Silicon carbide technology company Wolfspeed has announced plans to establish a global capabilities centre in Belfast that will create about 40 jobs by 2025.
L-R are Steve Harper, executive director of international business, Invest NI, and David Costar, senior vice-president and chief information officer, Wolfspeed
The expansion effort will help support the company’s long-term growth plans and optimise investments in key business areas such as IT support.
The US-based company supplies Silicon Carbide materials and devices to a global customer base in sectors including electric vehicles, renewable energy and storage, communications infrastructure, aerospace and defence, and other industrial markets.
"The financial support from Invest Northern Ireland, high quality of talent, infrastructure, and academic expertise, and the positive experiences of other companies convinced us this was the right location for a strategic investment." David Costar, senior vice-president and chief information officer for Wolfspeed
David Costar, senior vice-president and chief information officer for Wolfspeed, said. “The new Global Capability Centre will be a strategic shared services hub for Wolfspeed’s IT organisation and help drive innovation and expansion of our global digital capabilities into Europe.
“The financial support from Invest Northern Ireland, high quality of talent, infrastructure, and academic expertise, and the positive experiences of other companies convinced us this was the right location for a strategic investment.”
Invest Northern Ireland has supported the new Global Capabilities Centre with an offer of financial assistance of approximately £300,000, provided advice on location, and helped to find suitable office space.
Wolfspeed’s Northern Ireland team will include roles in core IT operations and services such as infrastructure, network operations, systems engineering and application development along with cybersecurity and compliance. The hub will also be the centre of excellence for automation engineering and data analytics leading the company’s digital transformation to high-tech manufacturing.
Recruitment for the first wave of new workers is under way with additional hires scaling up over time after the planned February 2022 opening. The project will generate approximately £1.8m into the local economy through annual salaries, once fully operational.
"Creating about 40 highly-skilled jobs, with excellent salaries, the new Centre will support the development of new systems and manage the company’s global IT applications and infrastructure.” Steve Harper, executive director, International Business, Invest NI
Steve Harper, Executive Director, International Business, Invest NI said: “Wolfspeed initially approached us after hearing directly from another inward investor about their positive experiences here. This shows how important our diaspora network is to help promote Northern Ireland as an investment location.”
“Creating about 40 highly skilled jobs, with excellent salaries, the new centre will support the development of new systems and manage the company’s global IT applications and infrastructure.”
“Whilst the Global Capability Centre will be in Belfast, the company will have hybrid home/office roles for applicants from all parts of Northern Ireland.
“The company also plans to work with our colleges and universities to support its talent pipeline and culture of innovation.”