The new site, TFC Portadown, was established in just three months in response to a major contract win in the Republic of Ireland. The company’s experienced team will grow the use of its vendor managed inventory (VMI) services and technical engineering products, to streamline the operations of manufacturing and engineering companies across Ireland.
TFC, headquartered in Heathfield, England, previously operated in Ireland in partnership with Springco. While the two companies will still work together closely, demand for TFC’s vendor managed inventory services and technical products has made 2020 the right time to set up its own Irish site. The location in Portadown, Northern Ireland, has good motorway links across Northern Ireland and with the Republic of Ireland.
“The Irish market is booming, with manufacturing accounting for 32 per cent of Ireland’s GDP, far higher than the European average of 15 per cent, according to IDA Ireland,” explained Morgan Burgoyne, CEO at TFC. “Having an Irish facility that operates with our own logistics service and enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, as well as TFC personnel on the ground, means we are able to service our current and potential Irish customers to the absolute highest standard.
“Against a challenging market, TFC has experienced powerful growth,” added Burgoyne. “We have demonstrated the strength of our offering against our competitors time and time again and our attention to detail, flexibility and quality makes our services the best in their class. Whether a company is already running a VMI solution or not, we are confident we can offer them a better option ― a tailored solution that reduces their in-house costs and streamlines operations.”
“In just three months, TFC has managed to get the whole facility up and running,” explained Wayne Corcoran, logistics manager at TFC. “We now have 532 picking locations and 188 pallet locations in the warehouse, to help service our VMI clients. The facility is designed with future expansion in mind ― for example, we have the option to add a mezzanine floor due to the height of the building.”
TFC is now in a strong position to share the benefits of its flexible logistics solutions and engineering technical products, like Smalley wave springs and ARaymond connectors, across Ireland. TFC engineers are also on hand to provide proactive support to design engineers developing new products. Alongside its expansion in Ireland, the company is also further investing in Germany, the UK and Eastern Europe.
For over 50 years, TFC has been a leading supplier of engineering products across Europe, providing design development, high-quality components and tailored inventory solutions. The company adds value to its customers engineering operations to help them bring new products to market and improve their manufacturing efficiency.