Two technology firms announce Galway investments

Medical device group SMT and data analytics company Wood Group to create 60 jobs

SMT, which manufactures minimally invasive coronary stent systems in India, is to base its European HQ in Galway. Photograph: iStock

IDA Ireland has announced two investments in the Galway area that are expected to create at least 60 jobs.

SMT (Sahajanand Medical Technologies) is to establish its European headquarters, including a research development and innovation centre.

This will lead to the employment of 50 people over a five-year period, it said in a statement on Thursday.

SMT is the largest developer and manufacturer of minimally invasive coronary stent systems in India and supplies to about 60 countries around the world.

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Gaurav Goel, western European head, said the company’s strengths lay in developing technologically complex products.

“With this centre, we hope to tap into the excellent talent pool available in Galway to make further enhancements in existing products and to develop new and innovative products,” he said.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O’Connor said the investment would build Ireland’s existing expertise in the medical devices sector.

‘Important win’

IDA Ireland's chief executive Martin Shanahan described the move as "an important win" for the western region and fell in line with its strategy to promote investment in regional locations.

Elsewhere, the Wood Group has announced the establishment of a new data analytics centre of excellence at its office in Galway, Ireland.

This will broaden its capabilities in advanced data analytics, supporting the oil and gas, industrial, utility and power generation sectors.

A key focus of the centre will be the innovative application to the energy industry of data analytics technologies developed and deployed across other industries, it said.

The aim is to grow its data analytics team to 10 people by the end of the year and develop further employment opportunities in 2017.

Chief executive of specialist technical solutions Bob MacDonald said the new centre would greatly enhance its technical capabilities.

“[It will enable] us to handle large quantities of data effectively and embrace and explore new innovations and technologies for the oil and gas, industrial, utility and power sectors,” he said

Mark Hilliard

Mark Hilliard

Mark Hilliard is a reporter with The Irish Times