THE International Fund for Ireland has committed £300,000 to promote strategic alliances between firms in the Border counties and companies in North America in phase two of its North American Partnership Programme (NAPP).
The latest funding follows an allocation of £300,000 in phase one of the programme under which six Irish companies formed a total of nine strategic alliances with US companies. Some 200 new jobs are expected to be credated under the NAPP.
Announcing the second round of funding, chairman Mr William McCarter said the programme underlined commitment of the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) to the further growth and development of Irish companies operating in the Border region. Phase two of the partnership programme was officially launched in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan yesterday by the US ambassador Ms Jean Kennedy Smith.
The partnership programme was designed by the IFI and Forbairt to encourage profitable and long term strategic alliances between companies located in the 12 "Border" counties and companies located in North America. It was launched in April 1995.
The Washington Trade and Investment Conference in May 1995 added significant momentum to the process, according to Mr McCarter.
Fifteen Irish companies have participated in the programme.
Mr McCarter thanked the United States and other donors including the European Union, Australia, Canada and New Zealand for the "generous contributions and support" given to the International Fund for Ireland.
"The success of the North American Partnership Programme serves as a fine example of the type of work which the fund is undertaking across the most disadvantaged areas of the 12 northern counties. This valuable work is continuing only as a result of the ongoing commitment of the donor countriess to supporting the overall aims of the fund," he said.
Forbairt executive director Mr Sean Donnelly called on prospective participants to assess the potential for international business partnerships.
"The reality is that for small and medium sized companies, innovative strategies for achieving growth are absolutely vital. In Forbairt, we have seen that the most successful companies are those that have managed to create and build strong partnerships or alliances," he said.
The NAPP should lead to the creation of 200 new jobs in Ireland, he forecast.
Facilities Management Workshop (FMW), a Dundalk based geographical information systems based applications development and software services company, yesterday announced it had formed an alliance with a Colorado based company InForm Worldwide under the NAPP.
FMW managing director Mr Roderick Bond expects employment at FMW to increase from nine to 28 as a result of this alliance.
BMR Ltd of Bunbeg, Co Donegal has formed two alliances in the US healthcare sector. BMR, which designs, manufactures and distributes neuromuscular simulators, expects its alliance with Kaiser Permanente Medical Care to lead to 30 new jobs in Ireland.
