Car components manufacturer Sensata Technologies has formally opened its £16.5 million state-of-the-art research and development centre in Newtownabbey, an investment the company says reaffirms its long-standing commitment to the north.
Launching its new Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC) is the culmination of a five-year project to bring together Sensata’s 360 highly skilled engineering and support staff into one building and to inspire creativity, collaboration and innovation.
It represents a significant investment by Sensata Technologies, which also has over 250 employees at its manufacturing plant in Antrim, strengthening its engineering capabilities.

Sensata Technologies is a $4 billion global company with annual sales of £236 million generated from its business in Northern Ireland, where it specialises in sensor technology for the vehicle industry, in particular tyre pressure monitoring and electric charging devices.
The NITC is made up of two sustainability accredited buildings, totalling 67,000 sq ft, which house testing and research labs for Sensata’s engineering teams, a garage which accommodates both heavy goods vehicles and automotive vehicles, a customer demonstration room and flex desks, bookable offices and meeting spaces.

Deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly, who helped perform the opening, said: “This new R&D facility highlights Northern Ireland’s position as a leader on the world stage and will provide high-value jobs and drive economic growth.”
Sensata Technologies chief executive Stephan von Schuckmann added: “Our Northern Ireland teams play a vital role in shaping global product innovation, transforming ideas into prototypes, prototypes into samples, and samples into scalable production.
“This centre will be instrumental in accelerating our innovation pipeline and strengthening our global capabilities.”