Green light for €15m investment in Portlaoise

PORTLAOISE has received a major boost, with plans for a €15m headquarters and logistics hub.

Laois county councillors have approved the sale of a 3.71 hectare site, based in the J17 National Enterprise Park at Togher, to the highly successful Camsaw Group.

The approval today paves the way for Camsaw to construct a €15m purpose-built headquarters and logistics hub at the strategic location beside the M7 motorway.

Construction is due to be completed in 2028 and the hub will create significant job opportunities, with the company’s workforce expected to grow from its current level of 42 to more than 65 once the development reaches its full potential.

At their July monthly meeting, councillors unanimously agreed to the disposal of a plot at the enterprise park for €1.8 million plus VAT to Camsaw Distributors Ltd, currently based at Portarlington Business Park.

The proposal was moved by Cllr Aidan Mullins (Ind) and seconded by Cllr Barry Walsh (FG).

A family-owned business founded in 1987 by Philip and Rose Carney, Camsaw has grown into one of Ireland’s leading distributors of garden and forestry machinery, outdoor power equipment and third-party fulfilment services. It is now run by the second generation of the family, Paul and Frances Carney, with celebrity gardener Diarmuid Gavin as brand ambassador.

Camsaw Group comprises Camsaw Distributors Ltd, Camsaw Distribution NI and One Stop Fulfilment, supplying more than 600 retailers across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

In a statement about the Portlaoise venture, the owners said: ‘Our ambition is to continue growing our businesses, investing in the latest technology and creating an environment where our people, customers and supplier partners can thrive.

‘This new headquarters gives us the platform to achieve that while reaffirming our long-term commitment to Laois and the midlands.’