Ireland-Based Businesses Find High-Growth Market Opportunities in Texas and Neighboring States

DUBLIN, IRELAND and HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwired - May 7, 2014) - This week, executives from two dozen Irish companies converged in Texas -- many to attend the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston. The annual event focuses on new trends and technologies in drilling, exploration, production and environmental protection. The conference was an anchor stop on a Trade Mission to Texas led by Ireland's Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD. Organized by Enterprise Ireland, the Mission will deepen trade ties and spark new engagements for Irish companies with business partners in Texas and neighboring Southern States. During the week, select delegates announced customer deals collectively valued at more than $14 million.

Minister Bruton also visited Austin where he met with Governor Rick Perry. 

The Southern States have become a substantial draw for technologies and services from Ireland-based companies. It's a natural market fit for businesses making advanced capital equipment and other essential technologies and products for offshore oil and gas development. Since 2011, 30 Irish companies have established operations in the region -- accounting for more than 20 percent of the total number planting roots in the US during that time. To support the steady growth, Enterprise Ireland opened an office in Austin last year -- strategically expanding beyond its historical strongholds on the East and West coasts, as well as the Midwest. Later this year, the Irish presence will grow larger when a Consulate opens in Austin.

Citing the Southern States as a fast-growing export destination for Irish products, Minister Bruton also remarked on the diversity of Irish innovation found in the region and across the US. "As customer needs grow more complex, Irish companies are stepping up with products that are differentiated and truly enabling. In Texas this week, they've shown how they're out-pacing global competitors and winning business from large customers for advanced electronics systems, heavy industrial equipment, waste-management solutions, enterprise software, and much more," said Minister Bruton.

Newsmakers on the Trade Mission include these companies:

• Carma. The carpooling Apps company launched in Austin in February 2014 as part of a pilot project with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority that provides toll discounts for users who carpool along a northeast Austin-area toll road. With the pilot project exceeding government projections, the Carma toll discount will now expand to additional Austin-area toll roads.
• Combilift. The global leader in the long material handling sector announced a deal worth more than $600,000 with TimkenSteel Corporation. The TimkenSteel plant in Houston, recently acquired five Combilift multidirectional forklifts to transfer solid bar stock within its facility.
• Duolog Technologies. The System-on-Chip (SoC) products and solutions provider broadened its US presence by opening new offices in Dallas and Austin.
• Suretank Limited. The maker of cargo carrying units for the offshore oil and gas industry announced a $4 million deal to provide Houston-based Hoover Container Solutions Inc. with transport tanks and containers for safe transfer of chemicals and equipment to deepwater rigs.
• DecaWave. The developer of the world's first single-chip UWB transceiver for Real Time Location Systems (RTLS) and Internet of Things (IoT) applications opened its first US office in Austin.
• Dublin City University. Following agreement in principle to establish "TechShop Dublin" on DCU's Innovation Campus, Minister Bruton toured TechShop Austin with Paul Duggan, Managing Director of TechShop International. Often described as "America's most important start up", TechShop is an open-access fabrication studio or "maker space" that helps inventors, entrepreneurs and existing businesses prototype hardware innovations, by providing subscription-based high-end digital and advanced manufacturing tools.
• Cathx Ocean. The designer and developer of advanced underwater optical imaging and laser-based machine vision systems announced that subsea engineering manufacturer Bluefin Robotics will equip its high-speed Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) with Cathx Ocean's subsea camera and laser-based imaging technology.

Trade Mission participants also included: AMCS; Anord Control Systems; ATA Tools; Cast Components International; Cylon Energy; Excelsys Technologies; Exertis Supply Chain Services; LotusWorks; Measuresoft Development; Portwest Clothing; RR Projects; Seftec; Pressco Limited; Rigney Dolphin; TEC Industrial Ltd; Vu2Vu USA, and Zenith Technologies.

About Enterprise Ireland
Enterprise Ireland's mission is to work with entrepreneurs, Irish businesses and the research and investment communities to build our international trade, innovation, leadership and competitiveness within these cohorts. Our over-riding objective is to both sustain and grow jobs in Ireland through export-led growth. For more information, please visit www.enterprise-ireland.com.