Enterprise Ireland
Annual Report and Accounts 2005

1. Achieving Export Sales

• Homepage
• Chairman’s Statement
• Chief Executive Officer’s Report

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• Section 1
  Achieving Export Sales
  • High Profile Trade Mission to China
  • Innovation Exchange - Vodafone Future Products Group
  • Combilift Ltd
  • Information Mosaic Ltd
• Section 2
  Investing in Research and Innovation
• Section 3
  Competing Through Productivity
• Section 4
  Starting and Scaling Companies
• Section 5
  Driving Regional Enterprise

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• Membership of the Board & Committees
• Organisation Structure
• Corporate Governance
• Financial Statements
• Office Network

In 2005, export market conditions were more favourable than in previous years and Irish companies improved their export performance by seizing the emerging opportunities. Under Enterprise Ireland’s new three-year strategy, a challenging target of €3 billion in new export sales was set. Due to the exceptional performance by Irish companies in international markets, €1.275 billion in new export sales was achieved in 2005.

Enterprise Ireland clients now operate in the context of an interdependent global environment. Information and communications technology continues to erode national boundaries, global companies dominate supply chains across the world and trade liberalisation and deregulation are eliminating local sheltered markets. While these increase the scale of sales opportunities available to Irish exporters, they are also intensifying the level of competition in the international marketplace.

Enterprise Ireland provides a range of service supports at home and overseas which assist individual clients or sectoral groups of clients to develop export markets and build their business activities internationally. A major objective is to get international buyers to view Ireland as a key source of new products and service innovation.

During 2005, the overseas network was re-structured into one division – International Sales & Partnering – covering five regions worldwide. A number of changes were made during the year including the re-positioning of staff overseas and the upgrading of skills to meet the widening technology and global needs of Irish exporters. The remit of our international staff was broadened to include assistance to companies in accessing venture capital and technology transfer opportunities in global companies. Performance metrics were re-designed to measure impact rather than activity. These measures include the annual export growth of clients serviced, specific contracts won with intensive Enterprise Ireland support and the winning of first sale reference sites for start-up companies.