A former Advance Factory building in North Donegal has been comprehensively renewed, breathing fresh life into a two-storey unit first constructed in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Typical of similar facilities across the West Donegal Gaeltacht, the original layout featured open-plan warehousing with small offices, flat roofs and minimal natural light. While such premises once underpinned crucial manufacturing jobs, many fell idle by the early 2000s as firms expanded beyond their footprint or production shifted overseas.

The turning point for this site came in 2002, when Kelsius — then a start-up developing wireless temperature monitoring and digital compliance systems — took up residence. As the company matured into a global supplier to healthcare, pharmaceutical, food retail and hospitality clients, its operational needs evolved, highlighting the requirement for modernised accommodation and additional office capacity.

-- Advertisement --

In response, a coordinated extension and refurbishment was delivered with Axis Construction and Carr & Associates Architects and Structural Engineers. The programme unfolded in three phases: adding a new structural bay to the rear; carrying out a full roof refurbishment — including insulation, a PVC membrane, and new gutters and flashing; and constructing a distinctive cranked and curved side extension. McMenamin Engineering supplied and erected the structural steel for the scheme, and overlaid the roof with insulation and an IKO rubber membrane.

The transformation has converted a dark, cold, flat-roofed warehouse into a bright, contemporary workplace. An air-to-water heating system supports energy efficiency, while daylight harvesting is achieved via ten raised roof lights. The reconfigured complex now combines new offices, workshops, staff amenities, storage and a plant room with the refreshed original structure, ensuring old and new elements sit comfortably together.

To enable the works, Kelsius temporarily relocated from the premises. The firm is now returning to a facility built to modern specifications — one designed to support its operations for decades to come.

Beyond the physical improvements, the project underscores a wider economic story: safeguarding employment in a remote part of Ireland and demonstrating that disused Gaeltacht factory buildings can be reimagined to serve the next generation of business rather than be left behind.