MANUFACTURING firm Kilwaughter Minerals Ltd has made three new appointments to its Research and Development department.
The posts come on the back of the recent news that the company is to create 30 new jobs over a two year period and are testament to its commitment in innovation and delivering market-leading products for Ireland and the UK.
Parent of the K Rend and Kilwaughter Lime brands, Kilwaughter has more than 78 years of experience in the sector and its investment in innovation is in direct response to what it has described as the most positive market conditions in recent years.
Head of Research and Development at Kilwaughter, Dr Ross Savage said:
“Kilwaughter’s growing success is grounded in a continued investment to R&D. Our practical approach enables us to produce the highest quality of products, which will continue to provide solutions that satisfy the most demanding requirements. All three of our new appointments are assets to the department helping us maintain Kilwaughter’s high reputation for developing innovative brands.”
Manufacturing is a sector where innovation not only has a significant impact on the bottom line of the individual companies but also on the productivity of the entire sector, meaning innovation should be a key focus for all in the sector.
Research has revealed that the most innovative manufacturing companies managed to increase revenues by 38% – nearly four times the rate of growth of the least innovative companies.
While expansion into new markets had been the biggest driver of growth for many manufacturing companies over the past decades, the tide is turning and innovation now tops the list.
Dr Savage believes that to lead on innovation, manufacturers need to move away from a purely product focus and instead create an innovative culture; built on attracting and cultivating talent.
A spokesperson for Kilwaughter said that finding the right talent can be a challenge, but by channeling and living the values that innovators are known to want of their employers, manufacturing organisations can make innovation part of what they do – putting them in a prime position to attract and keep talented innovators.