A wide range of services were on offer to the world's largest market, writes Barry O'Halloran.
Irish companies signed contracts that could net them up to €40 million over the next three years during the eight-day trade mission to China, led by President McAleese, Enterprise Ireland said yesterday.
The 170-plus people, representing 82 companies, who took part in the country's largest ever trade mission began their return journey yesterday. With a population of over one billion people, China is the largest market in the world in terms of numbers. It's economy is growing to the point where it is reckoned it will be second only to the US by 2020.
The Republic does over €2.1 billion worth of business a year with China, but the balance is heavily weighted in favour of the far eastern country. However, around 150 Irish businesses have a presence there, or are selling goods and services there.
Yesterday, a spokesman for State agency, Enterprise Ireland, said nearly all companies that took part in the trade mission completed deals with businesses in China over the eight-day period. In all, he estimated that contracts worth €40 million over the next three years were signed off in the course of the mission.
The spokesman pointed out that some of the deals had been in negotiation for the last year-and-a-half. "The Chinese like to get to know people and to build a relationship with them before they get into contracts with them," he explained. "It's part of their culture, and it's why trade missions are important to them."
The trade mission included a large number of representatives from Irish colleges and language schools. The spokesman said the majority of them completed partnership arrangements with Chinese education institutions.
In the technology field, Irish e-learning group Skillsoft agreed a localisation and distribution deal with Chinese operator, Newsoft. The Chinese company will localise and sell Skillsoft's products in China.
MBC, an Irish consultancy based in Hong Kong completed an e-learning partnership deal with Chinese company, Fujian Jinfu Group. Another Irish consultancy, Cornerstone, agreed to provide computer skills training services to the Chinese Government.
In industry, Kentz Overseas, a subsidiary of Clonmel, Co Tipperary-based project manager and engineering specialist, Kentz International, signed a $12 million (€10.3 million) contract to supply the site-wide telecoms network for a petrochemicals complex which is being jointly developed by Shell and the Chinese National Oil Company. Household goods manufacturer, Glen Dimplex, opened a plant in southern China.
The companies that sent representatives included Accelerated Encryption Processing (AEP), the Bray, Co Wicklow-based encryption specialist, in which Mr Denis O'Brien holds a stake, Iona Technologies plc, Sigma Wireless and Trinity Biotech.
Trinity College, University College Cork, University College Dublin and nearly all the country's institutes of technology were also represented.
Minister for Education, Mr Noel Dempsey accompanied the mission. President McAleese said China was now one of the most sought after markets in the world. "We are proud of the fact that a comparatively small country like Ireland has the capability to offer world-class products and services to the world's largest marketplace," she said.
