Производитель спасательного оборудования Survitec переносит завод из Данмюри в Лисбурн

Survival equipment manufacturer Survitec has confirmed the relocation of its main factory operation from Dunmurry to establish a new global centre of excellence in Lisburn. The company, which originally traded as RFD, has maintained a manufacturing operation at Kingsway since the early 1950s. Named for its founder Reginald Foster Dagnall, RFD later merged with Beaufort Air Sea Equipment before being brought into the global Survitec group. Survitec is now the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier of life rafts, marine evacuation systems and offshore rental PPE. But after three-quarters of a century of manufacturing in Dunmurry, the company said the Kingsway site is no longer big enough to meet its growth ambitions. The 115,000 sq ft factory is now up for sale with an asking price of £4.65 million. It’s understood Survitec has secured a new factory site at the Greenwood Business Park in Lisburn, some five miles away from its long-standing factory base at Kingsway. Jonny Whiteside, chief operating officer at the company, said: “We are pleased to be relocating our Dunmurry factory a short distance to Lisburn, to establish a Global Centre of Excellence for the design, engineering and manufacture of survival technology for the maritime market. “The investment in the new facility will bring key teams together in a modern working environment, creating greater opportunities for collaboration and innovation while supporting the continued growth of our operations. “Northern Ireland remains an important part of Survitec’s global footprint, and we look forward to building on our heritage in the region, supporting skilled employment and continuing to develop the capabilities that enable us to protect lives around the world.” The company, which employs around 400 people in Northern Ireland, will retain a presence in Dunmurry via its finance shared services centre and global training school, which operate in separate locations from the main Kingsway factory. The 4.7 acre site at 245-256 Kingsway has been Survitec’s main manufacturing site in the north since the 1980s. The survival equipment manufacturer’s relocation means it is being offered with vacant possession. While the listing states the site is well set up for a large-scale industrial and manufacturing operation, it adds that the Kingsway location is designated as ‘white land’, meaning it offers potential flexibility for alternative uses subject to planning approval. A pre-development enquiry has already been lodged with NI Water regarding the potential erection of up to 50 homes on the site. The listing from Lambert Smith Hampton adds that there is redevelopment potential for a variety of uses including residential, retail, healthcare, leisure, food and beverage, again subject to planning permission.