Minister will open Valeo extension

By TOM GILMORE A MAJOR extension to the Valeo Plant in Tuam will be officially opened by Minister of State John Perry at 12 noon today (Wednesday). Valeo, the French multinational automotive system supplier, which is Tuam's biggest employer, is to increase its workforce by 100 to approximately 550 and the building of extensions to its plant at Dunmore Road has been completed on schedule. [private] Valeo continues to be Tuam's big success story and its plans to double its research and development staff numbers here from 100 to 200 has resulted in the company recruiting engineers from Ireland and abroad. The company has been hiring engineers from degree up to PhD level in all disciplines; electronic hardware design, embedded software development, system engineering test and validation for the new Tuam facility. In July 2007 when the former Connaught Electronics plant was purchased by Valeo it employed 280. The French firm has over 50 million employees worldwide, and while the company manufacture over 100 products for the automotive industry, Tuam is the headquarters for the manufacture of camera systems for cars and other vehicles. This latest investment in Tuam will solidify the standing of the plant in the global development of cameras for cars, which is a market with huge growth potential, especially in the USA where 15 million cars a year are sold. Valeo supply the premium European car companies: BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, VW, Audi and Volvo and they have launched plans for cameras for other leading car manufacturers. The latest investment in Valeo's operations in Tuam is €17 million and the 100 high-skilled positions are being created over the next three years. Increasing Valeo's workforce in Tuam will also have a hugely beneficial knock-on impact on many other businesses in the area. The firm also deals with some local outside contractors. [/private]