Taoiseach opens Gypsum's new technical academy

At a time of intense gloom in terms of local job losses it is heartening to hear a good news story on the economic front. The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, came to Gypsum Industries, Kingscourt, last Wednesday evening to open a new technical academy for the construction industry. The new academy based at the company's production facility outside Kingscourt will be used to train staff employed in Gypsum Industries and its allied plants here in Ireland and also to equip people who work in the construction field with a competent working knowledge of the different products produced by Gypsum Industries and its fellow companies. Gypsum Industries is part of the French-owned Saint Gobain group, which is a leading global player in the habitat and construction markets with a presence in 64 countries and employing almost 200,000 people world wide. The new academy will be used by the Saint-Gobain flagship brands Gyproc, Isover, Weber, PAM and Ecophon. Each business is either a world leader or holds the number two position in each of its business sectors. In his address to the assembled representatives from the business and community sectors, the Taoiseach described Gypsum Industries in Kingscourt as an excellent example of the smart economy in action. He revealed that as part of the sustainable energy best practice initiative the company undertook a retrofit project on the fans it uses and that the resultant annual electricity savings meant that the upfront investment was recouped in the space of three months. According to the Taoiseach the new technical academy is reflective of the new vision being promoted by the government for the rescue of the construction sector. "The government has been focusing on providing new avenues for construction workers and material providers while meeting the challenges of environmental sustainability and energy efficiency," said Mr. Cowen. "We are currently developing a new energy efficiency retrofit programme, the details of which will be published next month for public consultation. The programme will involve energy supply companies, energy services providers, construction workers and policy makers coming together to reach as many homes and businesses as possible with key energy efficiency measures," he added. Brian Dolan, managing director of the Gyproc and Isover companies in Ireland, said that the new academy represents a significant investment by Saint Gobain in Ireland at a time of major uncertainty for the construction sector across the entire island. "The decision to make this investment was not taken before the crisis but after the crisis had arisen and represents a vote of confidence by Saint Gobain in the medium and long-term prospects of the construction sector in Ireland," he said. "We will use the technical academy to showcase the solutions offered by each of these brands and to train both our customers and Irish crafts people in their use and application," stated Mr. Dolan. Referring to the government's programme for renovating and improving the existing building stock to improve their energy efficiency and meet sustainability standards, Brian Dolan said that Saint Gobain worldwide, thanks to its massive research and development spend and expertise, has a vast range of products to help with these challenges including the most efficient mineral wool insulation solutions, external wall insulation systems, high energy efficient glass solutions and the most technologically advanced photovoltaic systems. The occasion was also honoured by the presence of Claude Alain Tardy, director of Gyproc activity worldwide who said that Gyproc was proud of its market leading position on the island of Ireland reflecting over 70 years of commitment to the construction sector. He explained that the Saint-Gobain businesses on the island of Ireland comprised two manufacturing plants, the Gyproc facility in Kingscourt and the Weber facility in Ballyclare, County Antrim. It also comprises the Isover, PAM and Ecophon commercial teams offering interior and exterior building solutions that match specific local needs. In total Saint-Gobain employs nearly 800 people on the island of Ireland. "The opening of the Saint-Gobain Technical Academy reaffirms our long term commitment to these businesses and to the continued enhancement of construction solutions and technical skills available to customers in Ireland. The current crisis has not and will not reduce the importance of Ireland as a major market for Saint-Gobain," said Mr. Claude Alain Tardy. "The construction sector is at the dawn of a green revolution. Growing awareness of environmental issues such as global warming and the ever increasing scarcity of natural resources is driving countries towards introducing new energy saving regulations in buildings. Sustainable development has become a key factor in product specification and Saint-Gobain has an extensive product portfolio equipped to meet this requirement," stated the Gyproc chief.