Grant, the Irish engineering company specialising in the plumbing and heating industry, has officially opened its newly expanded facilities in Birr, Co Offaly, representing a capital investment of €14 million.

The major expansion plans were announced in 2016 in response to increased demand for the company’s heating products on a local and international level.

Diversified product portfolio

In recent years Grant has enjoyed further success in Ireland, the UK and further afield including France, Greece and New Zealand and has diversified its product portfolio to meet the changing needs of its customers around the globe.

The new facilities include a state-of-the-art R&D innovation centre, a customer services centre, a dedicated training academy featuring an auditorium and training suite, and an extension to the existing manufacturing facilities which has also seen further investment in robotics and automation.

An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who opened the premises, said: “My vision for the future of the midlands begins with companies like Grant Engineering. They have developed a 21st century facility for state-of-the-art, environmentally efficient heating products for the 21st century.

"And with the right vision, the right policies, and the right investment, the future for the midlands itself is bright. As this area moves away from peat harvesting and electricity generation, we will leave no worker or community behind.

"Our Just Transition funding of €116 million will create an estimated 400 jobs directly and indirectly, and significantly upgrade the social housing stock.

“The first Just Transition commissioner has been appointed and his priority will be to help communities and workers affected by the imminent ending of peat harvesting for power generation in the midlands region.

'Leader in other areas of green economy'

"With the right vision, and the right policies, I believe the midlands can become a leader in other areas of the green economy, such as retro-fitting. Through bog rehabilitation and tourism, we can also ensure that our bogs continue to be a source of employment.

"Decarbonising our economy with our Climate Action Plan means our air will be cleaner, our homes warmer and more comfortable, we will have secure energy supplies, and there will be new jobs in sustainable industries.”

Grant Engineering founder Stephen Grant said: “We are delighted to be starting the new year with the opening of our new facilities. This investment demonstrates our commitment to innovation, growth and to the local economy.

"In recent years we have expanded into new markets and developed new products to meet the needs of our customer base. Our focus on sustainability continues to grow and to help achieve decarbonisation I believe that home heating fuel needs to follow in the footsteps of transport and transition to electric or 100% biofuel heating.

"This is impossible to do in the short to medium term in an affordable way, however the introduction of a Biofuel Obligation for home heating could enable homes to become sustainable.

"We have future-proofed our products over the last five years so that they can operate using biofuel but to aid transition and further reduce emissions we need the support of fuel suppliers and the government.

“Accelerating the electrification of heat is another way to aid transition and this is helped by current building regulations with new houses being predominately fitted with a heat pump.

"We have been supplying air to water heat pumps for nearly 10 years and these appliances are ideal for new build homes where the house design is matched to the heat pump, however, there is a huge issue for deployment of heat pumps to the retrofit market which is based on the affordability of deep retrofitting which cost up to €70,000.

"Together with my R&D team, I am excited to announce that we have developed new hybrid technology called EVOLINK which will be available later this year.

"EVOLINK is the first of its kind in hybrid technology and enables the smart integration of heat pumps to a property by combining with existing technology in a home whether oil, gas or biomass.

"EVOLINK uses intelligent software and complex algorithms to opitimse the use of the heat pump throughout the year, optimising the operating temperatures of the two appliances through modulating pumps and hydraulic mixing circuits.

'Smart features like in-built weather compensation'

"It also incorporates smart features like in-built weather compensation and can effectively reduce carbon emissions by 70% - 80% overnight at a fraction of the cost of deep retrofitting, thereby offering an affordable way to transition with minimal disruption.

"The EVOLINK hybrid can play a substantial role in the transition to full decarbonisation of residential heat as will biofuel.”

As recently as 2018, Grant Engineering expanded its footprint even further opening a premises in Lyon, France, with the support of Enterprise Ireland.

Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said: “Enterprise Ireland has worked closely with Grant Engineering, both in Ireland and internationally since its establishment.

"At Enterprise Ireland, we know that investment in innovation is critical across all sectors to maintain competitiveness and to drive export growth and we are delighted to directly support this new facility.”