Award puts wind in the sails of software firm

Innovative software company SolarWinds was last night named Cork Company of the Year in recognition of the remarkable success of its operations over the past eight years.

The first tenant in Mahon’s City Gate campus on the outskirts of the city, SolarWinds has become a cornerstone of the tech landscape and has been recognised as such by the Cork Chamber of Commerce.

Acting as the Texas company’s international headquarters, SolarWinds’ Cork base has helped drive growth across the world since arriving in Ireland in 2007 — offering a range of purpose-built products to businesses of all shapes and sizes in need of IT solutions.

Having announced 100 positions with the help of Jobs Minister Richard Bruton last year, the software company is on track to grow to 220 employees at its Mahon facility having started with just two.

Accepting the award, SolarWinds senior vice-president of finance and operations international David Owens said: “The SolarWinds Cork team is so honoured by the chamber’s recognition, it means a great deal to us.

“The award reflects the tremendous effort and commitment of all our employees and signifies a major milestone in our ongoing, long-term investment in Cork and the Cork community. We look forward to many more years building our company’s footprint here and continuing this relationship with the chamber.”

The award was presented at last night’s Cork Chamber of Commerce annual dinner which attracted 1,000 attendees from across the business community, with Vodafone Ireland chief executive Anne O’Leary, a native of Cork, presenting the awards.

“Every year I look forward to coming home for the annual dinner and am delighted to again present the Cork Company of the Year Awards,” she said.

“This year, more than ever, the calibre of participants is truly impressive and this event highlights the business talent we have in Cork.”

In addition to SolarWinds claiming the overall award and coming out on top in the large category, three other award winners were crowned on the night.

In the emerging category, Technically Write IT scooped the top accolade, with its clear vision and business acumen combining to make it a leading player in the technical writing space.

After announcing 120 jobs late last year, Xanadu Consulting ensured it remains firmly in the public eye with another good news story at last night’s event when the online gaming tech and services provider took home the Cork SME Company Award.

Cork institution Vibes & Scribes took home the special award category, being named Cork Retail Company of the Year, and further enhancing its reputation in the city.