Offsite firm plans to take on 140 extra staff

Manufacturer Connex Offsite has announced plans to grow its Newry-based operation as part of a £2.5m expansion that will create 140 new jobs.

The Northern Ireland firm, which is among a group of engineering and construction businesses owned by the Doherty family, builds ready-to-install bathroom pods featuring light-gauge steel frames for residential schemes, hotels and student accommodation and healthcare facilities.

It currently produces the bathroom units in a 25,000ft² factory in Newry, but plans to move into a nearby 60,000ft² unit that it has recently bought as part of its growth plans.

The expansion will also result in a further 140 jobs on top of the 25 full-time and 19 subcontracting staff who work for the firm.

It has earmarked a turnover target of £15m by the third year of its operation.

Connex, which formed as Re-Pod at the end of 2017 and changed its name earlier last year, underwent a £1.2m investment programme at the beginning of 2019.

Brendan Doherty, Connex’s managing director, said the company had recently completed its first large project for developer Elliot Group, worth £700,000 and was working on another 116-pod job for the firm.