Staff at firm’s Cork base set to treble

One of Cork’s hi-tech leaders hopes to triple its staff numbers and develop a European research and development centre over the next few years.

But transatlantic flights between Cork and New York will be crucial, Netgear’s US-based chief executive, Patrick Lo said.

He was speaking by video link from San José, California, yesterday as staff at the Cork centre marked the 7th birthday of its European headquarters with a jig and some craic.

The Irish staff at the multinational — which develops wireless, storage, switching, and security products to connect people and businesses — treated 17 staff from across its European network, who were in Cork for training, to some Irish dancing, music and culture.

Managing director, Antoinette Switzer, said it was the company’s way of marking The Gathering, and of celebrating its Irish operations.

Mr Lo said the decision to locate in Cork seven years ago, instead of Dublin and Limerick, was based in part on the quality of graduates at UCC.

But he urged the IDA to help secure the delivery of a direct air link between Cork and the US.

The company, which has a global turnover of over €1bn, also launched an initiative to encourage its staff to exercise more. Employees will be given a pedometer to track the number of steps they take every day.

“In the spirit of The Gathering, we are having a competition to walk the distance from the West of Ireland to Ellis Island in New York — to symbolise the connection to our Irish heritage and the country of our corporate HQ,” a spokesperson said.

Each step will represent 10 metres, and the first employees to walk the distance will win prizes.

Netgear opened its European base, with IDA support, in Cork in Apr 2006, with just seven staff.

Today, the company employs 70 at its offices at the University Technology Centre in Bishopstown.

The San José-headquartered company has offices in 27 countries, including 17 across Europe, the Middle East and Africa which are all supported by the Cork office. It is also a centre of excellence for the company’s finance, operations, planning, HR and IT support functions.

Lord Mayor John Buttimer, Cork Chamber president, Gillian Keating, and the IDA’s Aidan McCauley were among those who attended the event yesterday.