Jones Engineering Group to focus on pharmaceutical industries in Saudi Arabia

Jones Engineering Group is continuing to develop its presence in Saudi Arabia with a strategic focus on the food and beverage, pharmaceutical and health care industries. The leading international engineering contracting group has recently signed a deal with a major multinational FMCG client worth an estimated €20 million. Work on the project will commence immediately. The announcement was made during the Enterprise Ireland Trade and Investment Mission to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE.

Originally founded in Ireland in 1890, Jones Engineering Group is the leading engineering contractor in Ireland. The Group also has operations in the UK, mainland Europe, KSA and Qatar.

Jones established operations in KSA in 2011 and has since become renowned for its expertise in delivering world class mechanical, electrical and fire fighting solutions.

Clients to date in KSA have included major local enterprises and multinationals largely operating in the food and beverage, pharma, data storage and health care sectors.

John Hartnett, Group Director, Jones Engineering Group, with responsibility for the GCC Area, said, ''our continued growth in Saudi Arabia is a testament to the work of our whole team. We are proud to employ some of the best engineers and craftspeople in the world, including a number of Saudi nationals . Their efforts and skills allow us to deliver exceptional quality for our clients. We put significant emphasis on developing the talents of young apprentices who will go on to become the experts in their industry and enable the company to achieve even greater success in the future.'’

Jones Engineering Group had a 2013 turnover of almost €250 million worldwide and directly employ  almost 1800 people, with 350 in KSA/Middle East.

Speaking in Riyadh during his trade mission to Saudi Arabia, the Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: ''This is a highly significant announcement for Jones Engineering Group and is a clear statement of the continued success of leading Irish companies in winning new business in the Saudi market. This is a group that continues to impress with its achievements in the region. They have a well-earned reputation for absolute quality and innovation and I look forward to seeing this growth continue over the coming years'’.

Speaking on the trade mission Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton TD said: "This announcement by Jones Engineering is very welcome and shows what is possible for Irish companies in this region. Construction and engineering are areas which we have targeted as part of our Action Plan for Jobs, and Jones Engineering's success in winning major contracts in Saudi Arabia is a great endorsement of the strength of Irish exporting businesses".