Andor open high tech facility in West Belfast

A new £6 million factory for Andor Technology at Springvale Business Park in West Belfast was opened today by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment Barry Gardiner.

The new premises will enable the company to grow its operations and exploit its lead in the electro-optical technology market. The Invest Northern Ireland-backed investment will result in the company increasing its workforce from 110 to 170 by the end of 2006.

Mr Gardiner said: “Andor’s commitment to research and development and to global marketing of its leading edge products has resulted in steady and profitable growth for the company over the last five years.

“These new state-of-the-art premises increase the company’s capability in continuing product innovation and development and will help it achieve the ambitious growth targets it has set for itself.

“Companies like Andor highlight Northern Ireland's reputation as a world class centre of excellence in the leading edge technology required for the growing life sciences and nano-technology markets. Northern Ireland’s Regional Innovation Strategy 'think|create|innovate' has identified both of these sectors as priority areas in which we have the facilities and capabilities to compete internationally".

Mr Gardiner said that Andor was an "excellent example" of how university research can be successfully exploited commercially.

Dr Hugh Cormican, Managing Director of Andor Technology, said: “Andor’s objective is to be the market leader in specialist scientific cameras for Original Equipment Manufacture and research requirements. We will continue investing in R&D and in our global sales and marketing capacity in the US, Europe and Japan.

“The new facility gives us the opportunity to implement new manufacturing processes that will greatly reduce our total process time and increase efficiency, productivity and profitability".

Andor Technology, which moved to the Springvale site in 1997, designs, develops and manufactures specialist scientific cameras.

The investment involves the expansion of the company's research, development and manufacturing facilities.

Andor was originally formed as a spin out from research at Queen’s University and maintains close links with the establishment.

(SP)