Dell centre to employ 50 top-level people

DELL, the world’s leading personal computer maker, is to set up a research and development centre in Limerick that will employ 50 people within four years.

Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Micheál Martin yesterday welcomed the decision as a major boost to the country’s investment strategy.

The centre will employ top-level people in key research and development activity for the group.

Dell said the output from the “engineering centre of competency for communications and network product development” at the facility will be used in its products worldwide.

The team will also be responsible for the development of innovative software solutions to provide increased functionality and productivity in Dell’s manufacturing sites.

This will involve a collaboration programme with the University of Limerick, which is set to play a key role in supplying engineering talent.

Employees will be encouraged to study for masters and doctorate degrees in the university, in conjunction with their work on research projects. The project has IDA backing.

The operation will involve significant collaboration with research groups at the University of Limerick and will recruit highly qualified research and development staff over a four-year period.

Mr Martin, welcoming the development, said: “This investment by Dell is another major endorsement of Ireland as a location for R&D, coming as it does from a global leader in the technology industry and so soon after a significant R&D announcement by five other multinational companies recently.”

Nicky Hartery, Dell’s vice-president for manufacturing and business operations in Europe and the Middle East, said the investment was an endorsement of “Dell’s commitment to its operations in Ireland as an integral part of our worldwide business.”

Mr Hartery said the ability of the Limerick operation to deliver a number of wireless communications products as part of a pilot project was critical to the decision to locate the centre there.

Mr Hartery said: “Ireland maintains its attractiveness for us, with its continuous supply of highly educated and skilled engineers, great pro-business environment and good infrastructure.”

Dell has been in Ireland since 1990.

The company’s European manufacturing facility is located in Limerick with sales, marketing and support operations based in Bray, Co Wicklow, and Cherrywood, Co Dublin. Dell employs approximately 4,500 people in Ireland.