rdc 25th anniversary booklet

section 3

company profiles

celebrating twentyfive years of

driving regional economic development

company profiles

1

Inside Front Cover

Regional Development Centre at Dundalk Institute of Technology

Facilities management workshop Abcon IndustrIAl Products ltd armac systems bArrAcudA FX Big mountain productions bluEAcrE tEchnology castlecool cdE globAl digiweB hAnlEy

EnErgy intact soFtware MArA IrIsh surF co. matthews coach hire Mcor tEchnologIEs ltd measuresoFt MovIdIus oriel sea salt ProMEtrIc silver hill Foods stAtsPorts suretank tAscoMI

tsm vEnnEtIcs yapstone FAcIlItIEs MAnAgEMEnt workshoP aBcon industrial products ltd ArMAc systEMs Barracuda FX bIg MountAIn productions Blueacre technology cAstlEcool cde gloBal dIgIwEb hanley energy IntAct soFtwArE mara irish surF co. MAtthEws coAch

hIrE mcor technologies ltd MEAsurEsoFt movidius orIEl sEA sAlt prometric sIlvEr hIll Foods statsports surEtAnk tascomi tsM vennetics yAPstonE Facilities management workshop Abcon IndustrIAl Products ltd armac systems bArrAcudA FX Big mountain productions

bluEAcrE tEchnology castlecool cdE globAl digiweB hAnlEy EnErgy intact soFtware MArA IrIsh surF co. matthews coach hire Mcor tEchnologIEs ltd measuresoFt MovIdIus oriel

sea salt ProMEtrIc silver hill Foods stAtsPorts suretank tAscoMI tsm vEnnEtIcs yapstone FAcIlItIEs MAnAgEMEnt workshoP aBcon industrial products ltd ArMAc systEMs Barracuda FX bIg MountAIn ProductIons Blueacre technology cAstlEcool cde gloBal dIgIwEb hanley

energy IntAct soFtwArE mara irish surF co. MAtthEws coAch hIrE mcor technologies ltd MEAsurEsoFt movidius orIEl sEA sAlt prometric sIlvEr hIll Foods statsports surEtAnk tascomi

tsM vennetics yAPstonE Facilities management workshop Abcon IndustrIAl Products ltd armac systems bArrAcudA FX Big mountain productions bluEAcrE tEchnology castlecool

cdE globAl digiweB hAnlEy EnErgy intact soFtware MArA IrIsh surF co. matthews coach hire Mcor tEchnologIEs ltd measuresoFt MovIdIus oriel sea salt ProMEtrIc silver hill Foods

stAtsPorts suretank tAscoMI tsm vEnnEtIcs yapstone FAcIlItIEs MAnAgEMEnt workshoP aBcon industrial products ltd ArMAc systEMs Barracuda FX bIg MountAIn ProductIons

Blueacre technology cAstlEcool cde gloBal dIgIwEb hanley energy IntAct soFtwArE mara irish surF co. MAtthEws coAch hIrE mcor technologies ltd MEAsurEsoFt movidius orIEl

sEA sAlt prometric sIlvEr hIll Foods statsports surEtAnk tascomi tsM vennetics yAPstonE Facilities management workshop Abcon IndustrIAl Products ltd armac systems bArrAcudA FX Big mountain productions bluEAcrE tEchnology castlecool cdE globAl digiweB hAnlEy


tsm vEnnEtIcs yapstone FAcIlItIEs MAnAgEMEnt workshoP aBcon industrial products ltd ArMAc systEMs Barracuda FX bIg MountAIn ProductIons Blueacre technology cAstlEcool cde gloBal dIgIwEb hanley energy IntAct soFtwArE mara irish surF co. MAtthEws coAch


celebratingtwentyfiveyears of driving regional economic development

Regional Development Centre at Dundalk Institute of Technology

1989 - 2014and beyond

celebratingtwentyfiveyears of driving regional economic development

1989 - 2014and beyond



2 fáilte

section 1

fáilte

Teachtaireacht an Chathaoirligh

cuireann sé lúcháir agus bród orm, mar chathaoirleach bhord rialaithe Institiúid teicneolaíochta

dhún dealgan, an deis seo a bheith agam iubhaile cúig bliana fichead an Ionaid Forbartha

réigiúnaigh a cheiliúradh. le 25 bliain anuas, tá an tIonad Forbartha réigiúnach ag tiomaint agus ag

spreagadh fiontair sa réigiún trasteorann oirthuaiscirt.

bíonn rath an Ionaid Forbartha réigiúnaigh ag bráth ar an chomhpháirtíocht. le blianta anuas,

tá maoinitheoirí, gníomhaireachtaí stáit agus leathstáit, Institiúidí Ardoideachais agus an earnáil

phríobháideach mar chomhpháirtithe againn. tá luach nach beag le réimse agus éagsúlacht na

gcomhpháirtíochtaí agus na gcaidreamh straitéiseach, a chuireann go mór le dul chun cinn an

Ionaid. chuidigh na comhpháirtíochtaí céanna linn aitheantas a fháil ar sheirbhísí agus ar éachtaí an

Ionaid agus a chliantchuideachtaí.

Aithnímid fosta na baill foirne uilig a d’oibrigh agus a oibríonn san Ionad Forbartha réigiúnach as

a bhfuil déanta acu ar son an Ionaid. ba mhór againn bheith ag obair le raon mór gnó-eagraithe

nuabhunaithe agus comhlachtaí sna hearnálacha éagsúla mar shampla an bogearraí agus tFc; an

Fuinneamh; an Innealtóireacht; an Earnáil digiteach; an déantúsaíocht agus na heolaíochtaí beatha.

guímid gach rath ar na cliantchuideachtaí atá, agus a bhí, againn.

gabhaimid buíochas leo siúd a chuir le rath an Ionaid Forbartha réigiúnaigh agus tá muid ag súil le

leanúint a róil straitéisigh agus iad ag tacú le forbairt eacnamaíoch an réigiúin.

andrew griffith, cathaoirleach an bhoird rialaithe, Institiúid teicneolaíochta dhún dealgan



3

section 1

welcome

chairp

erson

’s messag

e

Chairperson’s Message

As the Chairperson of Dundalk Institute of Technology Governing Body, I am delighted and

privileged to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Regional Development Centre. The last 25 years

have seen the Regional Development Centre as a driving force for economic development in the

North East and cross border region.

Partnership has been key to the success of the Regional Development Centre. Over the years our

Partners have included funders, State and Semi-State Agencies, Higher Educational Institutes

and the private sector. The breadth and variety of strategic partnerships and relationships has

been invaluable in informing the development of the Regional Development Centre. These

partnerships have helped us gain recognition for the services and achievements of the Regional

Development Centre and its client companies.

We acknowledge the tremendous work of those past and present Regional Development Centre

team members who have made such a huge contribution to the success of the Centre. We

have been privileged to work with a wide range of start-up entrepreneurs and businesses in

such sectors as Software and ICT, Energy, Engineering, Digital Content, Manufacturing and Life

Science. We wish all our client companies, past and present, continued success.

We thank everyone who has played a part in the success of the Regional Development Centre

and we look forward to its continued strategic role in supporting economic development in the

region.

andrew griffith, Chairperson of the Governing Body, Dundalk Institute of Technology

chairperson



4 welcome

section 1

fáilte

Teachtaireacht an Uachtaráin

rinneadh inneall réamhghníomhach nuálaíochta d’Institiúid teicneolaíochta dhún dealgan mar gheall

ar an Ionad Forbartha réigiúnach, atá ar cheann de na céad aonaid chothaithe fiontar ar an oileán.

tá caidreamh tréan ag an Ionad Forbartha réigiúnach leis an phobal, le gnó-eagraithe, le comhlachtaí

ilnáisiúnta, le gnóthais bheaga agus mheánmhéide agus le gníomhaireachtaí forbartha stáit agus

leathstáit.

Is é misean na hInstitiúide an geilleagar réigiúnach a thabhairt chun cinn trí thacaíocht a thabhairt

do ghnó-eagraithe agus do ghnóthais bheaga agus mheánmhéide sa gheilleagar eolasbhunaithe le

fiontar, nuálaíocht, taighde agus forbairt agus aistriú teicneolaíochta.

Is í aidhm an leabhair chomórtha seo cuntas a thabhairt i ról an Ionaid i rathúnas an réigiúin. le

linn a 25 bliain, tá an tIonad Forbartha réigiunach ag dul ó neart go neart, ní amháin ag tabhairt

tacaíochta do ghnó-eagraithe agus do chomhlachtaí sa réigiún ach ag cur le clár náisiúnta oideachais

fiontraíochta na hÉireann.

tá rath ar an Ionad mar gheall ar fhuinneamh, treallús agus dílseacht na foirne. tá uaillmhian ina gcroí

forbairt eacnamaíoch a thiomáint chun tosaigh le nuálaíocht, fiontar agus aistriú teicneolaíochta agus

mar sin de, tá torthaí ar dóigh sa réigiún.

Mar gheall ar obair an Ionaid, is í Institiúid teicneolaíochta dhún dealgan an Institiúid is mó

fiontraíocht san Earnáil Ardoideachais.

ba mhaith liom, mar a rinne an cathaoirleach, mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leo siúd a chuir le rath an

Ionaid Forbartha réigiúnaigh agus tá muid ag súil bheith ag obair leat agus muid ag tabhairt aghaidhe

ar 25 bliain eile.

denis cummins, uachtarán, Institiúid teicneolaíochta dhún dealgan

5



president

presid

ent’s m

essage

President’s Message

By establishing the Regional Development Centre, one of the first on-campus incubation facilities on the island, the Institute has

become a pro-active engine of innovation in the region.

The Regional Development Centre has proven to be a successful vehicle for a strong interaction with the community, with

entrepreneurs, with MNCs (multi-national companies), SMEs (small-medium sized enterprises) and with the various regional State

and Semi-State Agencies.

Our mission is to develop and grow the regional economy through the support of entrepreneurs and SMEs in the knowledge

based sector through Enterprise Development, Innovation, Research and Development and Technology Transfer.

This commemorative book aims to provide an account of how the Regional Development Centre has contributed to the prosperity

of the region. Throughout its 25-year history the Regional Development Centre has gone from strength to strength, not only

in supporting entrepreneurs and businesses in the region, but it has also made a major contribution to the national agenda for

entrepreneurship education in Ireland.

Its success is as a result of the energy, drive and commitment of its staff. Their relentless ambition to drive economic development

through innovation, enterprise and technology transfer activities has delivered superb results for the region.

The work of the Regional Development Centre has positioned Dundalk Institute of Technology as the enterprising and

entrepreneurial Institute within the HEI sector.

I join the Chairperson in thanking everyone who has played a part in the success of the Regional Development Centre and we

look forward to working with you as we aim to make our mark in the next 25 years.

denis cummins, President, Dundalk Institute of Technology

section 1

welcome

ag ceiliúradh cúig bliana is fiche

ag tiomáint na forbartha

section 2

introduction

6 introduction

Introducing The Regional Development Centre

The Regional Development Centre at Dundalk Institute of

Technology is strategically positioned mid-way along the

Dublin-Belfast economic corridor, on the border into Northern

Ireland. Within 90 minutes drive of the campus, there is an

estimated population of 3.29 million, which accounted for

approximately 52% of the population of the island in 2011.

This makes the region an attractive location for inward

investment and other economic development.

The work of the Regional Development Centre ranges from

the promotion of entrepreneurship to students, supporting

knowledge based start-up businesses, providing specialised

supports to meet the needs of established businesses through

innovation, applied research projects and the commercialisation

of the Institute’s Intellectual Property.

In 2000 the Regional Development Centre was also the first

campus based innovation centre to be awarded ISO 9000

Certification by NSAI. The Centre has been successful in

maintaining this standard annually.

The 2013 Biggar socio-economic impact study of Dundalk

Institute of Technology reported that impacts generated by the

activities of the Regional Development Centre amounted to

€38.9 million gross value added per year.

InnovationSupports

EnterpriseSupport

CampusEntrepreneurship

StudentEnterprise

IncubationFacilities

AppliedResearch

TechnologyTransfer

Working inPartnership

Supporting FDI

Supporting Knowledge-Based Enterprises

Linking with Academia

Accessing Research Expertise

Supporting Existing SMEs

7

€24.3mFundIng sEcurEd

introduction

this commemorative

book features a timeline,

tracking the range of

activities and projects

delivered over the past

25 years. we are also

delighted to profile a

selection of the more

recent projects which aim

to deliver on our mission

and positively contribute

to the prosperity of the

region.

no account of the regional development centre would be complete without

crediting the huge contribution to its success made by gerry carroll. For nearly

25 years gerry was head of development overseeing the work of the regional

development centre. It was his initial vision in the 1980s that resulted in the first

on-campus incubation facility being opened in 1989. From then, his drive, energy,

and strategic vision have resulted in the outstanding impacts realised here today.

130

stArt-uPsIncubAtEd

238rEsEArchAPPlIEd

ProJEcts

1162suPPortEd

EntrEPrEnEurs

€38.9mAnnuAl EconoMIc

IMPAct oF rEgIonAl dEvEloPMEnt

cEntrE ActIvItIEs

gerry carroll head of development dundalk Institute of technology

section 2

introduction

ag ceiliúradh fichecúig bliain


section 3

programme profiles

8 programme profiles

Campus Entrepreneurship

The Regional Development Centre has been at the forefront of entrepreneurship education in Ireland

since 2008, as lead Partner in the Accelerating Campus Entrepreneurship (ACE) Initiative.

The primary aim of the ACE Initiative was to embed

entrepreneurship and enterprise education within the

curriculum of Irish Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) particularly

for non-business disciplines. The objective was to create the

entrepreneurial graduate. Entrepreneurship education aims to

equip students with entrepreneurial and enterprising life skills

and behaviours. These can be applied whether they start their

own business, work for an SME, a large corporation or the

public and voluntary sectors.

The ACE Initiative was a Higher Educational Authority (HEA)

funded consortium of eight Higher Education Institutions, led

by the Regional Development Centre at Dundalk Institute of

Technology. Following the completion of the ACE project in

June 2014, the establishment of Campus Entrepreneurship

Enterprise Network (CEEN) marked ACE’s transition from an

eight partner consortium to a national network, inclusive of all

HEIs wishing to participate.

CEEN aims to raise the profile, extend engagement and further

develop entrepreneurship education across the Irish HEI sector.

CEEN builds on a body of work and expertise developed

through the internationally acclaimed ACE Initiative.

The Regional Development Centre as Chair of the Founding

Board of the Campus Entrepreneurship Enterprise Network

(CEEN) continues to promote excellence in the field of

entrepreneurship education.

Find out more: www.rdc.ie www.ceen.ie

9

introduction

broadening career choices

building and developing confidencenetworkingbuilding and developing confidence

broadening career choiceslearning about entrepreneurship

learning about real world business

learning how to start a businessbroadening career choices perspectives by including viable option of self-employment

networkingenhancing employability

section 3

programme profiles



section 3

programme profiles

10 introduction

Student Enterprise @ DkIT Created in 2007, the Student Enterprise Internship Programme

was established to promote and actively support a spirit of

enterprise and self-employment and to foster the development

of entrepreneurial skillsets that will increase employability

amongst the student populace.

The programme, managed by the Regional Development

Centre, has grown organically from one Student Enterprise

Intern with a cross-campus focus to a total of four School-

based Student Enterprise Interns. Throughout the academic

year the Student Enterprise Interns host a range of initiatives

and activities including the Bright Ideas Programme.

They also coordinate the Student Innovation Fund for DkIT

students and graduates. This programme has supported the

establishment of student enterprises such as MaraSurf led by

Peter Carroll, Ireland’s Education Recruitment Company led by

Subhash Khanal and Atlantic Medical led by Andris Poga.

When combined, the initiatives of the Student Enterprise

Internship Programme at DkIT nurtures an encouraging

culture of entrepreneurship across the campus while also

offering concrete supports to those fledgling student

businesses and ideas.

The programme acknowledges the past contributions made

by Dundalk Credit Union and the Local Enterprise Office

Louth whose funding has accelerated the Student Enterprise

Internship Programme, enabling students to start businesses

and develop projects.



11

pro

gram

me p

rofi

les

Incubation: Supporting Start-Up Knowledge Based Enterprises

The on-campus incubation facility at the Regional Development

Centre and the satellite facility at the Millmount Development

Centre in Drogheda, provides knowledge based start-ups and

student enterprises with the ideal locations to develop and

grow their businesses.

The Regional Development Centre offers a pro-active

incubation support programme with access to state of the art

facilities, applied research opportunities and expert networks

coupled with business advice.

The programme supports innovative and entrepreneurial

businesses who are dealing with demand for increasingly

complex products and services.

During the critical stages of starting up and growing their

business, the Regional Development Centre provides a crucial

informative and supportive environment for entrepreneurs.

The goal is to increase their chances of success, foster their

resilience and grow their business. Previous clients such as

Redmere Technologies, Digiweb and Big Mountain Productions

to name but a few, are testiment to this.

section 3

programme profiles

section 3

company profiles



supporting 1162 Entrepreneurs over 25 years

the regional development centre has been supporting start-up knowledge based

enterprises since it opened its doors in 1989 through such initiatives as:

1989 - 1997 technology driven Enterprise Programme

1997 graduate Enterprise development Programme

1996 - 2002 the coca-cola national Enterprise Awards

2000 Food Enterprise development Programme

cross border technology Innovation Programme

2001-2010 FlAgshIP

north East Enterprise Platform Programme (nEEP)

2003-2004 creative Media Enterprise support Programme 1 & 11

2005 - 2008 Enterprise start Programme

2006 new Media Factory Enterprise Programme

border Innovation gateway Programme

2007 renewable Energy Enterprise Programme

2010 discovery Zone

2010 - 2014 the bright Ideas

2012 - 2015 new Frontiers Entrepreneur development

Programme (nFP)


the flagship enterprise programme over the last decade has been the north East

Enterprise Platform Programme 2001-2010 which demonstrated remarkable impacts

as reported in three surveys in 2006, 2008 and 2011.

€75m

€50m

€25m

2008

turnover

2006 2011

€15m

€10m

€5m

€20m

29%

20.2%

2008 2011

Export sales

€45m

€30m

€15m

€60m

€39m

2008 2011

€53m

vc Funding raised

€68.2m

€26.9m€17m

13

pro

gram

me p

rofi

lesthis programme was succeeded by Enterprise Ireland’s new Frontiers

Entrepreneur development Programme.

2006 2008 2011

400

300

200

100

226

312

399

Employees

North East Enterprise Platform (NEEP)and New Frontiers Entrepreneur Development Programmes

One of the most important functions of enterprise development support is to assist entrepreneurs

to conduct opportunity analysis and customer discovery to determine whether their business idea

is feasible before they produce a business plan – an important step that is often overlooked.

This fits in with the Regional Development Centre’s enterprise development philosophy to support

three areas: the idea, the person and the business itself. Over the past 25 years the Centre has

piloted and delivered many programmes across multiple sectors to meet this objective. Some

of these programmes were subsequently mainstreamed by the private sector and rolled out

nationally, for example, the Discovery Zone Programme which was developed by the Regional

Development Centre in partnership with Cork Institute of Technology.

One programme which formed a large part of the Centre’s offering during the period 2001

to 2011. The North East Enterprise Platform Programme (NEEP) assisted over 130 start-up

entrepreneurs and created 400 jobs. In 2011 NEEP companies had a combined annual turnover

of €68million, a significant portion being export sales. NEEP companies raised approximately

€70million in VC funding. It is estimated that over the 10 years of the programme, revenues of

over a quarter of a billion euro were produced by its participant companies, including Armac,

Mcor Technologies, Barracuda FX and Blueacre Technology to name a few.

Since 2012 the Regional Development Centre manages and delivers Enterprise Ireland’s New

Frontiers Entrepreneur Development Programme which is the successor to the NEEP Programme.

The Regional Development Centre manages this programme in collaboration with Dublin City

University and supports approximately 45 entrepreneurs per year. The programme is delivered in

3 Phases. Phase 1 focuses on the business case (feasibility), delivered part-time over six weeks.

Phase 2 develops an investor ready business plan and includes €15,000 cash support for eligible

projects, requiring six months full-time commitment, and the Phase 3 which provides customised

supports focused on business growth to help promoters acquire first clients, investment or enter

export markets.

section 3

programme profiles

section 3

company profiles




Innovation for Competitive Enterprises (ICE) Programme

telestack

Improving the foundations to sustain High Growth in an

Innovation company.

Telestack is a Northern Ireland company that exports over

95% of its products. It designs, manufactures, installs and

commissions a range of mobile bulk handing equipment

for organisations operating in sectors such as rail, ports and

mining.

Telestack has benefited immensely from

participation on the ICE Programme by

using it as a vehicle to strategically plan

the business using a platform of formal

and structured events to support company

growth through thinking differently

adrian mccutcheon Managing director, telestack

pro stainless designs ltd.

New Product Development: Developing New Products to

compete in other industries.

PRO Stainless Designs Ltd, based in Ireland, fabricates and

provides solutions in a range of stainless steel fabrication,

design and related services in the custom engineering and

architectural metalwork sector.

The ICE Programme created a focus and

platform to analyse how we do things.

It helped set up a structure to evaluate

opportunities that will provide a better

future for PRO Stainless Designs Ltd.

david monaghan sales and Marketing director

Pro stainless designs ltd

The Innovation for Competitive Enterprises (ICE) Programme

reports outstanding results with 90 participating companies

on track to see an increased turnover by over 27% and the

creation of 360 new jobs, paving the way for 34 companies to

move into export markets.

These are the impacts of the Regional Development Centre’s

highly successful ICE Programme aimed at building innovation

capability and capacity in small and medium-sized enterprises

(SMEs). In the context of this initiative, innovation is seen as the

introduction of a new or significantly modified product/service/

process or business model and the opening of new markets.

27% Increase turnover

38% Increase Export sales

360 new Jobs

15

pro

gram

me p

rofi

les

castlecool ltd. Service Value Through Innovation

Castlecool is the largest independent temperature-control and logistics company in Ireland.

The company has gained in-depth knowledge and understanding of innovation related processes and implemented new ideas which

are already having a significant impact

paul shortt Managing director, castlecool ltd.

The programme is led by the Regional Development Centre at Dundalk Institute of Technology

and was in partnership with the University of Ulster, the University of Glasgow and Glasgow

Caledonian University. The Innovation for Competitive Enterprises (ICE) Programme is funded

by the European Union’s Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVA Cross- Border

Programme for Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland. The fund

is administered by the Special EU Programmes Body with a total investment of €2.5 million,

including matched funding provided by Scottish Enterprise and the accountable departments.

Fm environmental ltd.

Achieving Increased Efficiency in a Service Division

FM Environmental Ltd is a pump and wastewater treatment company based in Northern Ireland.

With installations from Ireland to Oman, or from Malta to Mexico, we challenge ourselves to work towards our corporate mission statement “towards a cleaner environment”

The ICE programme brought the concept of ‘managing by metrics’ into the organisation which was vital in assessing the contribution from our service operation. We are now implementing metrics across all departments to provide greater control and measurement of all aspects of the business from production to sales to after sales servicing.

kevin Fitzpatrick Managing director, FM Environmental ltd.

section 3

programme profiles



section 3

programme profiles


Success Through Succession

The Success Through Succession (STS) programme was delivered in 2009-2012 to assist 22 family owned/family related

small/medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the six southern border counties, across a range of sectors to meet the challenges

of succession planning. Offering a psychology-focused approach to help manage succession challenges, this unique project

addressed succession planning from four potentially competing perspectives:

Just to have a roadmap for succession clearly articulated is such a weight off our shoulders.

Jim mccabe Managing director, Ferm Engineering ltd.

• The Family Perspective

• The Business Perspective

• The Ownership Perspective

• The Individual Development Perspective

The programme included a series of workshops, bespoke

mentoring, best practice visits and events.

The project was jointly developed and delivered by the

University of Ulster, Regional Development Centre at

Dundalk Institute of Technology and Glasgow Caledonian

University in Scotland and was part-financed by the

European Union’s INTERREG IVA programme managed by

the Special EU Programmes Body and supported by the

accountable departments in Ireland, Northern Ireland,

Scottish Enterprise and Co-operative Development Scotland.

the problem we faced was that we did not know what to do! the presentations throughout the sts Programme were excellent; they made clear the structures I needed to put in place for a successful exit. the entire programme was so very useful, it opened doors of communication between the first and second generation, it steered us in the same direction and helped us all to appreciate our skills and identified what skills we needed to go forward.

paddy matthewsManaging director, Matthews coach hire

When we first joined the STS Programme we had no idea that it would go on to play such a major part in the future direction of our company

liam mcnamee Managing director, Archway Products ltd.



17

pro

gram

me p

rofi

les

Making A Vital Difference

The VITAL project, led by the Regional Development Centre,

was launched in 2013. It is a project designed to create

new ventures and grow existing SMEs using a unique open

innovation model. VITAL identifies and commercialises good

ideas by evaluating them and matching those with potential

with SMEs and seasoned entrepreneurs with a track record

operating in the border region of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

VITAL is a €2.56 million project supported by the European

Union’s INTERREG IVA Programme, which is managed by the

Special EU Programmes Body. The project is a partnership

between Dublin City University, Queen’s University Belfast and

is led by Dundalk Institute of Technology.

VITAL was designed by the Regional Development Centre

for the many idea owners who don’t have time, resources,

knowledge or commercial expertise to make ideas happen.

Similarly it is appealing to those in need of new business

opportunities as it gives access to evaluated ideas and it

provides additional support with the commercialisation process.

The project is providing a customised range of supports to its

matched ideas including access to a priming capital fund to

assist with the fast track to market process.

Find out more: www.vitalforideas.com www.rdc.ie

section 3

programme profiles



2005: the bright room high definition Post Production Facilities

was established and launched on the 11th May 2005 by President Mary

McAleese. the facility was a unique asset to the East border region as it

was the first dry hire definition postproduction facility in Ireland.

section 3

programme profiles

2004-2006: the Midas Initiative produced a major piece of extensive

research into the digital content sector in Ireland – ‘Investigating sMEs

in the digital content Industries on the Island of Ireland’ in 2004 as well as

establishing the foundation of a digital content cluster in the region.

2004-2006: digital

diversity Project I

and II

2003-2005: creative Media

Enterprise support

Programme I and II

Arts Meets Technology

In 2003, with the publication of the SQW Report, Dundalk Institute of Technology set out its

vision of Dundalk and the role of Dundalk Institute of Technology in realising this vision. This

vision articulated:

1 A central role for the Arts in shaping the economic future of Dundalk as well as in the

cultural and social dimensions.

2 A strategic focus in an economic development strategy which gives rise to the creation of a

new digital content cluster in Dundalk and its hinterland.

The proposed Creative Media Cluster

will consist of four key integrated

components, as follows:

north East digital

content cluster

research and

development support

structure

Ict Infrastructure

(Broadband, Teleworking

Infrastructure)

higher Education

and lifelong learning

Programmes

Appropriate Physical Facilities

(Studio Facilities, Incubation Facilities,

Post-production Capacity)

Over the next ten years, Dundalk Institute of Technology and the Regional Development Centre delivered on this strategy in the form of:

• €40 million investment in PJ Carroll Building for the newly constituted School of Informatics and Creative Arts

• Supporting new and existing enterprises in the digital content sector though such programmes as:

In this way the aim was to both exploit the cultural studies and ICT faculty strengths of the Institute (‘the content’) and the

ICT expertise of the local companies and the telecom providers (‘the technology’). In this process, it was proposed to focus

on those industries which emerge from the interaction between technology and the arts, delivering firms and employment

in areas such as film making; video; advertising; multi-media; computer games and animation.




19

pro

gram

me p

rofi

les

2012-2014: And more

recently the honeycomb

creative works Project.

2009: refurbishment of the

PJ carroll building to house the

school of Informatics and creative

Arts

2006-2008:

new Media Factory

Project.

2005: the bright room high definition Post Production Facilities

was established and launched on the 11th May 2005 by President Mary

McAleese. the facility was a unique asset to the East border region as it

was the first dry hire definition postproduction facility in Ireland.

Honeycomb - Creative Works

The Regional Development Centre continues to build on its partnerships in Northern Ireland

and Scotland through the Honeycomb – Creative Works project - a €4.2 million INTERREG IVA

project that aims to strengthen the ever-growing digital content sector.

Since 2012, Honeycomb has been delivering training, networking and business support

programmes from Donegal to Louth, as well as in Northern Ireland and the west of Scotland.

To date, more than 100 Honeycomb networking and skills events have been delivered to film

makers, animators, game developers and interactive media specialists from across the regions.

Delegations have also attended trade shows and conferences in Dublin, Inverness and Seattle,

with further trips planned for New York and Texas.

Honeycomb has also worked with Digital Dundalk and Refresh Boyne, the web and tech

communities in the Dundalk and Greater Boyne areas. Honeycomb has helped them to build

links between digital content companies and freelancers which has led to the development of

several partnerships being built between digital content creators and other sectors.

Find out more: www.thehoneycomb.net

www.rdc.ie

section 3

programme profiles



section 3

programme profiles


iOTA Programme Innovation • Opportunity • Training • Advice

iOTA is a cross border business development programme with an emphasis on innovation as a driver

of business achievement and wealth creation of which the Regional Development Centre is a delivery

partner organisation. The programme focuses on fostering the development of new ideas leading to

new or improved products, new or improved services or new or improved business processes that add

value and create wealth.

The programme is focused on providing two strands of support, Strand A focuses on individuals who

want to explore a new innovative idea and Strand B focuses on supporting existing SMEs. Within

Strand A, the Regional Development Centre has taken 20 individuals through the process with the

development of bespoke innovation action plans, innovation and enterprise development training and

clinics exploring ideas in such diverse areas as the consumer product, e-Learning gaming, artisan baking

and earthmoving sectors.

Within Strand B the Regional Development Centre is facilitating local businesses to explore how

innovation relates to them and how embracing an innovation strategy can be leveraged to expand

and grow their businesses, in such sectors as specialist recruitment, electronics, food and beverage,

surgical equipment, software development and software testing. With a blend of activities including

bespoke innovation action plan development, specialist mentoring and access to topical workshops and

masterclasses the programme helps address the identified innovation challenge for each business.

The iOTA Programme is a project supported by the European Union’s INTERREG IVA Programme

managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

section 3

company profiles

company profiles

21

Technology Transfer

The Regional Development Centre has been engaged in the process of transferring skills,

knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing and applied research from the Institute to

industry to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible to a wider range

of users who can then further develop and exploit the technology into new products, processes,

applications, materials or services.

This knowledge exchange with industry occurs mainly through two routes;

a Through funded Applied Research in collaboration with Industry

b The Regional Development Centre identifies potential technology transfer opportunities

and negotiates licensing and Technology Transfer Agreements of mutual benefit in the

Institute’s areas of expertise in ICT, Health and Ageing, Energy and the Environment and

the Creative Arts.

transfer

transfer

transfer

innovationtechnology

transfer

In this way, Dundalk Institute

of Technology through

the Regional Development

Centre, is committed to

ensuring that the knowledge

it generates, particularly in

the area of research and

development in strategic

and defined thematic areas

is disseminated, transferred,

applied and commercialised.

22 company profiles

section 3

company profiles

















hIrE mcor technologies ltd MEAsurEsoFt movidius orIEl sEA sAlt prometric sIlvEr hIll Foods statsports surEtAnk tascomi tsM vennetics yAPstonE Facilities management workshop Abcon

IndustrIAl Products ltd armac systems bArrAcudA FX Big mountain productions bluEAcrE

years twentyfive

section 3

company profiles



company profiles

23















hIrE mcor technologies ltd MEAsurEsoFt movidius orIEl sEA sAlt prometric sIlvEr hIll Foods statsports surEtAnk tascomi tsM vennetics yAPstonE Facilities management workshop Abcon

IndustrIAl Products ltd armac systems bArrAcudA FX Big mountain productions bluEAcrE

companiestwentyfive

a flavour of some of the companies we have supported over the past 25 years

24 company profiles

section 4

company profiles



1Facilities Management Workshop (FMW) was established by

Architect Rodd Bond in 1988 and was the first incubation

tenant in the new RDC facility.

FMW developed CAD/GIS applications for organisations

to plan, design and maintain utilities, banks, hospitals

and aviation networks. FMW used the McDonnell Douglas

and Smallworld software frameworks linked to an Oracle

database on open systems platforms. FMW graduated from

the RDC in 1993 moving to the Carrick Road, Dundalk. As an

internationally traded services company, FMW was also assisted

by Enterprise Ireland and venture capital funding.

Rodd sold the business in 2000 before embarking on research

into ageing and the environment. He subsequently founded

the Netwell Centre at Dundalk Institute of Technology in 2005

and is currently the Director.

Facilities Management WorkshopOur first incubation company



25

Returning home to Dundalk from the USA with expertise in hospital design and CAD/GIS, I sought a better quality of life here with the opportunity to form a software services business. In 1989 FMW located at the RDC on the campus of the then Regional Technical College (RTC). I was the first tenant and witnessed the first carpets being laid and phone systems being installed. It was tough starting up in those days. We had major overheads for software licences and to save money kitting out the office I made the desks and shelves myself! But the Regional Development Centre was a great place to start, a vibrant centre with lots of activity and connectivity opportunities. The assistance from the RDC, RTC and the other incubation tenants during my time there was critical, providing support and access to build and strengthen the company.

rodd Bond Founder & director

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company profiles

26 company profiles

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company profiles



Participation in the ICE Programme was our first interaction with the RDC. This excellent programme assisted the company in embedding new thinking on business development and KPI’s. The interaction with the RDC has been very positive and we are delighted once again to engage with the RDC on the VITAL Programme.

Barry smith Managing director

Abcon Industrial Products Ltd. is owned by Cavan

businessmen, Barry Smith, Paul Gilsenan and Sean Daly.

Specialising in manufacturing activities including Abrasive

Belts and Discs, Abcon produce mainly for the domestic

joinery, engineering, stainless steel and automotive market.

Abcon also produce specialist disc products for export

markets. This market has grown from 5% to 30% of the

abrasives business in the past three years with renowned

clients such as Bosch.

In 2007 and 2010 Abcon further expanded into the

industrial rubber hose and large bore hose markets. This

has expanded their client base to include oil, mining,

aggregates, chemicals, food and dredging companies.

Now employing almost 100 people at their 74,000sq ft

Cootehill facility, Abcon has an annual turnover of €8m.

The core manufacturing principles of Abcon are based on

excellence in manufacturing, customer service, processes

and quality. These principles continue to ensure customer

confidence in the Abcon name as the company goes from

strength to strength.

abcon industrial products ltd.



company profiles

27

Armac Systems is at the forefront of new-generation,

intelligent MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) inventory

planning solutions. With a strong focus on the aviation MRO

sector, Armac have helped airlines and MROs save millions of

dollars to date by enabling them to optimize the quantity, cost

and availability of their aircraft spare parts.

Armac’s solution is a strategic decision support and policy

execution tool which enables inventory planners to identify

and execute optimal target stock levels. This core desktop

interface allows planners to maximise availability throughout

the network while minimising investment.

The Armac solution has been developed in collaboration

with Irish academic institutions and industry leading MRO

organisations. It has been implemented in major airlines and

MRO organisations across Europe with customers achieving

up to 40% reductions in inventory investment and up to 25%

reduction in inventory spend year-on-year. Armac Systems is

part of the SR Technics Group.

armac systems

The RDC provided Armac with access to unique resources and skills which helped to develop our solution from a successful prototype to a commercially viable product. We worked with experts who fully understood what we were developing and believed in the potential of the solution, providing the supports we needed to develop the industry leading solution we have today.

micheál armstrong chief Executive officer

Participation in the ICE Programme was our first interaction with the RDC. This excellent programme assisted the company in embedding new thinking on business development and KPI’s. The interaction with the RDC has been very positive and we are delighted once again to engage with the RDC on the VITAL Programme.

Barry smith Managing director

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company profiles

28 company profiles

section 4

company profiles



Participation in the RDC’s North East Enterprise Platform Programme played a key part in Barracuda’s start-up journey. It was an excellent, practical programme, delivered in a supportive yet challenging environment by a great team. It helped lay the foundations for our future growth.

kieran Fitzpatrick chief Executive officer

Founded in 2009 by Cavan man, Kieran Fitzpatrick and his colleague Maurice Curran,

Barracuda FX provides Front Office Capital Markets trading and risk management software

solutions to leading global banks and financial institutions.

Their flagship product, Foreign Exchange (FX) Order Management System (OMS), enables

clients to more efficiently manage their global FX business.

Barracuda FX provides global solutions to a number of the world’s largest banks, managing

over $50 billion per day in over 45 countries. They have been recognised as the leading OMS

provider in the industry. This is backed up by on-going client wins and continued industry

acknowledgement.

The company has been recognised as one of Ireland’s most innovative early stage companies

winning the InterTradeIreland All-Island Seedcorn High Growth competition in 2010, the

Irish Software Association’s Emerging Company of the Year in 2011 and the Ernst and

Young Entrepreneur of the Year Emerging category winner in 2013.

Barracuda FX



29

Big Mountain Productions is one of Ireland’s leading TV

companies creating and making entertainment formats for the

local and international markets.

Hit TV series include Genealogy Roadshow for RTÉ1, IFTA-

nominated The Tenements and The Big House for TV3,

Traffic Blues and Craftmaster for RTÉ1 and Opry an Iuír with

Daniel O’Donnell for BBC Northern Ireland and TG4. Recent

programmes include a major feature length documentary,

Addict’s Symphony with the London Symphony Orchestra for

channel 4 and a new six part series filming in Ireland for ITV1.

The Genealogy Roadshow and CraftMaster formats have been

licensed in the US while Traffic Blues has been exported to the

UK and Australia.

Big mountain productions

Despite the recession, Big Mountain Productions have grown

into a major supplier in Ireland and have also broken into the

UK/US markets. Employing over 130 production personnel the

company made over 23 hours of television last year.

From the start the RDC put us on the right path with the North East Enterprise Platform Programme. We benefited from incubation space and valuable supports. Now we continue our association through Honeycomb. Our strong relationship with DkIT has provided us with even more: a location for filming our CraftMaster Finale, a great source of students for productions and our in-house team and even extras. We are delighted to be part of the RDC family.

Jane kelly creative director philip mcgovern Managing director

Participation in the RDC’s North East Enterprise Platform Programme played a key part in Barracuda’s start-up journey. It was an excellent, practical programme, delivered in a supportive yet challenging environment by a great team. It helped lay the foundations for our future growth.

kieran Fitzpatrick chief Executive officer

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company profiles

section 4

company profiles



Working with the Regional Development Centre gave Castlecool access to incredible resources, helping us to develop and refine our business practices. In particular, the ICE Programme evolved some of our management procedures to a whole new level.

paul shortt general Manager

The RDC provided Blueacre Technology with much needed advice in the early stages of the company's growth. They assisted us in developing the initial business plan, which provided a firm basis for the company growth.

dr david gillen Managing director

Blueacre technology

Founded in 2006 by Dr. David Gillen, Blueacre Technology provides a

dedicated, high quality laser processing and consulting service.

Through continuous investment in research, development

and engineering, the company has evolved to offer

customers highly sophisticated solutions to the

most demanding engineering problems. Blueacre

Technology specialise in solutions for the medical

devices industry.

Blueacre Technology now supplies specialised laser

micromachining equipment to the Life Science and

Electronics industries. These laser micromachines

are used to process various polymers, metals

and alloys and are among the most

advanced on the market.

30 company profiles



company profiles

31

Working with the Regional Development Centre gave Castlecool access to incredible resources, helping us to develop and refine our business practices. In particular, the ICE Programme evolved some of our management procedures to a whole new level.

paul shortt general Manager

Castlecool is one of Ireland’s leading providers of temperature controlled supply chain solutions.

The company has established itself as a leading food services facilitator to many Irish and International food manufacturing

companies. Castlecool provide value added processes including production line fulfilment, front and back end

manufacturing services, cross docking, order picking and management as well as route to market and international

distribution services.

Established in Castleblaney in 1994, Castlecool has been chosen as a Deloitte Best Managed Company for five consecutive

years, 2009 to 2014. Castlecool were proud to be accredited as a Deloitte Gold Standard company in both 2013 and 2014,

a first in this industry.

castlecool

The RDC provided Blueacre Technology with much needed advice in the early stages of the company's growth. They assisted us in developing the initial business plan, which provided a firm basis for the company growth.

dr david gillen Managing director

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32 company profiles

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company profiles



We have engaged with the FUSION Programme to develop new technologies for wastewater treatment plants (WwTPs). We started with a different topic but through the due diligence process we decided to redirect to a different project in the same industry. That project, in conjunction with DkIT, is progressing exceptionally well.

Brian mccullough head of talent and organisational development

CDE Global design and manufacture materials processing equipment for the global construction materials,

mining, specialist industrial sands and environmental sectors. Over the last 20 years CDE Global has grown to

become a recognised leader in this field.

Their unique business model involves collaborating with customers to co-create their processing plants. This

maximises the efficiency of their operations and ensures they can command the highest commercial value for

the materials they produce.

Their technologies are applied to sand and gravel for concrete production, iron-ore for steel production, silica

sands in glass making and other industrial applications or recycling gulley waste to maximise material recovery

and minimise waste volumes.

Operating across 7 regions, CDE Global takes in Europe, Middle East & Africa, Australasia, North America,

Latin America and Asia, theirs is truly a global operation.

cde global

section 3

company profiles



company profiles

33

Digiweb is Ireland’s leading independent telecommunications company.

Founded in Dundalk in 1997 and now headquartered in Dublin, Digiweb is a full-service

national communications and managed services provider. It provides nationwide broadband

access, enterprise data networks, data centre and web hosting services, managed services and

telephony to residential, business and public sector customers.

By virtue of its national fibre and wireless networks, unbundled exchanges, and satellite services,

Digiweb owns and operates Ireland’s largest alternative last-mile access network.

Digiweb Group is led by Chief Executive Officer and Founder Colm Piercy, the 2012 winner of

the Ernst & Young Industry Entrepreneur of the Year.

digiweb

Being based in the Regional Development Centre Dundalk during our start-up phase provided us with a business-ready environment which allowed us to concentrate on growth and development of the business. The Centre was also full of likeminded start-up companies which provided a keen sense of friendship and a source of valuable information on a daily basis.

declan campbell Managing director of consumer operations and services

We have engaged with the FUSION Programme to develop new technologies for wastewater treatment plants (WwTPs). We started with a different topic but through the due diligence process we decided to redirect to a different project in the same industry. That project, in conjunction with DkIT, is progressing exceptionally well.

Brian mccullough head of talent and organisational development

34 company profiles

section 4

company profiles



Hanley Energy is a globally recognised award-winning innovator, headquartered in Stamullen,

County Meath and with offices based in the US and Germany. Hanley Energy are committed

to reducing energy costs through structured energy management and ensure uninterrupted

electrical supply for key operators.

Equipped with a wealth of experience and expertise Hanley Energy supply, design, install and

support energy monitoring and management systems, critical power and data-centre control

solutions for a range of Irish and International clients.

Irish-owned and managed, Hanley Energy are renowned for innovation and excellence. In 2013

the Global Cleantech Cluster Association announced Hanley Energy as the number one Clean

Technology Company in the World. In July 2014 Hanley Energy was named the Schneider

Electric EMEA Elite Partner of the Year.

Clients include Roadstone Wood, CIE, Wexford Creamery and Largo Foods. Hanley Energy has

saved these customers over €8m since 2009.

hanley energy

The Hanley Energy journey thus far has been one of absolute resilience particularly when faced with the challenges of being a start-up business. Our philosophy is one of dynamism and progressive thinking. Whilst building on our natural ability to strive for excellence we look forward to enhancing and sustaining our already strong local links with the RDC.

clive gilmore chief Executive officer dennis nordon Managing director



company profiles

35

Focused on developing innovative accounting and business

management solutions, Intact Software is an Irish-owned and

progressive company. Their products satisfy the needs of the

wholesale, distribution, service and retail industries.

Established in 1992, Intact Software is now trusted by

2,500+ customers with over 18,000 end users. The company

are deeply committed to delivering the latest in Enterprise

Resource Planning (ERP) software technologies and providing

clients with the necessary tools to measure, manage and grow

their business. Intact Software products are sold, implemented

and supported through a network of fully trained, accredited

channel partners across Ireland, the UK, Europe, Australasia

and Canada.

2012 saw Intact Software introduce their latest business

management software package, Intact iQ to the market. This

innovative product is the result of 22 years of experience

and extensive research and development. Intact iQ enables

companies to streamline their business processes from sales

lead management to sales invoicing to stock control to

management information all in a single system. A powerful,

flexible and customisable package, Intact iQ integrates

seamlessly across all areas of a business.

intact software

Relocating our R&D team to the Regional Development Centre removed them from the daily operations and surrounded them with entrepreneurs. It was exactly what we needed to bring that start-up spirit to an established business and the link to the resources of DkIT has proved pivotal in many areas.Justin lawless chief Executive officer

section 4

company profiles

36 company profiles

Big thanks to all the guys in the RDC for helping me to get started. My tip - be flexible with your business idea, it usually takes you in a different direction than you thought you were going to go.

peter carroll Founder and Managing director

section 4

company profiles



Peter Carroll was a student at Dundalk Institute of Technology

(DkIT) and President of DkIT’s Surf Society when he asked the

question “Why is there no major Irish Surf brand serving cold

water surfers?”

His next question “How can I create one?” led him to

the Regional Development Centre. He spent 15 months

researching, testing and developing a product range for his

new brand Mara Irish Surf. During that time Peter (pictured

in action above) participated in a number of support

programmes, such as the Bright Ideas Programme for students

and the North East Enterprise Platform Programme before

moving into incubation at the RDC.

mara irish surf co.

Design, prototyping and branding activities went well

but production delays caused problems. His product only

became available in Spring which was too late for the colder

temperatures that the products were designed for. This delay

jeopardised business cash flow and the future of the company.

Not to be deterred, Peter launched a new business, ‘Outdoor

Dublin’, providing surf and water sports instruction. With a

new income secured Peter has been able to pursue additional

investors. He has even widened Mara’s product range beyond

surfers to reach kayaking, canoeing and triathlon enthusiasts.



37

Matthews Coach Hire is an expanding business with a family

ethos. Employing 72 people and with a fleet of 35 vehicles,

Matthews operates a high-frequency commuter service to

Dublin from the North East. In addition they offer corporate

and tours services.

Perpetually seeking to be leaders in industry, Matthews Coach

Hire always succeed. They have received numerous awards and

national media attention for their ground-breaking work in

management, safety and energy conservation.

Matthews Coach Hire recently became the first passenger

transport company in the UK or Ireland – and only the

matthews coach hire

Matthews.ieMatthews.iesecond in the world – to achieve the new ISO 50001 energy

management accreditation. They are twice national winners at

the SEAI Sustainable Energy Awards.

They are the only company in Ireland to have secured a

transport contract at the London Olympics. They are also the

only fleet in Ireland to have Alcolocks (alcohol activated vehicle

immobilisers) installed on all their fleet and support vehicles.

Matthews’ commuter, corporate hire and tour services have

been built on the highest standards of customer safety and

comfort and this family business continues to go from strength

to strength.

The Regional Development Centre has played a large part in our company’s evolution. Its “Success Through Succession” programme outlined a clear path to a successful business transformation and future handover. It also helped us identify both the skills that we had, and the ones we needed to move forward.

paddy matthews Managing director

Big thanks to all the guys in the RDC for helping me to get started. My tip - be flexible with your business idea, it usually takes you in a different direction than you thought you were going to go.

peter carroll Founder and Managing director

section 4

company profiles

38 company profiles

section 4

company profiles



Mcor engaged with the RDC when we had just started to commercialise our first product. It was a real pivotal time for the company and the RDC provided wonderful support through mentoring and networking events. It was during participation on the NEEP programme that we were victorious in the National Seedcorn Competition.

deirdre maccormack

chief Marketing officer

Mcor Technologies Ltd, winner of the 3D Printshow Brand of the Year Award, is

an innovative manufacturer of the world’s most affordable, full-colour and eco-

friendly 3D printers.

Established in 2004, Mcor’s vision is to make 3D printing more accessible to

everyone. This vision of the future would allow everyone to easily turn their ideas

into low-cost, full-colour, safe and eco-friendly 3D objects.

Providing accessibility to a once niche technology is the driving force behind the

company, with the Matrix 300+ and Mcor IRIS in its current product line and

further products planned. Mcor machines are the only 3D printers to use ordinary

mcor technologies ltd

business A4 and letter paper as the build

material, a choice that renders durable, stable

and tactile models.

The company was founded by brothers

Dr Conor MacCormack and

Fintan MacCormack and it operates

internationally from offices in Ireland,

the UK and the US.



39

Measuresoft designs, develops and distributes data acquisition software

and hardware ranging from generic SCADA products to fully customised

oil and gas solutions.

Measuresofts Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System

is applied in industries including Energy Management, Electronics and

Power Generation, Mechanical and Electrical Test Solutions, Aerospace,

Manufacturing, Pharma/Medical and Food & Drink.

Measuresofts solutions enable engineers and service companies to obtain

a better business performance, reduce exploration and development

risk and reduce costs while benefiting from a more efficient solution for

measuring and logging data.

International clients include Baker Hughes, Expro, Intergas, Siemens

Turbomachinery and Ford. Based in Dundalk, Measuresoft now have

operations in Texas, Nigeria and Egypt. Founded by Fergal Cassidy in

1989, the company’s proud history is based on a continuous focus on

quality and innovation.

measuresoft

After 5 years working in the US and UK as a software engineer I returned to Ireland. As an exporting technology company, the opportunity arose for Measuresoft to locate in the RDC, which we did in 1989. We received invaluable assistance to ensure the company was viable in its early stages of development. The RDC provided a contact network and environment which assisted greatly in the development of our business.

Fergal cassidy chief Executive officer

Mcor engaged with the RDC when we had just started to commercialise our first product. It was a real pivotal time for the company and the RDC provided wonderful support through mentoring and networking events. It was during participation on the NEEP programme that we were victorious in the National Seedcorn Competition.

deirdre maccormack

chief Marketing officer

section 4

company profiles

40 company profiles

section 4

company profiles



Movidius is a vision processor company that designs compact, high-performance, ultralow power, computational imaging and

vision processing chips, software, development tools and reference designs. Founded in 2005, Movidius were resident in the RDC

during their crucial start-up years. Movidius’ architecture is ushering in a new era of intelligent and contextually aware camera

devices ranging from mobile and wearable devices, to consumer cameras, to embedded and industrial camera applications.

Essentially, Movidius is solving the problem of enabling innovative vision technologies that come closer to human vision

capabilities. Until now, this has been difficult to achieve with previous chip implementations due to limitations in application

performance. At another level, Movidius is bringing new capabilities in complex imaging and visual awareness to very tightly

power-constrained devices such as mobile camera-enabled handsets where battery life is paramount.

Their product ‘Myriad2’, launched in July 2014 is described as ’a breakthrough in vision technology’.

movidius

Movidius

Movidius has really benefitted from being in the Regional Development Centre; a dynamic incubation space where ideas and experiences were easily exchanged with likeminded high technology start-ups.

sean mitchell co-Founder and chief operating officer



company profiles

41

Founded by John Delany and Brian Fitzpatrick, the Oriel Sea Salt Company in Clogherhead

commenced production in November 2013.

Oriel Deep Sea Minerals are a revelation and this is the first harvesting facility of its type

globally. They harvest two powerful products: a Fine Grain Mineral Sea Salt for the food

sector and a rare liquid blend of Concentrated Deep Sea Minerals used in skincare,

cosmetics, food/health supplements and functional water.

Elemental Magnesium and more than 65 Trace Minerals in a potent and pure liquid form

make this very special. The unique efficacy, moisture and safety of their product have

generated major interest from global skincare brands. They also know that the health

supplements and functional water products market follows next.

Food customers include Google, Aviva (Compass Group), Ballymaloe, Merrion Hotel, Aniar,

Chapter One, Lough Erne, Pichet and over 150 Irish and UK food service companies. Their

most recent launch is revolutionary in the meat trade: 'Sea Salt Aging' is a wall of Sea Salt

that delivers dynamic improvements to the art of Dry Aging.

There are exciting and challenging times ahead for

the Oriel Sea Salt Company.

oriel sea salt company

The RDC Team ‘got’ the concept of Oriel Sea Salt and its sustainability, its natural and historical connotations and its provenance straight away, the first time we met. They challenged the idea that I thought Oriel Sea Salt was so bloody good and ensured that it became what I believed it could!

John delany Founder and director

Movidius has really benefitted from being in the Regional Development Centre; a dynamic incubation space where ideas and experiences were easily exchanged with likeminded high technology start-ups.

sean mitchell co-Founder and chief operating officer

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42 company profiles

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company profiles



Silver Hill Foods were delighted with our partnership with the RDC through the ICE Programme. As a result of participating in the programme, we now run our business using a bespoke monthly KPI system. This has proven to be a very effective management tool in driving our business forward.

stuart steele Managing director and owner

Prometric is Ireland’s leading testing company, administering nearly 2 million exams throughout the country since 2001.

Services provided by Prometric give people the opportunity to improve their jobs and education by earning licenses, certifications

and other important qualifications. Globally the company delivers nearly 10 million exams per year which provide a means for

people all over the world to become licensed physicians, architects, accountants, software engineers and many other accredited

and distinguished professionals.

Prometric, which operates a major business and test development enterprise in Ireland, began its Irish presence with a staff of five

in 2001. Now, with major operations in Dublin and Dundalk, Prometric supports over 140 jobs throughout the country.

prometric

Working with regional organisations such as the RDC and DkIT, Prometric has become the performance leader in secure, fair and valid testing throughout Ireland. Partnering with the RDC has given us invaluable links to DkIT and other leaders in Business, Education and the Community.

michael Brannick

Prometric chief Executive officer and President

Prometric cEo Michael brannick speaks during a full staff meeting in the company’s dundalk-based operations centre. Prometric supports more than 140 full-time jobs in Ireland.



company profiles

43

Founded over 50 years ago by Ronnie and Lyla Steele in Emyvale, County

Monaghan, Silver Hill Foods is a fully integrated family-owned duck company.

The current Managing Director, their son Stuart Steele, is driving the company

forward in an innovative and exciting manner.

Silver Hill Foods have expanded beyond Emyvale with sites in County

Tyrone and County Monaghan and they cover all trade sectors from Retail

to Foodservice. All aspects of their duck production from breeding, egg

production, hatching and selection to processing and cooking are owned and

controlled by Silver Hill Foods.

For over 50 years, exports have played an important part in the Company’s

marketing strategy. As a result the Silver Hill brand is well known and highly

respected throughout Europe, China and beyond.

silver hill Foods

Silver Hill Foods were delighted with our partnership with the RDC through the ICE Programme. As a result of participating in the programme, we now run our business using a bespoke monthly KPI system. This has proven to be a very effective management tool in driving our business forward.

stuart steele Managing director and owner

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44 company profiles

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STATSports provide the world’s leading sports GPS analysis system and consultancy service. Their ground-breaking system allows

teams and individual athletes to train and test themselves using the Viper pod and software. Coupled with their complementary

custom designed products including the Viper vest, heart rate monitor, Viper dock and live stream antenna clients experience

unparalleled insights into elite athlete performance.

STATSports Viper pod sits in a specifically designed Viper vest on a players’ upper back and collects data at a rate of up to 100

times per second. The pod measures a number of parameters including: distance, speed, heart rate, accelerations, decelerations,

impacts and dynamic stress load. This data can be used by managers and coaches to make real-time decisions during training and

matches. It allows them to tailor training sessions to ensure they keep each player at their physical peak throughout the season.

Based at the RDC, STATSports has been on a path of continual growth. They have developed partnerships with leading sporting

organisations across different sporting codes throughout the UK, Europe and the USA including: Manchester United, Barcelona,

The English FA, The Irish and English Rugby Football Unions, Chicago Bulls and the Carolina Panthers. Growth looks set to

continue as they expand into the American marketplace with the STATSports America launch later this year.

statsports

The RDC has been a fundamental part of the growth of STATSports. It wasn’t just about having a roof over our heads. The endless support network we could tap into was the leg-up we needed at the crucial early stage. We benefitted from in-house workshops and courses tailored to young companies and access to resources and expertise that would normally be out of reach for early start-ups.

sean o’connor co-Founder and chief operations officer



company profiles

45

Suretank is the world’s leading provider of engineered solutions

to the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry.

Founded by Patrick Joy back in 1995 to supply offshore

chemical tanks to the North Sea, the company is now a global

supplier of offshore tanks and offshore containers. They are

also recognised as the largest manufacturer of DNV 2.7-1

certified products and the only company to produce all of

their products to DNV standards. Their product range includes

chemical and acid transport tanks, helifuel tanks, offshore

containers, baskets, offshore mudskips and cryogenic tanks.

Suretank design and manufacturing facilities are located in

Ireland, UK, Poland, USA, Brazil, Thailand and China. They also

have sales offices in the Ireland, UK, USA, Norway, Australia,

Thailand, The Netherlands and Brazil. Suretank engineers work

on the ground in all the areas they supply ensuring that they

provide support and advice to clients whenever and wherever

it is needed.

From Thailand to the North Sea, from Poland to the People’s

Republic of China, Suretank has designed, manufactured and

installed specialist offshore tanks and CCUs for some of the

world’s leading oil-producing companies.

suretank

The RDC at DkIT provided Suretank with FEA (finite element analysis) of our tank container designs in the early years of our development. We have now built on this and have our own FEA capability in house but at the early stage of our product and company development, this co-operation was instrumental in allowing us to optimise our design and to provide assurance to our customers of the integrity of our designs.

patrick Joy

Founder & Executive director

The RDC has been a fundamental part of the growth of STATSports. It wasn’t just about having a roof over our heads. The endless support network we could tap into was the leg-up we needed at the crucial early stage. We benefitted from in-house workshops and courses tailored to young companies and access to resources and expertise that would normally be out of reach for early start-ups.

sean o’connor co-Founder and chief operations officer

section 4

company profiles

46 company profiles

section 4

company profiles



Hillsborough based software company Tascomi has almost 15 years experience in delivering web

application systems to Local Authorities and Government departments throughout the UK and

Ireland. Tascomi are an open-source company, pioneering web apps, cloud based technology

and GIS are only a snapshot of the arenas where they have gained a reputation for excellence.

Their company philosophy is to keep the customer at the heart of all that they do. Their focus

on innovation and cost effectiveness has seen them become the market leader in Northern

Ireland. Tascomi deliver high quality products and service backed up with after-sales support

thereby ensuring superb levels of customer satisfaction and long-term client retention.

tascomi

FUSION helped us to achieve development of a key enhancement to one of our products, which has increased the desirability of this product in the marketplace. In addition, the educational aspect of the project allowed us to improve some of our internal processes, which was an unexpected, but welcome benefit.

rick hassard development Manager



company profiles

47

It has been a very challenging journey in preparing to fully take over the family business from our father Jim who founded it nearly 40 years ago. We’ve been very disciplined about it and a lot of planning has gone into it. The team at the RDC and participating on its Success Through Succession Programme and the Innovation for Competitive Enterprises Programme has assisted us greatly with those preparations and plans.

richard o’callaghan general Manager

TSM Control Systems have been providing world class automation and blending solutions to the

plastics industry for almost 40 years. From the cap of your toothpaste tube to the milk carton

on your breakfast table or the plastic bag that you buy your vegetables in, you’ll find that TSM

Control Systems has played a vital part in the manufacturing process.

Founded in 1977 by Jim O’Callaghan, he introduced the first width controller to the industry.

Business grew rapidly and TSM Control Systems now produce a large portfolio of blending

equipment and controls for over 10,000 clients in over 60 countries from their offices in Ireland,

USA, Taiwan and China.

With Jim stepping away from the day-to-day operations of the family business, the company

is being led into the future by sons Richard O’Callaghan, General Manager and Shane

O’Callaghan, European Sales Manger, who are putting their stamp on TSM Control Systems.

tsm control systems

FUSION helped us to achieve development of a key enhancement to one of our products, which has increased the desirability of this product in the marketplace. In addition, the educational aspect of the project allowed us to improve some of our internal processes, which was an unexpected, but welcome benefit.

rick hassard development Manager

section 4

company profiles

section 4

company profiles



We now have 5 full-time employees, all DkIT graduates. This should rise to 7 or 8 in the coming months. The first few years were pretty hairy and there were times when I wondered how we would make payroll for the month, but the grant aid, advice and practical supports provided by the RDC was absolutely invaluable.

John hamill Founder

Vennetics provides Video on Demand software to service providers, such as mobile network operators. Formed in 2007 the

company has won deployments of their product technology in Europe, the Caribbean and North America.

Many of their customers seek to bundle content offerings with their data services and the Vennetics products are used to

support this ambition. A practical example of this is in Bell, Canada where Vennetics technology is used to support their TV

Anywhere service.

The company has an aggressive roadmap to expand the set of novel features that they offer. In parallel they plan to support

greater deployment of the innovative Vennetics technology around the world from their Dundalk base.

vennetics

48 company profiles



49

The RDC team took time to understand our needs. They provided a great base camp facility allowing us to establish our company in the region. Aidan and his team were always supportive and available to us. They encouraged and facilitated our growth every step of the way. The flexibility they offered us in terms of facilities was invaluable to our planning and expansion process. Also, being part of a community of start-up companies offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to engage in networking events with their peers. This is a great forum for sharing ideas, accessing support and expanding your marketplace.

tracey dollard European operations Manager

yapstone

YapStone is an online payment processing platform that

caters to niche industries with high-volume complex

transactions. Founded in 1999 by entrepreneurs Matthew

Golis and Tom Villante, in 2012, Yapstone embarked on an

exciting journey, to launch a European Headquarters.

Headed up by Louth native Tracey Dollard, their European

Operations commenced in the RDC Incubation Centre at

Millmount, Yapstone soon graduated to The Mill Enterprise

Hub in Drogheda.

The Yapstone goal is bold, ambitious and revolutionary –

Changing How The World Pays. With 15 years of expertise

bringing electronic payments to new markets, YapStone’s

sophisticated processing platform powers payments for all

types of companies – from international marketplaces to

specific industries, including apartment rentals, vacation

rentals and non-profits. With over $8 Billion in payment

volume last year, Yapstone are certainly on our way to

changing how the world pays..

We now have 5 full-time employees, all DkIT graduates. This should rise to 7 or 8 in the coming months. The first few years were pretty hairy and there were times when I wondered how we would make payroll for the month, but the grant aid, advice and practical supports provided by the RDC was absolutely invaluable.

John hamill Founder

section 4

company profiles



50 partners and funders

section 5

partners and funders

Friends of the Regional Development Centre

Partnership has been key to the success of the Regional Development Centre for the last twenty five years. We want to thank all the funding organisations who have supported us throughout the

years and without whose backing we could not have achieved so much. We especially thank the private sector funding from Coca-Cola Foundation and Diageo. We thank all our Partners who have

jointly spearheaded and delivered new and innovative programmes which have placed us at the forefront of economic development in the North East and Cross Border Region. We have enjoyed

long and rewarding alliances and we look forward to growing these into the future.

EASTBORDERREGION

Partners

Funders

section 3

company profiles



company profiles

51

Meet The Team At The Regional Development Centre

kevin FearonProject Manager

Honeycomb – Creative Works Programme

Management research and support team

irene mccausland Manager, Regional Development Centre

douglas nanka-BrucePost-Doctoral Researcher

anne tinnellyIndustrial Services Office Administrator

pauline QuinnDevelopment Office Administrator

start-up supports

aidan BrowneIncubation Centre

Manager

garrett duffyEnterprise Development

Manager

Joanne kearnsReceptionist and

Operations Administrator

technology transfer

neil mcloughlinTechnology Transfer

Manager

sME supports

Frances QuinnMarket Research Executive

VITAL Programme

kieran FeganProject Director

VITAL Programme

Brainin coxProject Administrator

VITAL Programme

agnieszka walsh Project Administrator

Honeycomb – Creative Works Programme

campus Entrepreneurship

Bridget kerriganProject Manager

Campus Entrepreneurship Enterprise Network



52 the way forward

section 6

the way forward

Building on the Past – Looking to the Future

The RDC has an innate understanding of the environment in which it operates and an astute

ability to adapt and innovate to meet the ever-changing and ever-challenging requirements of a

centre of innovation, technology transfer and enterprise development.

It is these qualities that will ensure the continued success of the Regional Development Centre

in its vision to be a driving force for economic development.

Over the last twenty five years we have been at the forefront of innovative endeavours and

our challenge for the next twenty five years is to ensure that we continue to lead the field in

innovation, enterprise development and technology transfer.

Looking to the future, we will continue to evolve our economic engagement and seek out

new international alliances to drive regional economic development. We look forward to many

challenging and exciting years ahead!

irene mccausland, Manager, Regional Development Centre

The Regional Development Centre’s success is rooted in its capacity and capability to continually

innovate and adapt to meet the needs of its client companies. In this regard it has strategically

identified and resourced key initiatives aimed at meeting its economic development remit. In

doing so, it has successfully bridged the needs of industry with the expertise and resources

within its parent institution and at all times demonstrating a business-facing approach to all of

its work.

Key milestones include:

• Being the first on-campus incubator in the HEI sector to support high-tech knowledge based

start-up companies, with 68% of companies still in business after 5 years.

• Playing an instrumental in devising the strategy for embedding entrepreneurship education

into the Third Level Sector and fostering student enterprise resulting in influencing policy

through such practice.

• Spearheading and delivering on new models of innovation and succession planning within

SMEs.

• Building sectoral capacity within the digital content sector.

• Externally resourcing its activities since 1989 making it one of the most successful and

sustainable centres in the sector.

• Making a real difference to the companies and entrepreneurs we support.

The success of the Regional Development Centre over its 25 year history has been the vision of

its leaders, the strength and expertise of the team and its ability to forge long lasting strategic

alliances.

regional development centre Dundalk Institute of TechnologyDublin Road Dundalk Co Louth

t +353 42 9370400 F +353 42 9370499e [email protected] www.rdc.ie

rdc 25th anniversary booklet

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