed a 10-year deal with the harbour which construction work expected to be complete by September.

Quinn Cement said it was one half of a strategy aimed at increasing its presence in the British cement and construction markets.

It is also extending its storage and distribution centre at Crown Wharf, Rochester where it is constructing two additional storage silos bringing its total capacity there to 7,400 tonnes. Work on that extension is due to finish at the end of this month.

Quinn said the building work at Warrenpoint would support 20 jobs but would also "increase job opportunities" at its facilities in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan and Derrylin.

It is also in discussions about setting up a second import facility in Britain.

Liam McCaffrey, CEO of Quinn Industrial Holdings Limited, the holding company for Quinn Cement, said it was "a very significant development for the business which will allow us to provide an even stronger service offering to our UK customers as well as creating additional local job-opportunities servicing the growing UK construction sector".

"We are delighted to be associated with Warrenpoint Harbour Authority who have been extremely good to work with. I believe this is a strong message of confidence for both our organisations, the local economy generally and a clear demonstration of commitment to our customers.”

The harbour chief executive Peter Conway added: "This new ten-year agreement and capital investment project consolidates an already excellent business relationship between Warrenpoint Port and Quinn Cement and creates a significant economic benefit for the Harbour and the Northern Ireland economy."