€25m trade trip boon for Irish companies

Nine Irish companies have announced new contracts and business developments worth more than € 25million during the first three days of this week’s trade mission to the Middle East.

Led by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, the mission " demonstrates the huge potential for growing Irish exports in the rapidly growing Gulf market and creating jobs at home" Enterprise Ireland said.

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.

The signed contracts are as follows:

- Escher Group signed a new contract with Saudi Post to extend its licence agreement from 150 - 800 operational workstations

- Instant Upright signed a $1m deal with the Saudi Electric Company for boiler systems in the Ghazian power plant

- Jones Engineering signed a deal worth in excess of € 15m with a major multinational fast-moving consumer goods brand

- Ezetop 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 ATMs and 27,000 points of sale

- Rehab Group signed an agreement worth an expected € 2.3million over the first 12 months with the Human Resources Development Fund to support it in the development of its inclusive employment and pre employment programmes for people with disabilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

- KCC Architectural, an international architectural specialist announced multiple contract wins with customers in Doha including the Kempinski Hotels, Qatar Airways and Aspeter Hospital

- 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

- Díona Technologies, who provide 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.

Separately, Absal Paul, an Irish Saudi contract services provider announced that it had signed more than € 100 million in contracts over the past twelve months, with partners including Haliburton, the Saudi Stock Exchange, Boeing and General Electric.