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An Irish engineering firm has officially opened a new office in Capetown.
Limerick-headquartered Kirby Group Engineering has invested over €1 million to expand its international reach.
Management welcomed Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland, Micheál Martin T.D. to the office within the Newlands Cricket Ground.
In 1964, the company was founded in Thomondgate by siblings Tom and Michael Kirby. Presently, Kirby boasts a workforce of over 1400 professionals spread across nine European countries and achieved a remarkable turnover of over €454 million in the year 2022.
A total of 30 people are expected to be working at the Cape Town office by the end of this year and the firm is expecting to grow that number further in 2024.
Tánaiste Martin said: "Having visited Kirby's headquarters in 2021 for the announcement of another significant expansion plan, I'm delighted to be here today and see the continued growth of a strong Irish company - and indeed a milestone for the sector in which Kirby is operating. Establishing a presence in South Africa offers many benefits to a company such as Kirby and I’d like to wish you every success as you build further on a great Irish business story. Ireland's business and trade links with South Africa are strong and growing, and Kirby is very much at the forefront of that growth."
The company's Cape Town team will be made up of engineers, quantity surveyors, talent acquisition specialists and others who can all contribute to projects on an off-site basis.
Group Executive Chairman Jimmy Kirby said: "This is a landmark day for Kirby Group Engineering and we’re honoured to have Tánaiste Micheál Martin here for the occasion. Our firm has recorded significant growth in recent years, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our team and the trust placed in us by our valued customers. Expansion outside the EU and into South Africa represents a great opportunity to access local talent here and is a statement of confidence in the future of this company. This move has been 12 months in the planning and execution, and we've enjoyed a very warm welcome from the South African government and business community. I’d like to thank Enterprise Ireland and Invest South Africa for all their help so far and I look forward to building on Kirby’s relationships here long into the future."
