Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, officially opened the €16 million facility at Midland Steel in Portlaoise yesterday, which will see the full automation of the rebar cutting and bending process, providing offsite manufacturing of a finished product ready for concrete placement.

The jobs will be rolled out over the next three years, including available positions for engineers, robotic technicians, estimators, BIM modellers, mechanical and electrical technicians and steel fixers.

Midland Steel’s new FasterFix technology enables developers to achieve 75 percent reduction in total build time while requiring 80 percent less onsite labour. Among the projects where the technology has been utilised is the Harcourt Plaza in Dublin 2. John Paul Construction, the building contractors, reported a 75 percent reduction in the steel fixing programme on the new development.

“The official opening of our Portlaoise SMART facility marks a pivotal and proud moment for out family-owned business”, Tony Woods, Founder of Midland Steel, announced. “The FasterFix modular rebar technology, which we have developed, offers significant benefits for construction projects by reducing installation times and lowering capital costs.”

Minister Burke welcomed the announcement, adding that “Midland Steel’s innovative FasterFix technology is already transforming efficiency in the construction industry at home and abroad, and it is fantastic to see an Irish company making such impressive inroads across Europe and beyond”.

Originally established in 1998, Midland Steel has supplied materials for major projects, including the Aviva Stadium, Croke Park, and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.