Irish engineering group Mincon has appointed Joe Purcell as chief executive officer, replacing Kevin Barry, who is set to retire after 31 years with the group.

Mr Purcell (49) has been with Mincon for 27 years, including seven years spent in Perth, Australia. He most recently served as chief technical officer for the group, with oversight for the design and development of Mincon’s product range. He will assume the role on May 28th 2015.

Davy Stockbrokers said that the appointment of a strong internal candidate with a significant interest in the company - the Purcell family holds about 57 per cent of outstanding - will be “reassuring for the market”.

Mr Barry, who spent 31 years with the group, 25 of which were served in the CEO role, will remain on the board of Mincon as a non-executive director.

Padraig McManus, chairman, Mincon said: “After an extensive and rigorous review of both internal and external applicants, the board is pleased to appoint Joe Purcell to the role of CEO of Mincon. In his career with Mincon, most recently as chief technical officer, he has been instrumental in the growth of the group and has demonstrated the knowledge, experience and enthusiasm required to lead the company through the next phase of its journey. His established relationships, both with the strong team of senior managers in Mincon and within the wider industry, ensure he is the best person both to sustain the momentum Mincon has achieved under Kevin and to progress further the growth of the Group.”

Mincon manufactures and sells rock drilling tools and associated products to international customers in the mining, construction, geothermal and water well industries. It has manufacturing facilities in Shannon, Ireland, in Benton, Illinois, in Perth, Australia and in North Bay, Canada and it has subsidiaries in Ireland, Sweden, USA, Peru, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Namibia, Ghana and West Africa.