Ecco Ltd celebrates its 10th anniversary in town

COMPANY HOLDS AN OPEN HOUSE TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES, THEIR FAMILIES AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ENJOY AN EXTENSIVE TOUR OF THE PLANT, WHICH NOW EMPLOYS A MASSIVE 1,100 PEOPLE September 1976

ONE of Dundalk’s major industries, Ecco Ltd, celebrates ten years in Dundalk with an open house, during which employees, their families and members of the public, tour the extensive plant.

Ecco is the biggest source of employment in the town. It started with about 250 workers and saw that figure rise to 1,700 before it dropped to 700 employees during the recession.

The workforce has been steadily rising again to the present figure of 1,100.

James L. Rine, president and managing director, welcomes guests, and tells them the company started in 1966 with one product line, diodes, but over the past decade there has been steady growth and diversification.

Today, there are six production lines, each with total manufacturing, testing and finishing responsibility.

The Dundalk facility was further expanded in 1975 to incorporate the European Electronic Components Marketing Unit, formerly based in Amsterdam, and Ecco is now the European headquarters for the manufacture and marketing of semiconductors.

The business strategy for Ecco, says Mr Rine, is to accelerate their growth of the European semiconductor market, and at the same time to continue to service the US market.

This will ensure greater flexibility and make for less dependence on either market.

Mr Rine takes advantage of the occasion to thank all who have helped and encouraged them over the past ten years.

Ecco is the first European semiconductor manufacturer to receive CENELEC approval as manufacturer of quality products, such approval only being granted after a thorough examination of a plant’s manufacturing and quality systems with emphasis laid on product reliability.

H. D. Culley, chairman of the board of directors, and a regular visitor to Dundalk, emphasises that the company’s whole marketing organisation for Europe is now based in Dundalk.

He also speaks about the advances in technology at the plant, and is optimistic about the next couple of years.

Mr Rine adds that having survived the worst of the recession, 1976 is proving a good year for the company, and he expects that next year will continue to see stability in employment.

Minister for Defence, Paddy Donegan TD, says the government and the community are very pleased with the performance of Ecco.

The change to new production lines is possible because, with Ireland no longer a low cost labour market, they have in Dundalk a labour force capable of progressing to more sophisticated products.

The country is fortunate to have companies like Ecco, and Mr Donegan hopes it will go on to even better things.

‘We want you to get good value from the workers you employ, and we know that Dundalk can guarantee that.’

Liam Connellan, Federation of Irish Industries, congratulates the company, and points out it is an extremely important one in Irish industry, both in terms of technology and employment.

The tour of the plant impresses on all the continuing process of change in the range of activities, and assures guests that Ecco will play its full part in the development of industry in Ireland and Europe.

Dundalk is fortunate to have a company which is making a great contribution to the local and national economy, says Dan McAuley, director general of the Federation of Employers.

Ecco’s performance in the labour relations scene is a credit to management and workers, and he would like to see that their experience could be passed on to others on the country.

Joe Farrell TD recalls when Ecco started, it followed on the closure of a previous factory, and there was great apprehension in Dundalk, but Ecco quickly cleared the gloom.

There has been talk recently that Dundalk is not a good town for industry to come to, but it should be emphasised that Dundalk is sound , and as safe a town as any in Ireland, and an ideal place to start another major industry which is needed at present.

Union representative, Laurence O’Neill of M.E.E.T.U., says the workers of Dundalk, and particularly of Ecco, appreciate what is being done at Ecco.

He hopes that for the next 50 years, Ecco will play a big part in the lives of Dundalk people.

The E.T.U. welcomes the good relations between shop floor and management, says T. Clery.

His union is glad to be associated with the company, and to be able to say they have never had any problem there.

Ecco is a good example of how to deal with people and to create a happy workforce.