Schrader expects customer base to double by 2015

Following the announcement that TPMS firm Schrader Electronics is to create over 100 jobs following a £29 million investment at the company’s Northern Ireland operations off the back of European funding and securing an OE supply deal for Ford Europe, the firm expects its customer base to double.

Invest Northern Ireland offered Schrader over £5 million of the investment part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), towards the investment projects. Of this, £1.9 million will support the expansion of the firm's production facilities, promote growth in the European and Asian markets and create a total of 130 new jobs, all of which will help the company target European and Asian markets. Schrader, which is part of the automotive and industrial division of Tomkins, already employs between 800 and 900 people in Antrim and Carrickfergus.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, the plans are already ahead of schedule with 110 of the new jobs in place putting the company in a good position to up its productivity in time for the implementation of mandatory TPMS fitment on new cars in 2012.

Schrader is also said to be undertaking a series of “significant research and development projects to explore new products and remain competitive in key markets and is to implement a major training initiative for its new and existing workforce.”

Graeme Thompson, financial director of Schrader Electronics said: “Our research and development projects will enhance the innovative culture in our operations and ensure that we have the depth of product range to satisfy more complex European markets.

Northern Irish enterprise minister Arlene Foster said the combination of investments and forthcoming investments mean “Schrader’s customer base is expected to double by 2015.”

BT to steer Schrader through IT upgrade

Two weeks after the investment news, Schrader announced that it was putting £500,000 upgrading computers in what the local newspapers called “one of the largest virtualisation projects of its kind on the island of Ireland.”

Working in conjunction with BT, Schrader will consolidate 100 computer servers down to eight, provide a network upgrade, new web-based security solutions and the supply of 65 new PCs.

Related news:

• 100 new jobs to result from Schrader/Ford TPMS deal

• Schrader introduces TPMS Expert centres to the UK

• TPMS to be part of MOT from 2012