Midland Steel, the Irish steel reinforcement company, has announced the official opening of its fully automated SMART steel fabrication facility in Portlaoise, Co Laois, by enterprise minister Peter Burke.
This €16m facility will create 62 jobs over the next three years. The job creation includes top-quality engineering positions, robotic technicians, estimators, BIM modellers, mechanical and electrical technicians, and steel fixers all functioning in a fully automated environment.
Off-site manufacturing
The Midland Steel manufacturing facility is the first of its kind in Ireland. The SMART facility represents a significant investment in full automation of the rebar cutting and bending process, providing off-site manufacturing of a finished product ready for concrete placement.
Video showcasing the facility: click here.
The €16m investment highlights Midland Steel’s commitment to modern methods of construction (MMC), showcasing its innovative modular rebar technology solution, FasterFix, that is transforming the construction industry, not only in Ireland but also internationally.
Unique in its approach, Midland Steel’s FasterFix technology offers a modern method of construction (MMC) for both housing foundations and concrete substructure and superstructure units. This solution enables developers to achieve a remarkable 75% reduction in total build time, requiring 80% less onsite labour and providing 30% reduction in prelim costs for clients to set new standards for efficiency and productivity in the industry.
The new facility at Portlaoise represents a significant milestone for Midland Steel, reinforcing its position as a pioneer in construction innovation.
Traditional manual steel fixing operations, involving loose bar cutting and bending to steel fixing on-site, have now been replaced with pre-assembled FasterFix modules, designed and detailed by Midland Steel. This approach brings to industry the leanest, greenest, and most sustainable solutions from this facility, with substantial improvements in health and safety.
With the government’s commitment to building 300,000 homes by 2030, Midland Steel’s innovative modern methods of construction, including FasterFix and Ready Mesh technology, are ideally positioned to support these targets. By enabling faster, more efficient building processes, Midland Steel’s solutions will help meet these ambitious goals without requiring an increase in workforce numbers from outside of Ireland.
Seamless integration from 3D digital modelling
The SMART facility enables seamless integration from 3D digital modelling to a finished product without any manual intervention, improving manufacturing capacity by 60% and making Midland Steel more competitive in the market. The facility achieves 0% waste and has reduced emissions, positioning Midland Steel as the most sustainable offsite rebar provider in Europe.
Building contractors, John Paul Construction, experienced a 75% reduction in steel fixing programme on their new landmark development, Harcourt Plaza in Dublin 2, resulting in a significant capital cost saving thanks to off-site manufacturing of modular rebar with Midland Steel’s FasterFix solution, underscoring the transformative potential of this technology.
Tony Woods, founder of Midland Steel, said: “The official opening of our Portlaoise SMART facility marks a pivotal and proud moment for our family-owned business.
"The FasterFix modular rebar technology, which we have developed, offers significant benefits for construction projects by reducing installation times and lowering capital costs.
'Pushing the boundaries of innovation in the construction sector'
"FasterFix represents our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation in the construction sector. This state-of-the-art advanced fabrication facility in Portlaoise enables us to offer exceptional service, increased capacity and even greater speed and savings to our clients worldwide.
"I am particularly proud that our HQ remains in Mountmellick, where our business was founded in 1990, and our Portlaoise facility marks a significant step forward in the company’s expansion. We are delighted to make this investment in the midlands region.”
The new Midland Steel facility is part of an ambitious growth strategy, with plans to expand both its operational capacity and its global footprint. The company projects
strong revenue growth over the next three years, with an expected €35m increase driven by innovation and expansion. With established plants in the UK and Norway, Midland Steel is poised for further overseas expansion, delivering cutting-edge solutions to new international markets.
Kevin Sherry, interim CEO, Enterprise Ireland, said:“Enterprise Ireland’s ambition and focus is to support Irish-owned companies become the prime driver in our economy.
"Midland Steel’s investment in an innovative automated manufacturing facility enabling off site manufacturing of construction solutions in Portlaoise is a major milestone in the company’s plans to scale and achieve their global ambition.
"This project will also have an important impact in the local economy by creating more than 60 jobs, which have been supported Enterprise Ireland. Enterprise Ireland congratulates the company on this announcement and looks forward to working with Tony and all the team in supporting them on their scaling journey as they continue to grow and deliver, not just in Ireland but across the world. “