New €16m factory brings over 60 jobs to Laois
The new factory is located at the J17 Enterprise Park in Portlaoise
A NEW €16m factory in Portlaoise will bring more than 60 skilled jobs over the next three years.
Midland Steel’s fully automated SMART steel fabrication facility, at the J17 Enterprise Park in Togher, was officially opened this morning by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke.
The long-running firm, which opened in Mountmellick in 1998, says the state of the art facility will create 62 jobs over the next three years.
Roles will include engineering positions, robotic technicians, estimators, BIM modellers, mechanical and electrical technicians and steel fixers, all in a fully automated environment.
The company says the Midland Steel manufacturing facility is the first of its kind in Ireland. The SMART facility represents a major investment in full automation of the rebar cutting and bending process, providing off-site manufacturing of a finished product ready for concrete placement.
The company said: ‘The €16 million investment highlights Midland Steel’s commitment to modern methods of construction (MMC), showcasing their innovative modular rebar technology solution, FasterFix, that is transforming the construction industry, not only in Ireland but also internationally.’
The unique FasterFix technology offers an MMC for both housing foundations and concrete substructure and superstructure units. This cutting-edge solution enables developers to achieve a remarkable 75% reduction in total build time, requiring 80% less onsite labour and providing 30% reduction in prelim costs for clients to set new standards for efficiency and productivity in the industry.
In advance of the opening, Minister Burke said: “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."
The significant investment by Midland Steel in Laois not only reinforces Ireland’s leadership in Modern Methods of Construction but also creates highly skilled jobs in engineering, robotics, and BIM modelling —securing the future of our construction industry. I congratulate Tony Woods and his team on this milestone and look forward to seeing Midland Steel continue to push the boundaries of innovation in construction.”
The new facility at Portlaoise represents a significant milestone for Midland Steel, reinforcing its position as a pioneer in construction innovation. Traditional manual steel fixing operations, involving loose bar cutting and bending to steel fixing on-site, have now been replaced with pre-assembled FasterFix modules, designed and detailed by Midland Steel. This approach brings to industry the leanest, greenest, and most sustainable solutions from this facility, with substantial improvements in health and safety.
With the Irish Government’s commitment to building 300,000 homes by 2030 as outlined in the Programme for Government document, Midland Steel’s innovative modern methods of construction, including FasterFix and Ready Mesh technology, are ideally positioned to support these targets. By enabling faster, more efficient building processes, Midland Steel’s solutions will help meet these ambitious goals without requiring an increase in workforce numbers from outside of Ireland.
The SMART facility enables seamless integration from 3D digital modelling to a finished product without any manual intervention, improving manufacturing capacity by 60% and making Midland Steel more competitive in the market. The facility achieves 0% waste and has reduced emissions, positioning Midland Steel as the most sustainable offsite rebar provider in Europe.
Midland Steel founder Tony Woods described the official opening of the Portlaoise SMART facility as "a pivotal and proud moment" for the family-owned business.
He said: "This state-of-the-art advanced fabrication facility in Portlaoise enables us to offer exceptional service, increased capacity and even greater speed and savings to our clients worldwide. I am particularly proud that our HQ remains in Mountmellick, where our business was founded in 1990, and our Portlaoise facility marks a significant step forward in the company’s expansion. We are delighted to make this investment in the midlands region.”
The new Midland Steel facility is part of an ambitious growth strategy, with plans to expand both its operational capacity and its global footprint. The company projects strong revenue growth over the next three years, with an expected €35million increase driven by innovation and expansion. With established plants in the UK and Norway, Midland Steel is poised for further overseas expansion, delivering cutting-edge solutions to new international markets.
Originally operating as Midland Formwork in 1990, Midland Steel was founded in 1998. Midland Steel has grown into a market leader in rebar solutions, providing innovative and efficient technologies through modern methods of construction to clients across the industry. With a strong commitment to sustainability, innovation, and excellence, the company continues to set new standards for the sector.
