IRELAND’S NATIONAL 5G TEST CENTRE OPENS N
ational 5G Test Centre is a unique combination of state-of-the-art
equipment and research excellence. RadioSpace is designed to provide a full range of services to developers of 4G mobile networks, IoT enabled products and future 5G and mmWave devices. Maynooth University has opened Ireland’s
National 5G Test Centre. The state-of-the-art facility called RadioSpace, which represents an investment of €1.5 million, is the country’s first large-scale facility for the research and testing of radio and wireless technologies needed for 5G and the future Internet of Things. RadioSpace, the 5G facility at Maynooth
University will be open to large industry and SMEs and start-ups, and will provide a unique, large scale, interference-free facility for scientists and engineers from industry and universities, in Ireland and internationally. It will be one of the first of its kind in Europe. The facility consists of a specially constructed
anechoic chamber that provides perfect isolation for radio signals; nothing can enter and nothing can leave. This, with the advanced test equipment and specialist engineers, allows for very sensitive measurements to be made, essential for the development of modern wireless devices. RadioSpace connects industry and academic
researchers with the aim of addressing the full range of challenges in developing new technologies and products for the next generation of wireless devices. RadioSpace is designed to provide a full range of services to developers of 4G mobile networks, IoT enabled products and future 5G and mmWave devices. The €1.5 million facility, which has received
€638,000 funding from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), is part of CONNECT - the world- leading SFI Research Centre for Future Networks and Communications. This service is available to SMEs, and access can be facilitated via the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher scheme. This ensures that both SMEs and larger organisations can avail of the technology and expertise of researchers in Maynooth University. Speaking at the opening of the 5G Test
Centre, Minister John Halligan TD, Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, said: “I am delighted to see first-hand the National 5G test centre at Maynooth University. This high tech facility is very impressive and will assist Irish industry in developing future smart technology. I welcome the funding by my Department through Science Foundation Ireland and look forward to hearing
Image: Prof Ronan Farrell, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and Director of RadioSpace at Maynooth University, and Méabh Loughman, student at Maynooth University
about future technology announcements by industry using this 5G centre. The development of smart technology is not slowing down and I’m delighted that Maynooth University is at the forefront of this research.”
UK & IRELAND LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SECTOR DEALS RISE W
elcome to the June & July issue of Irish
Manufacturing. In this issue you’ll find a focus on oil & gas and features on boilers, pumps & valves, racking, shelving & storage, packaging plus much more. Please get in touch via my details on the contents page if you are interested in featuring in our next issue!
Rachel Tucker - Editor
UK transaction volumes in the logistics & supply chain management industry increased sharply in 2018, rising 48 per cent, according to accountancy and business advisory firm BDO’s latest Logistics & Supply Chain Management M&A Review. This was supported by continued investment from international buyers. Global deal activity remained
steady, with volumes up by 1.1 per cent, but with a significant shift to larger deals, with six mega deals – in excess of £1bn – announced globally in the 12-month period, and average deal value up 90 per cent. In contrast, the UK & Ireland average deal value dropped by 57 per cent, indicating a shift towards high
volumes of mid-market deals. This trend continued into Q1 2019, where UK deal activity outperformed Q1 in 2018 and 2017. Aggregate deal value was up, reaching £32.4bn globally and £830m in the UK & Ireland. Institutional investment into the
UK & Ireland increased by 14 per cent despite the industry having to manage the continued uncertainties of Brexit. The latest Q1 2019 GDP figures suggest the economy was resilient to these uncertainties by outperforming Europe. Jason Whitworth, M&A partner and logistics & supply chain management lead at BDO, explained: “In a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive market, the level of investment and transactional
activity in the Logistics and Supply Chain sector has remained strong. With a continued focus on change, there are pockets of real opportunity within the sector and businesses embracing technology and differentiating their service proposition represent extremely attractive investments.” BDO LLP has continued to
develop its significant credentials in the sector, advising on many deals including the sale of Core Management Logistics to Rhenus Logistics and the investment by Towerbrook Capital Partners in GBA Group.
For more information visit
www.bdo.co.uk/en-gb/home
HUHTAMAKI OPENS A PAPER STRAW MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN NORTHERN IRELAND H
uhtamaki celebrated the opening of its new, state-of-the-art foodservice
packaging manufacturing facility in Northern Ireland. The facility is located in the town of Antrim, near Belfast, and it is expected to employ approximately 100 people over the next few years. With the new facility Huhtamaki now has three manufacturing sites in Northern Ireland employing altogether approximately 560 people. The Antrim facility operates initially as a
dedicated paper straw manufacturing site. Going forward, Huhtamaki plans to expand the range of products manufactured at the site to other paper-based product categories. The first wave of manufacturing equipment is taken into
use during 2019 and further investments in additional manufacturing equipment are planned for 2020-2022. "At Huhtamaki we are continuously looking
for ways to improve the environmental performance of our products and to introduce new, more sustainable packaging innovations," says Ciaran Doherty, general manager for Huhtamaki Foodservice in Northern Ireland. "The launch of our paper straws is a good example of this. We are extremely proud to support our customers in their strategy to have a more sustainable and environmentally responsible supply chain by opening this new site." Huhtamaki paper straws are made with new,
purpose-built machinery to deliver a premium product. 100 per cent of the paper used for the straws and wrapping come from sustainably managed forests. Huhtamaki plans to expand paper straw manufacturing to further manufacturing units in Europe during 2019.
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