Irish firms announce Dubai Airshow deals

A number of Irish companies have announced new contracts at the Dubai Airshow, according to a statement from Enterprise Ireland, the country’s trade and export promotion agency.

As part of a drive to grow Irish exports to the UAE from 1.4 billion Euros (AED6 billion) in 2016 to 2 billion Euros (AED8.6 billion) by 2020, a trade mission of over 30 companies is visiting the UAE and Oman this week. The mission is led by the country’s An Tanaiste, (Deputy Prime Minister), Frances Fitzgerald, who is also Minister of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, and is organised by Enterprise Ireland.

"There has been a marked increase in Irish exports to the UAE and Oman in recent years and the focus of my department, through our agencies and trade missions, is to support more companies, particularly those who are exposed to Brexit (British withdrawal from the European Union), to achieve further market diversification and grow their international exports," Fitzgerald said.

As part of the mission, eight companies, including Dublin Aerospace, Botany Weaving, Aerospace Software Developments and the Atlantic Aviation Group, are among exhibitors at the Dubai Airshow, which ends tomorrow.

Among the new deals announced, Botany Weaving, a manufacturer of aviation fabrics and carpets, has secured a multi-million Dollar deal with a UAE airline to supply interior textiles, while the Irish technology company TIC has signed a contract with a major UAE airport to implement its IATA award-winning software BizTweet, which helps airports with automated passenger communications via Twitter and Facebook.

Aerospace Software Development, ASD, has reached agreement with a UAE airline company for deployment of its software for the tracking of emergency equipment on the airline’s fleet, and a fourth company, Flightman, has been selected by Abu Dhabi-based Royal Jet as software provider for its fleet-wide electronic flight bag deployment.

In the financial technology, FinTech, sector, Miagen announced at the Airshow the launch of LeaseGen, a new financial management product for the aviation sector.

"In the context of Brexit, expanding the Irish export footprint in markets beyond the United Kingdom is a key priority for Enterprise Ireland," Julie Sinnamon, the CEO of Enterprise Ireland, said. "Last year, 240 Enterprise Ireland-led companies across various sectors, including FinTech, ICT, engineering, life sciences, aerospace, education and premium foods, exported to the UAE."

Source: Wam