When you know that investment is knocking not only on your door, but also on your competitors’, you make sure that you are the only choice.

This is exactly our experience with the De La Rue expansion in Malta. An expansion that is set to create 100 new careers as the facility turns into a state-of-the-art manufacturing site.

Our country managed to win against tough competition from outside Europe thanks to the relentless work of all, particularly the team at Malta Enterprise. We managed to convince the De La Rue leadership that investing further in Malta was their best choice. We managed to convey the trust and confidence that was needed.

The significance of this investment is tremendous and goes beyond financial figures. During the toughest year in the global economy’s recent history, we continued securing multimillion investments including the De La Rue investment.

The manufacturing sector in Malta is a success story, thanks to the conscious decisions we took. Repeating earlier mistakes by previous administrations who shunned manufacturing companies has never been our choice.

In 2020 the National Statistics Office showed that this sector registered €993 million in value, which is slightly higher than the €989 million registered in 2019. Whereas, in the rest of Europe, manufacturing’s value added fell by 6.5 per cent, our very own manufacturing sector proved to be resilient.

It is not by mere coincidence that these results were achieved.

Malta did not shut down plants. We did not stop operation lines. Malta chose to listen and engage more, not less, in this difficult time. A characteristic which is much valued and has been appreciated by investors and employees alike. 

Malta chose to value the manufacturing sector as the motor of a growing economy, where innovation and sustainability come together. We managed to successfully reverse the trend of falling manufacturing employment seen since Malta joined the EU, and the manufacturing sector increased its workforce by nearly 2,000 workers since 2013.

The manufacturing sector in Malta is a success story, thanks to the conscious decisions we took- Miriam Dalli

Our vision of sustainable growth is shared by our own companies. “We share the ideals of the Maltese government for a fairer, stronger, and more sustainable future,” Clive Vacher, CEO of De La Rue said during the launch of De La Rue’s multimillion investment.

This is the era of Industry 4.0. I never believed that Industry 4.0 should be about digitisation and automation alone. It should be about sustainability too. The De La Rue expansion is a prime example of this.

This is precisely why we are working hard to incentivise companies – both local and foreign – to shift towards sustainable operations. To manage this, Malta Enterprise is assisting companies to improve their efficiency with the ultimate aim of reaching carbon neutrality.

Industry will remain an important pillar. We will continue encouraging industry to become more innovative and sustainable. In all of this, Malta Enterprise has re-emerged as a focal point for the industry.

What we are delivering to industry goes beyond incentives. We are delivering confidence and trust. This government is a partner that works on solutions to address challenges, a partner that will continue supporting industry, a partner that can offer peace of mind.

All this is summed up in Vacher’s speech when he said, “I have only praise for our experience in Malta and would encourage prospective international companies to invest in this country with confidence.”

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