Forklift manufacturer Hiab is to add 100 new jobs in Dundalk and has plans for a new factory in the town to make its Moffett truck mounted forklift units.

The new factory will replace Hiab’s existing Dundalk facility and will include both manufacturing operations and a global hub for innovation and R&D catering for the rapidly growing global truck-mounted forklift sector.

Hiab is recruiting immediately and will add 100 to its existing workforce of 300 in Dundalk, and will also set up a second production facility in Streetsboro, USA, where the company makes tail lifts sold under the Waltco brand.

Hiab was responsible for the design of the Moffett truck mounted forklift in the 1980s, which the company says “revolutionised the transportation industry”, with customers ranging from single truck owner-operators and small fleet owners to international fleet and rental companies, across private and public sectors.

Its products serve a range of industries including construction, waste management, recycling, forestry, fire rescue, agriculture and landscaping.

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Senior vice president Rogier van der Linde said: “Hiab’s operation in Dundalk is a key part of the company’s global success story. It has been home to innovation and production of truck mounted forklifts since 1986. It will continue to lead the world in new product development and solutions that ultimately help other business sectors be more effective and efficient in their transportation operations. 

“When completed, our new facility will have world-class manufacturing capacity to service all markets globally.”

The company is in the process of identifying a suitable site for the new factory. 

Van der Linde added: “While we are developing our new facility here in Dundalk, we are not standing still. We are looking to hire 100 new staff for roles at our current facility.

“The majority of the roles are for general operators with mechanical skills, in addition to support roles in manufacturing engineering, R&D engineering, quality, warehousing and planning.”

Photo: Rogier van de Linde and Hiab operations director Maeve Gallagher.