GLAZING FIRM'S INVESTMENT IN US IS A GLASS MOVE

A Moira-based aluminum and glazing specialist has invested over £1.2 million in founding a US subsidiary.

McMullen Architectural Systems has set up McMullen Inc in North Carolina in a bid to to meet demand in the US for the company's products and growing international order book.

The firm's prestigious client list includes the groundbreaking 40 Bond St townhouse and apartment development in Manhattan and Boston University's new Medical Centre.

Details of the firm's expansion in America were revealed during a visit by the US Consul General Dean Pittman to the Moira plant as shown above.

Ted McMullen, managing director of McMullen Architectural Systems said setting up an operation in the US was in response to the company's growing number of clients.
"We were handling a number of US orders from our Moira base and as our client list grew we realised that we could transfer our expertise and experience across the Atlantic. More>>>

"Having carried out extensive and focused research thanks to support from the Explorers programme sponsored by Invest Northern Ireland, it quickly became apparent that there was a growing market in the US for the company's specialist and mainstream products."

The Company started production last year and moved into the new 40,000 square-foot factory in North Carolina in December 2006. There are 20 staff but that figure is expected to double before the end of this year.

"There is a growing demand in the US for innovative and highly engineered facades. These can be double skin or twin wall curtain walling, and windows with extremely large opening vents, high thermal performance, hurricane resistance and/or blast mitigation properties are now being incorporated within landmark buildings," said Mr McMullen.
"The reality is that we have leveraged our unique position by developing a very specialist product range, which is expertly crafted and has passed a rigorous testing regime, both in the UK and the USA," he added.
The company employs over 175 people at its plant in Moira and recent projects include the Royal Victoria Hospital; Dundrum Shopping Centre in Dublin; Waterfront Hall; St Paul's Place in Sheffield and Grand Canal Plaza in Dublin.
Mr McMullen added that the company was committed to driving its business in the US and having now completed the windows to Ian Schrager's highly acclaimed and much anticipated 40 Bond St development in Manhattan, the firm had gained a growing reputation as a quality producer of innovative Window and Curtain Wall highly engineered products.
Established in 1971, McMullen Architectural Systems serves the UK and International construction markets as a specialist contractor that undertakes the full design, fabrication and installation of aluminum curtain walling and window frames for large scale building projects.

By Adrienne McGill a.mcgill@newsletter.co.uk

27 February 2007