Ericsson opens new fibre duct plant - 30 jobs

Ericsson says 30 new jobs will be created at its new plant set up to service the rollout of ultra-fast broadband across New Zealand. Photo / Supplied by Chorus

Swedish company Ericsson is opening a new facility in Wellington to service the rollout of the ultra-fast broadband scheme and it says create 30 jobs.

The telecommunications giant said today it would establish a new fibre duct manufacturing facility in Todd Park, Porirua.

The plant will produce ducting for Chorus to case fibre-optic cables that are being rolled out as part of the ultra-fast broadband scheme and rural broadband initiative.

It may also export its products to the Asia-Pacific region.

Ericcson is expected to invest $15 million into the facility, with production due to begin at the plant later this year.

It is the only the second fibre ducting plant Ericsson has built and the first outside of Sweden.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams welcomed the announcement:

"It is positive to see a leading company like Ericsson choose to increase its presence in New Zealand, as we roll out a massive fibre deployment programme," Adams says.

The Government's $1.35 billion UFB initiative aims to provide download speeds of 100 megabits per second to 75 per cent of New Zealand by the end of 2019.