More than $AUD10 million (€6.2 million) in new contracts for Irish companies including Solgari, Kingspan, GM Steel and Combilift have been announced in Sydney during Enterprise Ireland’s Trade Mission to Australia and Singapore, which was led recently by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD.
Five Enterprise Ireland backed companies Fineos, Alpha Wireless, Glofox Gym and Fitness Studio Management Software, Mainstream Renewable Power and Linesight also announced new office openings in Australia.
Enterprise Ireland also unveiled the opening of a new office in Melbourne, its second office in Australia to further increase exports there and to support clients to expand in the country and the wider Asia Pac region. Enterprise Ireland client export to Australia reached €253 million in 2018, an increase of 43 per cent over the past three years.
Medtech, high-tech construction, agritech, emerging technologies and ICT sectors
Accompanying 71 Irish companies from the fintech, medtech, high-tech construction, agritech, emerging technologies and ICT sectors, Minister Humphreys announced the deals and the opening of a new Enterprise Ireland office in Melbourne.
“Australia is a mature and highly developed economy that offers significant opportunity for Irish exporters. Despite the long distance to market, Australia’s open economy, significant infrastructure expenditure and strategic location at the doorstep of Asia has led many Irish companies to enter and perform strongly in the market.
"The size and scope of this trade mission demonstrates that now more than ever the importance of this market,” said Minister Humphreys.
“A total of 320 Irish companies are now exporting to Australia and these companies employ more than 25,000 people in Ireland. Our ambition is to grow client exports to €360 million by 2020.
"I am delighted to lead this trade and investment mission to Australia and engage in an extensive programme of activity which focuses on supporting Irish companies to expand exports into this significant region.
"My aim over the coming days is to build awareness and promote the Irish advantage of the participating companies through their innovation and capability in key sectors. I look forward to engaging with key decision makers at the highest levels in government and industry to promote Ireland as a source of world-class products and services,” she added.
Key deals announced
1.) Kingspan Insulated Panels announces an $8 million capex investment for a new state of the art machine which will operate at their factory in Greater Western Sydney.
2.) GM Steel announces the commissioning of a goat abattoir with Darling River Meats Company in Bourke NSW worth $9m.
3.) Solgari and Barhead announce a strategic partnership to bring Solgari’s Dynamics 365 All-Channel Solution to Barhead Financial Service & Retail customers in Australia. This gives Solgari access to Microsoft’s global partner network and millions of potential customers.
4.) Emydex announces a contract with Harvey Beef the largest meat processing company in WA to provide its food processing software.
5.) Eppione announces a contract to license their software to HR consulting firm Talenting.
6.) Combilift announces a contract with E Store Logistics who are soon to become the second largest user of the Combilift Aisle Master product and largest private user across Australia and New Zealand.
New office openings
Fineos Corporation, a global provider of customer centric core insurance software, which employs 130 people across Australia and New Zealand and which services BT Financial, AMP, Commonwealth Bank and Westpac.
Alpha Wireless announces the opening of a new research and development office in Sydney to support the company’s expansion in Asia Pacific.
Glofox Gym and Fitness Studio Management Software announces the opening of a new office in Sydney.
Mainstream Renewable Power announces the establishment of an office in Melbourne to focus on renewable projects in Victoria and across Australia.
Linesight, which provides professional services and strategic support to the global construction industry, opens a new office in Sydney.
Kevin Sherry, executive director, global business development, Enterprise Ireland said: “Expanding the Irish export footprint in markets beyond the UK is a key priority for Enterprise Ireland and we are working closely with Irish industry to pursue realisable opportunities to support greater market diversification throughout the Asia Pacific region.
“Since 2018, Enterprise Ireland has strengthened our resources in key sectors such as digital technologies, financial services, education, agritech, healthcare, construction and food FDI across the Asia Pacific region and will add additional resources by end of 2019 including new offices in Melbourne and Vietnam as well as pathfinders in New Zealand and Shenzhen to support that continued growth.”