60 jobs for Dungannon Engineering firm after securing Ryanair airport bus contract

by Gráinne Connolly

60 new jobs are being created at a Co. Tyrone Engineering firm after it landed a multi-million pound contract to build a fleet of airport buses for Ryanair.

Mallaghan Engineering in Dungannon made the announcement today.

It comes after the company recently launched the "Mallaghan 50W" which is the largest capacity airport bus in the world and carries up to 125 passengers.

It is also the only airport bus in the globe with rear wheel steering, hence reducing the turning circle. 

Ryanair has ordered a 32-fleet which will be delivered in the next 12 months. 

The keys to the first vehicle have already been handed over recently at the Inter Airport Europe trade show in Munich. 

The buses will be used to transport passengers to and from terminals and aircraft

Mallaghan Engineering employs over 450 staff at its sites in Dungannon and Georgia, Atlanta in the USA and has five other global offices. 

(Mallaghan Engineering, Dungannon - Google Maps image)

Ronan Mallaghan, Managing Director at Mallaghan Engineering said, “Traditionally our product portfolio has focused on passenger stairs and a range of high lift trucks for catering, cabin cleaning and more specialist ground support equipment including water trucks, toilet trucks and de-icers.

“But with increasing passenger numbers in the global market and to meet customer demands, we’ve developed and begun manufacturing the “Mallaghan 50W” airport bus which broadens our range and heralds a new dawn for the Mallaghan team.

“We are currently recruiting for a range of roles included skilled mechanics, coach-builders, fitters, welders, joiners, spray painters and vehicle upholsters.

“The Airport Bus is the result of a significant investment announced last year and was researched and designed by our talented team in Dungannon.

“Since Mallaghan’s entered the GSE market in 1990, innovation for aviation has been at the core of our business.

“We expect to announce further investment in the weeks ahead, not only in research and development, but our facilities and our people, enabling us to expand our innovative product range and to significantly boost export sales.

“The feedback received at the Inter Airport Europe Exhibition in Munich, following the launch of the bus, has been exceptional.

“We’re proud to be the preferred airport ground support equipment supplier of many airports and airlines across the world and will continue our commitment to aviation innovation to meet the needs of a changing industry.”

Ryanair has been a longstanding customer of Mallaghan for the past two decades. 

Adrian Dunne, Ryanair Director of Operations, said:

“Ryanair is delighted to be the launch customer for the new Mallaghan bus, who we have worked closely with in the design, specification and delivery of.

“As we expand the Ryanair Group operations, we expect this to be the first of many orders and look forward to working with Mallaghan – one of our key suppliers of ground equipment.”