The Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan T.D., has announced the launch by her Department of a new website providing free public access to information on thousands of historic wrecks in Irish waters.
The Wreck Viewer is a new free-to-use digital service that has been developed to facilitate easy access to the Wreck Inventory of Ireland Database compiled by her Department’s National Monuments Service. The database holds information on over 18,000 known and likely wreck sites both off the Irish coast and in our inland waterways. These wrecks span the entirety of maritime travel around and within the island, from prehistoric logboats to medieval trading vessels, warships and ocean liners. There are exact locations for approximately 4,000 of the recorded wrecks which are displayed on an interactive map.
The map also provides summary information on individual wrecks and their history, voyage, cargo, passengers and, if known, the circumstances of their loss. Information on the 14,000 wrecks in the database for which locations have yet to be fully confirmed can also be downloaded. Further details of these wrecks will be added to the database as they become available.
The Wreck Viewer will be of value to everyone with an interest in Ireland’s maritime history. It also complements the Department’s Historic Environment Viewer which provides information on archaeological sites across the country from the Sites and Monuments Record compiled under the National Monuments Acts and from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Speaking today, Minister Madigan said:
‘I am delighted to launch this website today which will allow the public to engage in a new and exciting way with the country’s underwater cultural heritage. The Wreck Viewer provides information on shipwrecks across a wide expanse of time. Of particular interest, in this decade of centenaries, are the stories of those wrecks from the First World War. Over 1000 ships were lost off the coast of Ireland during that conflict, in effect bringing the Western Front to our shoreline and alerting the Irish people to both the grim realities of war and the scale of the tragic loss of life that took place on land and sea.”
The National Monuments Service is tasked with protecting and preserving Ireland’s underwater cultural heritage. The Wreck Viewer will contribute to that goal and will be of use to all marine environment users, the diving community, researchers and to those who might be undertaking development in the marine, lacustrine or riverine environments.
The Minister said that:“This wonderful new on-line service will, I hope, promote a much greater appreciation and awareness of our marine heritage and at the same time provide an essential tool to help the protection of this remarkable resource.”
Netwatch, the Irish security monitoring company, has announced the establishment of Netwatch Group, following investment from global private equity firm The Riverside Company “Riverside”.
The newly formed company sees Netwatch join forces with National Monitoring Centre “NMC” (California), CalAtlantic (Texas) and Onwatch Multifire (Sussex, United Kingdom) to become Netwatch Group, a new global leader in proactive security monitoring services.
Demand for visual monitoring is increasing due to global security threats such as terrorism, school shootings and an aging population. Headquartered in Carlow, Ireland, Netwatch Group will meet this growing demand for enhanced risk management and security expertise through its innovative surveillance technologies.
Speaking at the launch of Netwatch Group today, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, TD said; “This is good news not just for Netwatch, but also for Carlow and the wider region. The company has developed innovative, proprietary technologies which have revolutionised the security market. I would like to commend the vision of David Walsh and Niall Kelly on their ambition to grow their company from its Carlow base which has been realised today with the transformation of Netwatch into a global Group operating on four continents. Netwatch Group has been supported since its earliest days by Enterprise Ireland and is yet another example of how Irish technology companies can win on the global stage. I wish Netwatch Group every success in the future.”
David Walsh, CEO, Netwatch Group said; “Today we are creating a global powerhouse in proactive monitoring services. There is increased demand for visual monitoring from enterprise customers, driven by the continuing evolution of technology and advances such as AI, Deep Learning, 5G and IoT (Internet of Things). We have the proprietary technology, developed by our R&D team in Carlow to meet this demand. We have ambitious growth plans which we will achieve through organic growth and further acquisitions”.
As a new leader in proactive monitoring services the firm will specialise in providing risk management, business continuity and security services to clients across the world. The new company will immediately protect over hundreds of thousands of customers across the US, Europe, Middle East and Africa with a network of six global communications hubs connected by the CRATOS, a technology platform developed by the Netwatch R&D team in Carlow.
Riverside has a track record of international technology investments, having completed more than 85 in its history. The deal is led by UK and Ireland Partner Dr. Martin Scott, who alongside Principal Laura Dillon, will sit on the board of the new group.
DUBLIN : 23/4/2018 : Netwatch merges with UK & US Monitoring Companies to form new global security powerhouse. Carlow & Dublin Ireland, 23rdApril 2018: Netwatch, the Irish security monitoring company, has announced the establishment of Netwatch Group, following investment from global private equity firm The Riverside Company “Riverside”. The newly formed company sees Netwatch join forces with National Monitoring Centre “NMC” (California), CalAtlantic (Texas) and Onwatch Multifire (Sussex, United Kingdom) to become Netwatch Group, a new global leader in proactive security monitoring services. Pictured at the announcement was David Walsh, CEO, Netwatch Group, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, TD and Martin Scott, The Riverside Company. Picture Conor McCabe Photography.
“Netwatch revolutionised the Irish security market with its business model and innovative remote visual monitoring technologies and has an ambition to lead the sector globally. It now monitors client sites on four continents and has grown rapidly since its foundation. We are delighted to back the management team as they realise their ambitions. This is our first investment in Ireland and we look forward to supporting more Irish companies that seek to become global players in their sectors”, said Scott.
“We are delighted that in Riverside we have secured a partner who shares our vision and aspirations to become a global leader in our sector and we look forward to executing our ambitious growth strategy with them”, said David Walsh.
Enterprise Ireland has supported Netwatch since its establishment in 2002. Speaking at today’s launch, Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said: “Netwatch is a great example of an Irish company that has achieved success globally through innovation. Today’s announcement is a key milestone in the company’s journey and it will accelerate its growth and further strengthen the company’s base in Carlow.”
David Walsh added: “The U.S. is a key growth market for us and the combined strengths of NMC and CalAtlantic together with the Netwatch offices in Boston, Chicago and New Jersey provides a very strong platform. This along with the addition of 1,000 resellers in the USA will be transformative for us as we grow our presence in the US market”.
“Onwatch Multifire is an important addition bolstering our offering in the U.K. Onwatch Multifire also specialises in remote video monitoring and will be our U.K. HQ. It expands our base in a market that holds significant opportunities and will be the focus of renewed attention for us in the future. Having a significant UK presence also insulates us from the impact of Brexit”, he said.
Netwatch Group also announced the appointment of Samir Samhouri, as Chairman of the company. Mr Samhouri is an industry veteran who developed Xtralis to be a global leader in safety and security technologies. He will work closely with David Walsh, CEO in executing the company’s global expansion strategy.
Advisors to Netwatch were William Fry, EY, Grant Thornton and Bank of Ireland Corporate Banking.
Local family established company Craigmore, the leading UK and Ireland distributor of Kärcher cleaning equipment, has announced the opening of a new state of the art 5,000 sq. ft. showroom in Belfast.
The facility which represents a £300k investment, will create 10 new jobs and provide an unrivalled customer service experience for commercial and domestic clients throughout Ireland.
A Kärcher dealer for almost 25 years, Craigmore has experienced significant growth over the last two years and identified the potential of a dedicated Belfast Center to capitalise on the growing demand for Kärcher products. The in-store and online sales potential for the new showroom is around £1 million annually with exports to RoI representing a significant proportion.
Pictured at the opening of the new £300k Investment in the Kärcher ‘Center of the Future’ in Belfast are (L-R) Mark Venner, Chief Operations Officer at Kärcher UK, Lord Mayor of Belfast Cllr Nuala McAllister and Geoff Baird MD of Craigmore and Kärcher Center Belfast.
“The new system includes a Click and Collect app for customers which allows interaction between the store customers before, during and after the sale while tablet based software empowers staff to give the best customer service possible in-store and post transaction. In addition, the order management software for click and collect and repair requests allows front of house staff and those in the warehouse to communicate in real time, minimising any delays whilst integration codes enable all software within the new system to communicate and exchange data on everything from stock levels, availability and pricing,” said Mark.
Geoff Baird, Founder and Managing Director with Craigmore explains,
“This showroom is the first of its kind in the Kärcher network and represents the Gold Standard for our fellow distributors, with bespoke innovative software and hardware solutions to assist in the sales process as well as back end information gathering and sharing. Our location on the Boucher Road gives us access to the greatest concentration of potential customers with a dedicated site to service our all-Ireland customer base.”
Pictured at the opening of the new £300k Investment in the Kärcher‘Center of the Future’ in Belfast are (L-R) Mark Venner, Chief Operations Officer at Kärcher UK, Lord Mayor of Belfast Cllr Nuala McAllister and Geoff Baird MD of Craigmore and Kärcher Center Belfast.
Offering the full range of products for home and garden, professional, industrial, spares and accessories, this Kärcher “center of the future” has been designed to revolutionise customers’ expectations by offering an experience more akin to a high end car showroom, with a 900-shrub living wall featuring the Kärcher irrigation system, refreshments from Nespresso and Hotel Chocolat and an 9 screen LCD wall demonstrating the Kärcher portfolio of cleaning solutions.
“We currently supply Kärcher cleaning equipment to all sectors of businesses including haulage, car dealerships, car valeting shops, engineering, food, retail and hospitality, offering everything from £100 vacuums up to £75,000 bespoke cleaning systems or multiple machine installations,” says Geoff, “but this new showroom has been tailored to maximise appeal among domestic customers who will feel more comfortable shopping in the engaging environment we have created.”
Lord Mayor of Belfast Councillor Nuala McAllister said: “I’m delighted to see further investment in the city because with that brings jobs creation and a boost to the local economy.
“This new business is the first success story to come from the council’s City for Investment Service which provides a ‘soft landing’ for businesses to tap into council networks and get marketing, employability and skills support.
“Through this new service we will proactively work with investors, providing the professional and personal connections to help them do business in our city successfully. I, and each one of the elected members for Belfast City Council, are committed to continuing this work to deliver our ambitions for the city and our Belfast Agenda.”
A significant element of the £300K investment has been the development of a bespoke suite of software and hardware that completely integrates the sales and business functions to maximise customer satisfaction and operational efficiencies. Kärcher UK Chief Operating Officer, Mark Venner explains,
The Kärcher Center Belfast will be open from 8.30am to 6pm, 6 days a week and will have specially trained Kärcher experts on site to explain and demonstrate the full product range. For further information, go to www.karchercenterbelfast.com
The role that digital print hardware, software and solution offerings can play in helping businesses on their path to digital transformation – ranging from security through to sustainability – will be some of the key themes addressed on Xeretec’s stand D4 at the Dublin Tech Summit, on 18 – 19 April 2018, at the Convention Centre Dublin.
The summit presents an opportunity for visitors to the Xeretec stand to see and experience its range of data-driven measurement tools and software offerings designed to support print assessments, device and user analytics. These include Xeretec Pulse, which provides detailed device analytics, and Xeretec Vision which helps to easily identify inefficiencies in an organisation’s print environment. In turn, this can help to identify solutions or managed print requirements that will help to maximise efficiency and productivity.
Xeretec will also demonstrate its innovative, in-house developed apps, the Xeretec Support Application Suite. The suite of apps has been developed to provide immediate, on-device, next generation support for users of Xerox A3 iSeries firmware devices.
With GDPR front-of-mind for many companies, Xeretec will also outline how the intelligent print management solutions it offers, combined with the knowledge and guidance of its experienced consultants, can help organisations honour their GDPR and other security-related obligations from a print and document workflow perspective. These range from secure print solutions – which help prevent sensitive documents from being left unclaimed on print devices – to print audit, tracking and redaction capabilities. To further help companies on their path to compliance, Xeretec has created a series of Meet the Experts blogs that provide an organisation-wide perspective on the subject, providing advice and knowledge.
As more companies move core applications to cloud-based models to take advantage of lower costs, increased flexibility and enhanced security, Xeretec will also show versatile cloud computing applications designed to simplify the sharing of electronic documents. Xeretec’s Scan to One Drive App for instance, can accelerate the pace at which documents are captured, shared and stored, driving both security and visibility, thanks to a detailed audit trail.
Commenting on its presence at the 2018 Dublin Tech Summit, Tom Cleare, General Manager, Xeretec Ireland, said: “The Dublin Tech Summit is an excellent platform for business of all sizes to learn more about the technology solutions that can help them drive collaboration, productivity and efficiency. That’s particularly true of document workflows as they increasingly underpin and connect many different departments and applications within a business. Therefore, organisations should ensure that how they capture, store and share physical and electronic documents is done as efficiently and securely as possible.”
Xeretec has 16 facilities across the UK and Ireland (including sales offices and operational facilities) and approximately 100 sales staff. Further to this, the Scotland and Southern organisation joined forces when they came together to operate as one entity in September 2017. Follow Xeretec on Twitter or follow its regularly updated series of print industry related blogs.
Ricoh Ireland has today announced it plans to double its commercial sales team to meet rising demand for its services, products and solutions among its growing customer base across Ireland.
The company is looking to recruit additional sales professionals in account management and business development roles. This follows Ricoh’s announcement last year of 110 new jobs as part of a €6.5 million investment in its new Irish headquarters based in Swords, Dublin.
The success of Ricoh’s new service lines offered in Ireland has been a key driver behind this growth plan. The firm has added a wide range of new communications, workplace and IT services to its solutions portfolio in recent times, including innovative unified communications, video conferencing and meeting room technologies. This is in addition to its production print, managed print and managed document services solution range.
The introduction of these additional service lines, aimed at enabling digital and business transformation, has led to increased demand for Ricoh products and services, particularly in the SME market.
Gary Hopwood, general manager, Ricoh Ireland
Gary Hopwood, managing director, Ricoh Ireland, commented: “Ricoh has a well-established corporate base in Ireland and continues to build strong and productive relationships with the next generation of enterprises. The way we work is consistently changing and at Ricoh, we are committed to providing businesses of all sizes with the tools and services needed to stay ahead when it comes to empowering their workforce.
“To fulfil this commitment, it is imperative that we continue to grow the Ricoh team with the best talent, as this is what separates us as a market leader. Our people demonstrate innovation, creativity and all possess a strong desire to see Ricoh customers thrive in a competitive marketplace. This is a hugely exciting time for the company and it’s a fantastic opportunity for talented people to join our growing team.”
Current job opportunities at Ricoh Ireland are listed here.
With Data now a key factor in business realtime data is now something that changes everything at a glance and most importantly one of these is costs, Project costs are normally set out prior build but do most stick to it or go over budget be it by a small amount or large, In Ireland we all know the answer to that but there is alot more than you might think where data is relevant to construction and how going mobile and using tech can assist, check out this beautiful infographic sent over to us from Jasmine Kemp at APE mobile
Many Irish companies are unaware of the potential new revenue stream that old IT equipment represents. AMI is working with clients to help them to uncover the value of their old PCs and process them securely to avoid the risk of data leaks. The company resold 23,324 PCs and laptops in 2017, and securely processed 371,639 data-bearing items in total.
AMI, Ireland’s leading secure IT retirement company, today announces that it returned €2 million to its clients in 2017. The funds were generated through the recycling, refurbishment and resale of data-bearing items, including 23,324 PCs and laptops, collected from AMI’s clients as part of their IT retirement process.
Pictured at the announcement that AMI has returned €2 million to its clients in 2017 are Philip McMichael; managing director and Faye Thomas; business manager.
Prior to reselling equipment to its global network of 350 bulk buyers, AMI uses advanced equipment and processes to ensure that data-bearing equipment is erased to the most stringent global standards. Last year the company data sanitised 371,639 data-bearing items, destroying data from equipment using its Blancco data erasure software.
AMI’s client-base includes one quarter of Ireland’s 200 largest IT user organisations, including data centres, banks, blue-chip corporations and government departments. The company specialises in providing secure IT retirement services that can help its customers to generate revenue back from the safe disposal of their old IT assets. However, it has noted that many organisations are unaware of the potential revenue stream that used IT equipment represents.
Pictured at the announcement that AMI has returned €2 million to its clients in 2017 is Philip McMichael; managing director, AMI.
Philip McMichael, managing director, AMI, said: “We’re delighted to have been able to return €2 million to our clients in 2017, and we hope to improve on this figure again in 2018. Irish companies are gradually awakening to the importance of ensuring that their old IT equipment is correctly retired at the end-of-life stage, to minimise the risk of a potentially serious and harmful data breach.
“As well as minimising the risk of a data breach, working with a secure IT retirement provider like AMI has another benefit: it enables us to provide companies with the highest return on their retired assets. Organisations are beginning to realise that correct handling of old IT equipment at the point of retirement can not only help to safeguard their reputation, but it can also generate a lucrative revenue stream for the business.”
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is also set to have a significant impact on how Irish companies approach the IT retirement process.
Philip McMichael said: “Awareness of the scale of potential fines under GDPR is starting to grow among organisations, and board members are asking questions of their IT teams about how they manage the IT retirement process. Once they learn that there is a monetary value in properly managed IT retirement they will make this investment in their future, and uncover the hidden value in their old PCs and laptops.”
It would be nice if we could all do it but its not relevant to a percentage of the population but with the situation at hand it is the sensible thing to do for those that can..Many more companies could introduce a work from home set up and perhaps now is a time to look into it.
Thousands of employees across the country will work from home in the coming days, as Ireland faces its worst blizzard since 1982.
Abodoo calls for employers to consider remote working as a longer-term option
As the country gears up for the ‘Beast from the East’, start-up Abodoo, which champions remote and flexible career opportunities, is highlighting how remote working can help employers avoid work disruptions year-round.
Commenting today (27.02.18), Vanessa Tierney, co-founder of Abodoo, said: “When bad weather hits, many employers are thrown into disarray. They may not have the systems and procedures in place to facilitate remote working, so a weather event like the ‘Best from the East’ can cause severe disruption to their business.
“On the other hand, those employers that facilitate remote working year-round have nothing to fear from bad weather. They have provided flexible working options for their employees, which means their business will continue to run smoothly no matter what the weather conditions.
“If employees can work from home, they don’t have to venture out and try to drive to work in perilous conditions. During storms, remote working is the safest and most sensible option.
“At Abodoo, we believe remote working shouldn’t be the exception and employers should offer this option to employees throughout the year, and not just at times of adverse weather conditions.”
Business Case for Remote Working
According to Ms. Tierney, there is a strong business case for remote working, year-round.
“Apart from avoiding disruption during bad weather, remote working leads to cost-savings, better retention levels, higher rates of employee satisfaction, and greater opportunities for working parents, people with disabilities, and those living outside major urban areas,” she said. “It’s better for the environment because people need to commute less, and it allows people more choice in where they live and the type of homes they buy.
Abodoo highlighted the “figures that prove remote working makes sense”, including:
Remote workers save, on average, between €2,000 and €7,000 and hundreds of hours of travel time per year – just by removing their daily commute.
82% of those who work from home report lower stress levels as a result.
58% of companies in Ireland (in a 2016 survey of 540 companies) confirmed they are investing in cloud technology, of which 46% confirmed this would benefit remote working.
15% of large multinational companies in Ireland now support home-working, and this figure is increasing year on year.
Companies that promote remote working report an increase in staff retention of over 50 per cent; and a reduction in absenteeism of 63%.
91% of companies that facilitate remote working experience increased productivity.
Companies will save on average of €11,000 per employee that is remote and many start by implementing a hybrid or flexible model.
Figures from Census 2016 show the scale of the daily exodus from two out of every three local authority areas due to a lack of local job and educational opportunities. Rates of unemployment in rural areas include: 16% of Cavan; 19% of Longford; over 14% of Mayo and 15% of Wexford.
Hundreds attended an event in London this weekend, aimed at enticing skilled tech workers to Ireland.
404 London saw leading tech employers showcasing the career opportunities they have on offer in their Irish sites. Participating companies included Cartrawler, HubSpot, Indeed Prime, Workday and Zendesk.
In addition to showcasing career opportunities, the event featured panel discussions, tech installations and talks by industry leaders. John Romero, creator of the popular Doom computer game, was a star attraction, remaining unbeaten in a ‘Doom Deathmatch’ at the event, for which he played Doom against 20 fans.
Pictured at the event in Shoreditch, London, was Jackie Slattery, co-founder of 404, challenging John Romero of Romero Games at ‘Doom’, the legendary computer game he created. Photo: Doruk Yemenici.
404 London was run in partnership with Tech/Life Ireland, a joint initiative of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
Commenting from the event, Jackie Slattery, co-founder of 404, said:
“We’ve had hundreds of skilled tech professionals in attendance at 404 London. These are people interested in moving to Ireland because they know the best tech companies in the world are located there. They’re also attracted by the work/life balance, well-established tech community and the scope for career progression. The feedback from participating companies has been fantastic – they were all hugely impressed with attendees’ experience and skills levels.
Pictured at the event in Shoreditch, London, was Jackie Slattery, co-founder of 404. Photo: Doruk Yemenici.
“There’s a well-documented shortage of skilled tech professionals in Ireland, so we’re delighted there was such a strong turnout. This is the first Irish tech recruitment event of its kind – directly connecting Ireland’s tech employers with the large pool of talent available in the UK.”
