Framespace invest €8m and aim to take on 150 people
Framespace Solutions, Ireland’s fastest growing offsite housing supplier, announced plans to hire 150 more staff as it officially opened a new manufacturing facility in Longford.
The company, who employ 100 people, have invested €8m in the refurbishment of the former Cameron Willis engineering works in the town, with support from Enterprise Ireland and the Longford Local Enterprise Office.
The 120,000 sq ft facility will initially allow Framespace to deliver 550 residential units per year, and the company expect adoption of offsite (or modular) housing to grow as housing completions rise to meet the government’s social and affordable housing targets.
Framespace plan to double output over three years, to a target output of c.1m sq ft by 2025, equating to more than 1,000 residential units.
Framespace plan to grow to over 250 staff over the next two years and are actively hiring for roles in design and engineering, plus general operative and semi-skilled positions.
Longford town has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, and, consistent with their hiring strategy to date, Framespace plan to recruit as much as possible from the local area, and to provide continuous training and development.
The Framespace building system allows for the manufacture of high quality and environmentally sustainable buildings in a factory-controlled environment.
Pre-finished floor, wall, and roof panels are manufactured in the facility in Longford and delivered to site, where they can be assembled in a matter of hours.
The system is certified for use in buildings up to seven stories and can reduce onsite construction duration by as much as 40%, compared to more traditional building methods.
Framespace see a large opportunity for growth in the Irish market given that offsite construction is less than 1% of total new residential units, compared to the UK market where it consists of between 8% and 10%.
With Ireland estimated to need 33,000 new homes per year till 2030 to address the housing crisis, there is pressure to accelerate delivery, and Framespace are ideally positioned.
In addition to speed, offsite housing construction benefits from a simplified supply chain and certainty of delivery. With the major design and engineering inputs completed off-site, there is a reduced dependency on ‘wet-trade’ labour and a reduction in programme delivery risk.
Most importantly, Framespace provides an environmentally sustainable solution that dramatically reduces the waste produced in the construction process.
All Framespace homes are designed to meet NZEB and BCAR compliance.
Framespace have a strong pipeline of projects and are looking to partner with Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), local authorities nd sector contractors and developers.
Framespace also have a strategic partnership with Tetrarch Capital’s housebuilding affiliate Tetrarch Homes, who are planning to use offsite housing to accelerate delivery of elements of their development pipeline.
Robert Troy TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, said: “Framespace are already regionally significant and key stakeholders in the construction sector, with strong export ambitions, and the news of their expansion in Longford is welcome.
“Framespace will play a pivotal role in the delivery of the Housing for All strategy by providing a sustainable alternative to traditional forms of construction.
“Today’s announcement is hugely important to the midlands and national economy, and a testament to the vision of the Framespace team. No doubt they will continue to grow from strength to strength and I wish them every success with their plans and the creation of 300 jobs over the next three years.”
Declan Murtagh, CEO of Framespace Solutions, added: “We all know Ireland has a housing crisis and offsite housing provides a solution that will help accelerate delivery of new homes as its adoption increases. We are proud to be opening the factory here in Longford today. The initial investment programme has provided us with the capacity to deliver over 500 new homes a year.
“During the next phase of our growth, we plan to add a further 150 people to our workforce with the aim of doubling our production levels by 2025. We are grateful to Enterprise Ireland, Longford County Council, the local community and our shareholders for their support and we look forward to growing our workforce here in Longford into the future.”
Leo Clancy, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, who have invested in the company, said: “Enterprise Ireland recently launched the ‘Built To Innovate’ campaign, which is an initiative under the government’s Housing For All plan. In that context, the scope for rapid expansion of modular housing in Ireland is clear and Framespace have an excellent offering in this growing market.
“I would like to congratulate the company on their plans to boost employment in the Longford area and we are delighted to be here to celebrate today’s announcement.”