Minister Bruton welcomes Brockley Group’s innovative Cleantech facility

New eco-friendly facility will produce AdBlue, a product that reduces Nitrogen Oxide emissions from diesel engines

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD welcomed the opening of a new cleantech facility in west Dublin as a result of innovation developed by the SME Brockley Group in collaboration with the Irish Government and research organisations. The know-how generated will increase exports for Brockley Group and assist in helping Ireland meet its European NOx targets.

The Cleantech BlueCat facility in Blackchurch, Rathcoole, a division of the Brockley Group, houses a production unit for the environmental product, BlueCat AdBlue, as well as the company’s chemical division which services the pharmaceutical industry.

The BlueCat Production Plant is the only one of its kind in Ireland. R&D has resulted in a unique process which produces an improved quality of product at a lower cost. It has created an immediate four new jobs for the company with an additional four jobs within the next three years. The R&D will also improve the business model for sales in the UK and Australia with exports projected to rise from €3 million to €7.5 million by 2017.

Minister Bruton said, “I am delighted to welcome the official opening of this new BlueCat production facility. At the centre of our Action Plan for Jobs is supporting the development of a powerful engine of Irish enterprise. Today we are seeing a traditional Irish company, choosing to go down the path of innovation, developing exciting new technologies in a fast-growing area, growing sales in overseas markets and creating jobs. This is a great example of what we in Government, through our agencies, are trying to support. I wish all at Brockley Group every success with this project”.

The new BlueCat manufacturing facility contains a brand new production process being developed by Brockley and UCD, with Enterprise Ireland’s support, which is more efficient and cleaner than other plants around the world.

Brockley Group is also in an Enterprise Ireland ‘Innovation Partnership’ with the Tyndall Institute developing remote tank level monitoring product, TopCat Telemetry. In addition to the large export sales potential, the technology will be used to strengthen the services of the existing chemicals and AdBlue business.

Hugh O’Donnell, chairman of Brockley Group Ltd said, “Today is a really exciting day for the Brockley group. Our new product, BlueCat AdBlue, is aimed at the domestic and export markets and will compliment and strengthen our existing businesses. We are particularly proud of the new production process and the telemetry system which were developed with the assistance of University College Dublin and the Tyndall Institute.”

Tom Kelly, Enterprise Ireland Manager, Manufacturing and Competitiveness, said: “Brockley Limited, a small Irish company, has emerged from the downturn with two new product offerings. This is as result of their commitment to innovation and the investment they have made and are making in R&D. It has enabled them to become an exporter with an offer relevant to a vast market and provides a platform for future growth. We are particularly pleased to see that the new technologies were developed through collaboration with Irish researchers in UCD and the Tyndall National Institute. We would like to see more small Irish companies follow Brockley’s example.

Dr. Kieran Drain, CEO of the Tyndall National Institute said, “Tyndall’s collaboration with Brockley is an excellent example of the economic impact through research that the institute and its industry partners are looking to achieve and replicate. The smart sensors installed on these tanks showcase the practical work taking place at Tyndall and how the institute is at the forefront of the internet of things.”

ENDS

 

Notes to the editor:

Brockley Group Limited has an annual turnover of over €10m and has transformed itself from a family-owned business whose core activities were supply of chemicals to Irish industry to:
•  Producer and seller of environmental fluid AdBlue® for transport
•  Key logistical partner to pharmaceutical industry supplying range of services and products
•  International franchisor of BlueCat® AdBlue® with activities in the UK and Australia
•  Enterprise Ireland client developing

o   Electronic equipment and web based software for remote monitoring of storage tanks
o   R&D to develop unique process for AdBlue® production

The company is an SME with 15 employees which was established over 30 years ago.

BlueCat® is the registered trademark of Brockley Group that AdBlue® is sold under. The companyholds over 50% of the AdBlue® market and is the only Irish manufactured product. Trademark registrations are held by the company for the UK, Europe and Australia.

AdBlue® is a urea fluid used worldwide to negate the Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) produced from large diesel engines such as HGV’s. European and worldwide legislation limit the level of NOx emissions from diesel engines; this is achieved by a process ‘Selective Catalytic Reduction’ where AdBlue is injected into the exhaust system to convert NOx to inert Nitrogen and water.

Availability of AdBlue is relevant to Ireland today as the country is exceeding its EU emission ceiling for Nitrogen Oxide which will result in fines. High levels of Nitrogen Oxide emissions can cause respiratory problems, acidify soil and surface water and damage vegetation.

 

Tyndall National Institute

Established with a mission to support industry and academia in driving research to market, Tyndall National Institute is one of Europe’s leading research centres in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) research and development and the largest research facility of its type in Ireland. Established in 2004 as a successor to the National Microelectronics Research Centre (NMRC founded in 1982) at University College Cork, the Institute hosts over 460 researchers, engineers and support staff, including a full-time postgraduate cohort of 135 students, generating over 200 peer-reviewed publications each year. Tyndall is a globally leading Institute in its four core research areas of Photonics, Microsystems, Micro/Nanoelectronics and Theory Modelling & Design. Tyndall is the lead institution for the Science Foundation Ireland funded Irish Photonics Integration Centre (IPIC).

Enterprise Ireland

Enterprise Ireland is the Irish Government agency that works with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales on global markets. Enterprise Ireland partners with entrepreneurs, Irish businesses, and the research and investment communities to develop Ireland’s international trade, innovation, leadership and competitiveness. The ultimate objective is increased exports, employment and prosperity in Ireland. www.enterprise-ireland.com