Portarlington Enterprise Centre 'at the max' with plans to extend or move

Portarlington Enterprise Centre is seeking to expand or move to a new site, to cope with demand in the growing Laois Offaly town.

The non-profit business support centre is full to the brim, and feeling the pressure.

There are 27 full time jobs, 12 part-time and 16 workers off site, all currently supported by the 13,000sqft centre.

It holds 11 start-up industrial units, 10 hotdesks, five offices, two training rooms, a 3D printing innovation hub and a recording studio.

The businesses currently based there include Secotto Coffee, Operation Transformation psychologist Dr Eddie Murphy, P & J Security services, Quality Upholstery, Tornado Wire fencing, Backup Power Solutions, Modern Gates, Ellickson Engineering, Robert Kelly Carwash & Valeting and a golf merchandise company. 

The board plan to seek state funding to expand in 2025.

Manager Mary Keogh and director Carol Slattery gave a presentation to Laois County Council at the September meeting, looking back at their 18 year growth, and forward to expansion.

"It cost €1.1 million to build 20 years ago. We have had a good board of directors from businesses, the community and agencies in Laois and we meet every month or two. We are five minutes from the train station and we have free parking and CCTV. We try to keep our rates affordable and flexible.

"We have links to third levels at TUS in Shannon, and we were the first to introduce 3D printing in our Makerspace with Mark Clancy. Education is the way we will develop in the future. We projecd networking and business guidance to our businesses and the wider community," Ms Slattery said.

"We are at the max, 100% booked. We are suffering at our own success, we need more space. 

"The only ethos was incubation so businesses move on. The downturn in 2010 stalled us a bit but now we are under pressure for toilets, meeting rooms, circulation spaces. We have doubled our capacity in the last five years.

"In 2025 we want to maintain our high occupancy, but we need bigger event spaces, parking is a problem at peak times. We are looking at funding programs to extend the site, or look at a new one," the director said.

Mary Keogh said that the centre pays for itself in rental incomes.

"We are self sufficient. Enterprise Ireland were giving 50% of our costs but that stopped. We have been growing our small reserves from income from the training centre. It's modest. If there was any drop, it would be very tight. Energy is our biggest cost," she said.

Cllr Aidan Mullins is also a director of the centre.

"It's been a privilege to work with this board for 25 years. You'd get three bike sheds for what it cost now. 

"Due to the commitment and dedication of Mary Keogh, she has led the charge and expanded it, I can't compliment her enough. We need to look at where and how we can expand. Laois County Council has been a great stakeholder, working side by side, I hope it's the same for phase two. I look forward to working with them for the next stage of their development," he said.

Cllr Paschal McEvoy praised PEC as "a great success story".

"Anything that can create jobs should be supported. Portarlington is expanding at a massive rate, they need more space," he said.https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/section/637/portarlington

Cllr James Kelly said he is involved in the BloomHQ enterprise centre in Mountrath's old convent.

"Portlaoise and Portarlington enterprise centres were the pioneers. We will support you in requests for funding, and if you've any companies looking for space we have space, as part of the Laois hub group," he said.