Ireland's engineering sector has enjoyed international success this week, with the news that seven of the nine Irish companies that have announced €25 million of new contracts and business developments in the Gulf region are engineering businesses. The contracts were announced during the first three days of this week’s trade mission to the Gulf led by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton.
The companies involved include:
- Escher Group, which signed a new contract with Saudi Post to extend its licence agreement from 150 to 800 operational workstations;
- Instant Upright, which signed a $1 million deal with the Saudi Electric Company for boiler systems in the Ghazian power plant;
- Jones Engineering, which signed a deal worth in excess of €15 million with a major multinational fast-moving consumer goods brand;
- Ezetop, which inked a deal with the largest retail bank in the Middle East, Al Rajhi Bank, to provide software that enables the bank’s customers to buy international top ups in over 500 branches, 3,300 automatic teller machines and 27,000 points of sale;
- Kentz Corporation, a global engineering solutions provider, opened an office in Doha to offer specialised oil and gas, infrastructure and transportation sectors;
- Byrne Looby, the international engineering services provider, has entered a joint venture partnership with ASCO Consulting Engineers in Qatar; and
- Díona Technologies, which provides innovative mobility solutions for the global health and human services market, announced a partnership with MDS in Qatar to accelerate the sale, distribution, localisation and implementation of Díona’s Government Enterprise Mobility solutions in the Middle East and Gulf Region.
The mission has been organised by Enterprise Ireland, which said that the announcements demonstrate the huge potential for growing Irish exports in the rapidly growing Gulf market and creating jobs at home. The contracts were secured on the Saudi Arabia and Qatar legs of the five-day mission, which now moves on to the United Arab Emirates for the final two days.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny assured all of the companies involved of the Government’s determination to provide the supports necessary to assist them in building their exports and creating the jobs needed at home.
Julie Sinnamon, CEO Enterprise Ireland, who is accompanying the Taoiseach and Minister Bruton, added that the activity demonstrates the opportunities that exist in the Gulf for Irish companies with high quality and innovative solutions. "Enterprise-Ireland will continue to work with our companies to ensure they have all the supports they need to compete and win in these important markets,” she added.