Martin woos Japanese industry

IRELAND Inc is open for business, Enterprise Trade and Employment Minister Micheál Martin told Japanese business leaders last night.

Mr Martin was addressing business leaders after four Irish companies outlined details in Tokyo of new contracts with companies serving the world’s second-largest economy.

Ireland’s largest privately owned firm Glen Dimplex divulged details of its latest off-shoot Glen Dimplex Japan, which targets €30 million in sales of its electrical heating products in Japan.

Products manufactured in Dunleer, Dundalk and Nenagh will be sold by Glen Dimplex Japan, a joint venture with the Global Corporation of Sapporo.

Mr Martin said Japan was the most important market for Ireland in Asian.

“There is significant potential for high-quality Irish goods in your huge domestic market. But we also see opportunities in partnering with Japanese companies and sharing expertise and international market access strategies.

“Ireland is well placed within the European Union and has a strong business relationship with the US. This makes Ireland an ideal test bed for new technologies and an ideal partner for Japan in jointly targeting selected Western markets,” he said.

Mr Martin said he was leading a mission of 40 companies eager to pursue business opportunities with Japanese companies.

“Many of the participants are in the ICT sector. Our strength as a centre of software excellence is well established and we are the largest software exporting country in the world.”

Ireland’s trade with Japan is substantial and growing. Total trade in the first eight months of this year was valued at €2.6 billion.

Alltracel Pharmaceuticals has announced a sales and marketing partnership agreement with Nichiban, one of the top five global consumer wound care firms, with a 23% share in the Japanese market. This is its first entry into the Japanese market.