Element Six creates additional 100 jobs at Shannon

Element Six, a world leader in synthetic diamond super-materials and member of The De Beers Group of Companies, has created a further 100 jobs at its Shannon facility as part of a €7 million investment at the plant this year, it announced. The investment will bring the overall spend by Element Six at Shannon to €40 million over a four year period.

The announcement was officially made at a briefing at the plant hosted by Element Six Executive Director of Operations Ken Sullivan, and attended by Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Pat Breen, and the company’s global CEO Walter Hühn.

The job positions are in the areas of supply chain, engineering and manufacturing, with recruitment already underway and all posts set to be filled in the first half of this year. It is the latest round of recruitment at the company and will bring overall employment at Element Six in Shannon to 550. Over the past three years the company has invested heavily in infrastructure projects at the plant, including the installation of large-scale diamond synthesis presses to produce diamond materials for industrial use. In addition, high-end machines have been designed and installed to process these materials.

The announcement signals another round of investment that will enable the synthesis and processing of diamond materials at the Shannon plant for use principally in the Oil and Gas industry.

Mr Hühn said: “This is a significant moment for Element Six and its staff in Shannon, as it is validation of the hard work of our management and staff here in turning the business around. Thanks to a culture of continuous improvement, the use of world-class manufacturing techniques and efficiency and quality gains, our Shannon operations have now taken on additional, global cutting-edge processes leading to this investment and considerably enhanced employment levels.”

He further added that, “Oil and Gas is a volatile industry to operate in but the improvements and investment here at Shannon ensures we are as future-proofed as possible going forward. A key influencer is the operating environment, which is considerably better now in Ireland. In return, we have invested heavily and created high-value jobs for the region.”

Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O’Connor, TD, said: “Today’s announcement by Element Six is further evidence of the very competitive operating environment we have in Ireland, including in the regions.” He noted, "The addition of 100 extra jobs is a great vote of confidence for the region which has much to offer companies who wish to grow their businesses in Ireland.”

Minister for Employment and Small Business Pat Breen stated: “This announcement is a very strong endorsement of the Shannon Free Zone as a leading destination for innovation and job creation. With an international airport on its doorstep, a highly competitive operating environment, available talent and excellent and ever improving infrastructure, we believe the future is very bright for Shannon as an inward investment location.”

IDA Chief Executive Martin Shanahan said: “We have worked closely with Element Six over the years and look forward to continuing that relationship and the company’s continued and valued impact on the Mid-West regional economy here into the future. The Mid-West has been a significant beneficiary of FDI over the past two years.”

Ken Sullivan, Element Six Executive Director of Operations, said: “Element Six has a 60-year history at Shannon and today’s announcement very much signals that we have entered a new era in terms of our operations here.”