The US-based Copeland group has announced plans to invest £19 million at its Cookstown manufacturing site to meet the increasing demand for its heat pumps across Europe.
The global provider of sustainable climate solutions said it will significantly increase production capacity at the Co Tyrone compressor manufacturing facility.
It comes 12 months after private equity funds, managed by New York-based Blackstone, completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Emerson Climate Technologies in a $14 billion (£11bn) deal.
The deal saw the Emerson climate tech business rebranded as Copeland, after its compressor brand.
The £19m investment announced on Tuesday will involve a 38,000 sq ft expansion of the facility at Cookstown’s Ballyreagh Industrial Estate.
Copeland said it will establish new production lines, which will significantly increase overall plant production, doubling capacity and increasing flexibility to meet future demand.
“Cookstown plays a critical role in helping Copeland develop sustainable solutions that contribute to environmental protection,” said Copeland chief executive Ross B. Shuster.
“And this significant expansion will help meet Europe’s growing demand for heat pumps, which is crucial for helping customers and the world meet decarbonisation goals.
“This investment is an extremely important part of our manufacturing footprint and will help to secure a regional and resilient supply chain for our European customers.”
The Copeland plant was launched in Co Tyrone by Emerson in 1997.
The latest available accounts for the Cookstown-based business shows steady growth in recent years.
The company recorded a turnover of £74.7m in the year to September 30 2022, an annual increase of £11.6m (18%) and 27% higher than sales from 2019.
Copeland produced a record 348,264 units in 2022, with its workforce growing to 269 people.
The company posted a bottom line profit of £3.1m in the 12 months to September 2022
The Co Tyrone facility has produced more than five million compressors since 1997.
The company said it has also been the site of several key innovations, including Copeland’s first transcritical CO2, low-sound and hydrocarbon R290 compressors.
In a statement, it said: “The Cookstown facility expansion will drive a new level of excellence for Copeland’s customers, helping meet demand for sustainable heating solutions, allowing the company to remain competitive with a focus on world-class quality and operational efficiencies while driving innovation.”
