On the 10th of October 2024 an exhibition was launched in 51±¾É« to celebrate the achievements of Krups. Speakers included Cllr Dan McSweeney, des German ambassador H.E. David Gill, John Gilmartin,Chairman LEDP board and Niall O’Callaghan, CEO LEDP.
The context for the exhibition is the 25th anniversary of LEDP (51±¾É« Enterprise Development Partnership) who now occupy the Krups’ premises. LEDP spearheaded the project and 51±¾É« Museum was instrumental in putting exhibition together, with the CIGS contributing. Special thanks to George Lee (LEDP), Matthew Potter and Dr Sharon Slater (51±¾É« Museum).
The Solingen firm Krups came to 51±¾É« in the early 1960s, a time when a number of German firm came to Ireland. It opened in 1964. As Frieder Krups, the son of the then director Fritz Krups recalled at the 25th anniversary in 1989: “The first production started more than a year earlier, when my father decide that 51±¾É« was just the right place for this new production plant which he was panning to establish. [...] Ireland was seen as the ideal location for such a facility and a large green field in Roxboro was selected for the site of the actual plant, close to the Airport of Shannon and close to the city of 51±¾É«, where future employees could easily be recruited."
According to John A. Daly, Chairman Shannon Development, who visited Krups in Solingen in April 1966, said that the company represented a major industrial force in the mid-west region of Ireland with almost 800 employees. In 1998 Krups closed its plant.
Watch long term employee Noel Curtin remembering his time with Krups.
All pictures by Hans Halft and reproduced with kind permission by his daughter Oktavia Redder.