Outsourcing firm creates 250 jobs

Some 250 jobs are to be created after the country’s leading outsourcing firm today announced plans for a new innovation centre.

Cork-based Abtran, which specialises in support services such as sales, administration and planning, is to expand its existing facility at Bishopstown, just outside the city.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen was briefed on the investment at a launch in the company’s headquarters.

“Abtran founders, Michael Fitzgerald and Pat Fitzgerald, have demonstrated that, by focusing on these key strategic drivers, Irish companies can compete with the very best in the world,” he said.

“They are a model of the kind of company that we need as we build our ’Smart Economy’.”

The new workers will be taken on over the next year as part of a €6m investment in R&D backed by Enterprise Ireland. The firm already employs 600 people in Cork.

Conor Healy, Cork Chamber chief executive, praised the company for consistently growing employment and developing operations locally.

“The creation of these new customer service representative positions is a major boost to the local economy at a time when it is most needed,” he said.

“The success of the company is a particular credit to the management and staff who have built up an excellent client base and an outstanding reputation for the company.”

Abtran was set up in 1997 to provide a range of support services for major private and public clients at home and abroad in sales, customer service, administration, claims and financial processing.

Some of its key customers include the ESB, Hibernian Aviva, Prometric and the Sky Corporation.

It is the largest business of its kind in Ireland, processing more than 10 million transactions a year worth about €100m in revenue for clients.