Local Minister Niamh Smyth says she is "confident" that jobs at in Mullagh will be safe.
There are fears over possible job cuts at Wellman International located in Mullagh after it filed a petition earlier this month with the High Court to place its operation in examinership
The company located in Rosehill in Mullagh employs 217 people and is the largest European producer of recycled polyester fibres.
The business has seen losses in the double-digit millions across 2023 and 2024, resulting from increased energy prices following geopolitical conflicts and fierce competition from low-priced imports from China, Africa and the Middle East.
Despite this, Minister Niamh remains "hopeful" that a resolution will come about adding that she believes there is a future for Wellman International. Minister Smyth says following a meeting yesterday with staff members in Dublin, she believes these jobs can be saved.
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise Niamh Smyth has described this week’s meeting with staff from Wellman’s International and officials in Government Buildings as positive.
Yesterday’s meeting was the second for staff reps but is part of a larger series of meetings with various stakeholders within the Department over the past number of weeks.
Commenting on yesterday’s meeting in Dublin, Minister Smyth said, “Yesterday’s meeting was attended by the Assistant Secretary of my Department John Hughes and Mr Kieran Harrington from the Inward Investment Unit. It was our second such meeting in recent weeks and I have to say it was very positive and what I would call a productive meeting. It demonstrated once again to me the keen interest there is in company going forward. The Department officials yesterday saw first-hand through the staff’s powerful presentation the potential in this business and listened attentively to staff on the future of Wellman International.”
“Since the news broke on the 6th of June, I have been heavily engaged with officials within my Department, the IDA and Enterprise Ireland. Obviously, we’ve an examinership process underway which is independent through the courts but I know the Examiner Kieran Wallace is engaging with interested parties and the company.”
v
