CO LIMERICK, Ireland - Bath Fitter, possibly the largest North American 'bathroom refurbishment franchisor, is to establish its European Business Development Centre in Limerick.

For the group, which has hundreds of sites throughout the U.S. and Canada, it will be it's first facility to be located outside North America.

The company has already started hiring and says it is looking to fill additional positions over the coming months, in areas such as installation, sales and marketing.

To be located at East Point Business Park, in Limerick, the new facility will service the company's entire European and UK customer base.

"Picking the right location as a base of operations is essential to the success of our expansion into Europe, the UK and beyond. Limerick felt like the right fit for so many reasons, from the talented local workforce to the well-developed international communication links that support this growing city. There's a good reason that nine of the top 10 US tech companies have operations in Ireland,"
Glenn Cotton, President and CEO of Bath Fitter said Tuesday.

Tnaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar said: "The decision by Bath Fitter Inc to choose Limerick for its first facility outside of North America, resulting in the creation of 42 new jobs, is a testament to the skills, talent and people of the Midwest. Through the July Stimulus and the work of IDA Ireland, we will continue to secure investment for every part of Ireland."

Executive Director of IDA Ireland Mary Buckley added: "This decision by Bath Fitter Inc to establish its European Business Development Centre in Limerick demonstrates the confidence the company has in Ireland and the Midwest region. The region's proximity to Shannon Airport and Limerick Port also played an important part in Limerick being Bath Fitter's preferred location."

Since Bath Fitter's European sales office was opened in Limerick earlier this summer, the team has hit the ground running. Michael Prendergast, Vice President of European Sales said: "Our first installer was hired almost immediately, followed soon after by the first commercial order. It's been a great start and a real team effort. We're excited to bring Bath Fitter's innovative and cost-effective renovation solutions to Europe. The ability to transform a bathroom in a single day gives Bath Fitter advantages over existing technologies and provides our clients with a professional and hassle-free renovation option with many years of service."