County Antrim-headquartered construction materials manufacturer Brett Martin is establishing its first overseas production facility with the construction of a new factory in De Pere, Wisconsin, USA.

The 48,000 sq ft plant is being built on a greenfield site as part of a joint venture with Amerilux International, Brett Martin's main US distribution customer.

The facility, trading as American Polycarbonate Company (APC), will produce Multiwall and Corrugated Polycarbonate roofing sheets for use across a range of sectors in the United States. Work on the site is progressing with production scheduled to begin later this year.

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Brett Martin Group Director, Paul Martin, explained the reasoning behind this latest development: "We have been exporting successfully to the USA for more than 25 years. Together with our partner Amerilux, we identified an opportunity to add a US manufacturing presence that will enhance our service to the market and open up new opportunities that build on the success of our Mallusk operations.

"Our decision was taken well before recent US tariffs were introduced. While tariffs are relevant for any exporter, our motivation was above all driven by long-term market growth potential, the strength of our partnership with Amerilux, and the opportunities we see for Brett Martin products in North America."

He added: "As an international business, we must remain forward-looking and agile. This investment is about growth, complementing our strong base in Mallusk, and ensuring Brett Martin remains competitive in a rapidly changing global market."

Brett Martin is a major Northern Ireland exporter, with more than half of its sales coming from business in 70 countries. This latest development comes on the heels of a recent announcement of a major investment in Brett Martin's Mallusk site aimed specifically at the supply for the UK and Ireland markets.