Fort Wayne Metals, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has completed the company’s €10 million expansion of its facility in Ireland, an investment that could eventually create up to 80 new jobs at its plant in Castlebar.

Per IDA Ireland and online reports, the 20,000-sq-ft expansion will bolster Fort Wayne Metals’ development of revolutionary materials for medical devices. In 2002, Fort Wayne Metals first established the plant in Castlebar, where it now employs 95 people who help manufacture products for medical device companies in Ireland, Europe and Asia. The expansion represents the next stage of growth for the company with its product diversification strategy focused on the manufacture and supply of specialty alloys such as nitinol (nickel-titanium).

The official opening was lauded by dignitaries. "This major investment shows the company is committed for the long term," said Leo Eric Varadkar, the current Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of the Republic of Ireland. "Essential components for medical devices which can improve and save lives are manufactured here and sold around the world. Congratulations to the local staff and management team who will be joined by 80 new employees over the next five years. The government, through IDA Ireland, will continue to work with Fort Wayne as the company expands in the years ahead."

"This expansion is a testament to the hard work and talent of our Irish employees," said Fort Wayne Metals CEO Scott Glaze. "Their expertise and dedication have been fundamental to the growth of Fort Wayne Metals Ireland, and I have every confidence that they will be successful as they take on the challenges of manufacturing precision nitinol wire for our customers around the world."

Fort Wayne Metals is a privately held company with 12 manufacturing plants. Fort Wayne Metals Ireland is the corporation’s only manufacturing facility outside the U.S.

Leggett & Platt has served notice to state officials in Florida that it plans to close its steel wire plant in Jacksonville, which will result in the loss of 101 jobs.

A report in the Jax Daily Record said that the 150,000-sq-ft plant is owned by Adcom Wire Co., an affiliate of Leggett & Platt. The plant was built in 1980 and expanded in 1999. The layoffs, will be closed by the end of the year. The staff there includes 82 production and support employees, 14 managers and five administrative and clerical workers. Some employees will remain into the first quarter of 2020 to help with the closing.

A name change for Mexichem Specialty Compounds should be an easy one for customers as it is a return to the former name of AlphaGary.

A press release said that Mexichem, the parent company, has changed its name to Orbia, but the specialty compounds unit will use the name AlphaGary. "We are committed to being your valued supply partner today and into the future, and we believe our reconnection with the AlphaGary identity clearly underlines our dedication to this effort," said AlphaGary General Manger Daniel DeLisle.

Motherson Sumi Systems (MSSL) reports that one of its subsidiaries, Motherson PKC Harness Systems, is building a new factory in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Per an online announcement by MarketLine, a ground-breaking ceremony at the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) was held recently for the launch of the project. "We are very glad to have taken this important step of setting up our manufacturing facility in the fast-growing emirate of Ras Al Khaimah mark the beginning of factory construction and operations are expected to commence in the second quarter of 2020," said MSSL Chairman Vivek Chaand Sehgal. "This provides us great opportunities for larger exposure to the global markets."

The story said that the factory is being built on a 21,000-sq-m parcel. In addition to wire harnesses, the plant will also produce rear view mirrors and have injection molding capacity.

MSSL was established as a joint venture partnership with Japan’s Sumitomo Wiring Systems. Its scope includes wiring harnesses, high tension cords, battery cables and high level assemblies. In 2017, it acquired Finland’s PKC Group Plc, a global tier 1 supplier of wiring harness and associated components to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the heavy and medium duty commercial vehicles and locomotive segments across North America, Europe, Brazil and China.

RAKEZ, one of the 45 free economic zones in the Gulf nation, has 14,500 companies from 100 countries operating in 50 industries.

Nexans has won a contract from McDermott Marine Construction Limited to supply approximately 100 km of subsea umbilicals and accessories for a West African offshore project.

A press release said that the order is for the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim natural gas project, which will be 120 km offshore of the bordering countries of Mauritania and Senegal. Nexans will provide management, procurement, engineering, manufacturing and testing activities for the umbilicals and ancillary hardware. The electrical cables and fiber optics will be manufactured at Nexans Norway plant in Rognan, and the umbilicals will be developed, manufactured and tested at Nexans Norway specialized plant in Halden. The delivery will take place in 2021.

The Tortue field has a water depth of 2,850 m, the release said. The production system ties back some 70 km to a spread moored floating production storage and offloading) unit at the shelf edge at a water depth of 100-120 m. The gas will travel 35 km to a near-shore hub and terminal facility to be liquefied and offloaded to LNG carriers.