Minister Heather Humphreys with Dónal Lawlor, Trend Technologies Managing Director holding the company's 2017 Plastics Industry Award. (L-R): Peter Burke TD, Marie O'Toole, Laura Mannion, Cllr. Frank McDermott, Minister Heather Humphreys, Brendan Murtagh, Dónal Lawlor, Justin Wallace, Robert Troy TD

Minister Heather Humphreys impressed with Midlands innovation at Trend Technologies

Minister for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, visited Trend Technologies in Mullingar, last Thursday 8 February, along with Peter Burke TD (FG), and Robert Troy TD (FF) to hear about the company’s innovations and see the recently expanded ISO Class 7 (10,000) cleanroom manufacturing facilities.

Trend Technologies manufactures components for global medical device and equipment manufacturers including Acelity, Medtronic, Olympus Medical, Cook Medical, Merck Millipore, and Water Technologies, as well as components and sub-assemblies for leading global automotive companies including Jaguar Land Rover. The company has been operating here for 37 years, and its quality management systems are certified to the ISO 9001, 14001, 13485 and TS 16949 international quality management standards.

The company’s cleanroom manufacturing space was increased by 50% during 2017 in response to the increasing demand for high quality medical device components. The works included expansion of existing cleanrooms, and the addition of a new cleanroom dedicated to value-added post-moulding services. This was part of a €3M, 6-month site-wide refurbishment investment program, which included upgrading the building’s facade, car park and landscaping, and refurbishing the reception area, offices and staff canteen, as well as the addition of new electric moulding machines and innovative technologies. 

The Minister and TD’s were given an overview of Trend Technologies’ Research and Development programs, including its alliance and development projects with Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR), and the company’s own research and development initiatives for which an Enterprise Ireland co-funding grant was recently announced. 

The tour incorporated a review of cutting-edge moulding and post-moulding services, including twin shot moulding, advanced robotics, digital printing, laser marking, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, and ACF bonding, as well as pad printing and assembly operations.

Trend Technologies has recently been in the press for several awards programs, including being announced as the winner of the Best Business Initiative of the Year Award at the 2017 Plastics Industry Awards, and finalists for both the Partner/Supplier of the Year Award at the 2017 Irish Medtech Excellence Awards, and Life Sciences Exporter of the Year Award at the 2017 Irish Exporters Awards. 

The Minister was extremely complimentary of Trend Technologies operations, research and development initiatives and plans to provide innovative solutions and competitive advantages to its customers, commenting that it was impressive to see the level of technology being used by Trend Technologies in the Midlands and the cutting-edge work Trend are doing for global medical device and vehicle manufacturers.

Trend Technologies Managing Director, Dónal Lawlor said, “We are delighted to welcome Minister Humphreys and the other local public representatives to Trend Technologies today to see the range of technologies employed at the site, and the level of technical expertise of the company’s highly skilled and dedicated workforce. It is great that the Minister has taken the time out to see first hand all that is happening in the industries located in Mullingar.”

About Trend Technologies Trend Technologies Ireland is a leading sub-contract manufacturer of precision injection moulded components and sub-assemblies, and a trusted manufacturing partner to leading companies in the medical device, automotive and Industrial sectors. The site in Mullingar, Ireland is one of ten Trend Technologies manufacturing locations in nine countries globally.