Around 100 jobs have been placed at risk at Daktronics in Ennistymon, Co Clare, as the US multinational begins a collective redundancy consultation.
The company is considering withdrawing from its highly customised international transportation business, which supplies digital display and control systems to rail, bus and roadway customers outside the US and Canada.
Daktronics said employees in Ireland have been informed that their positions are at risk as it consults with staff over the future of its Ennistymon manufacturing facility and other roles based in Ireland.
The company stressed that no final decision has been made.
In a statement, Daktronics said it was committed to engaging with employees “in good faith and in accordance with local employment laws” throughout the consultation process.
Judd Guthmiller, Daktronics’ vice president of international, described the proposal as a difficult decision, saying it reflected the challenges facing the market rather than the performance or commitment of its workforce.
“We are committed to supporting our Ireland-based colleagues with transparency and respect throughout this process as we consider the future,” he said.
Clare TD and Minister of State Timmy Dooley said the announcement is a significant blow to the town of Ennistymon and the wider north Clare area.
“These have been very good jobs. People have made long-term investments in mortgages on the back of these jobs, so this will be a bitter pill for people to swallow,” the minister said.
He said he has been in touch with the IDA and government colleagues. “As the process unfolds, the state will provide every possible support to the workers.”
Daktronics is a global supplier of audiovisual and digital display technology, with its systems used across the transportation sector.
The company says it has supplied more than 14,000 railway displays and 15,000 bus and tram displays worldwide, as well as around 8,000 airport displays.
Its technology is also used at Iarnród Éireann hubs, including digital concourse displays providing real-time arrival and departure information.
Daktronics has operated in Ennistymon for the past 12 years, following its acquisition of local company Data Display.
The company was founded in the US in 1968 and now has operations around the world.
The proposed withdrawal from the international transportation business is now subject to the collective redundancy consultation process, with the future of the Ennistymon facility and the affected Ireland-based roles yet to be decided.
