Ericsson to relocate Athlone R&D team to new purpose‑built facility

Ericsson has announced that its Athlone research and development operation, employing more than 1,300 staff, will move to a new purpose‑built site on the IDA Ireland campus.

The Swedish telecoms group first opened a manufacturing plant in Athlone in 1974; the location has since become one of its most important global R&D hubs, according to Denis Dullea, head of RAN systems and product security at the site.

The new facility will support the design and delivery of advanced network solutions used by service providers in over 180 countries. It follows a three‑year, €200 million R&D investment programme launched in 2025, which was backed by IDA Ireland.

Government and company statements

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke, TD, welcomed the move, saying it demonstrates confidence in Ireland’s business environment, skilled talent base and innovation ecosystem. Jenny Lindqvist, senior vice‑president and head of business area cloud software and services at Ericsson, described the investment as a “significant milestone” that will enable the development of AI‑enabled software and autonomous network solutions.

The Athlone site will continue to focus on the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform and its network‑powered ‘rApps’, which automate radio access network management using AI, machine learning and analytics.

Source: Silicon Republic. Photo: Alejandro De Roa / Pexels.