Company takes on 22 staff

SHANNON has been hit hard by job losses since 2008 and while a decisive economic recovery might be some way off, one company is having a glorious summer, having taken on 22 staff in the last seven weeks.
Star Elm Ltd, which is based in Smithstown, took on five new people in the past week alone.

The company produces UPVC windows and doors and was acquired in February by Cork man Willie Murphy.
Mr Murphy also operates a construction company, Murphy New Homes Banteer Ltd. He says that levels of business have increased significantly in recent months and he predicts that things will get even busier.
“Around the start of March, we would have been producing 120 frames a week. At the moment, it’s up to about 175 or 180 and I think it’ll be a minimum of 1,000 by Christmas,” he said.
He said that there had been some significant changes to business in the last couple of months. “We started to take on competitors in the North and we dropped our prices by 35%. We had to lose money for a while on it.”
He entered the industry at a time when the market was at a very low level, due to the slump in construction. While he acknowledges that getting involved wasn’t an easy decision, he feels that risk-taking is vital for success. “Of course I was nervous about it but an over-cautious man never made anything,” he commented.
Mr Murphy said that when seeking new staff, he has put faith in the recommendations of his existing workers, whose contribution must be acknowledged, he says. “We would have gone through the employees and seen if they knew someone who needed a job. If they are committing to us I think that we have to commit to them as well.”
A night shift is due to start at the factory within the next week, while there are plans to open franchises in September, something that is set to result in the creation of another 20 jobs.
While Mr Murphy said that he is pleased at the expansion of the business, he claimed that there is a lack of support for businesses that operate in the domestic market.
“The approach is disheartening. Unless you’re exporting, they don’t give you any help, there’s no benefit whatsoever, despite the fact that I’m giving a lot of employment here.”