By Business & Finance 
Minister Richard Bruton TD, has welcomed the announcement by Irish-owned Emydex Technology that it is to create 20 full-time software jobs in Dublin over the next 18 months, doubling its workforce.
The agri-food software company, which already employs 22 staff, has also announced a major deal with the Meat Corporation of Namibia in Africa (MeatCo). The meat processing and marketing organisation works on behalf of Namibian farmers and the two-year €300,000 contract will involve six separate MeatCo sites in the Sub-Saharan country.
It develops and exports factory floor data capture, production reporting and traceability software systems to leading meat and food processing companies around the world. Working in Ireland, the UK, France and now Africa, the company’s client list includes Kepak, Dawn Meats, Dunbia, Moy Park and the Kerry Group.
Welcoming the jobs news in Dublin today, Minister Bruton said: “ICT is a sector which we have specifically targeted as part of our Action Plan for Jobs, and in recent years we have seen significant growth in this area. Today’s announcement that Emydex, an Irish-owned company which has grown with the support of the Fingal Local Enterprise Office and Enterprise Ireland, is expanding further and creating 20 additional jobs is a great boost. I congratulate them on this project and wish them every success for the future.”
According to the CEO of Emydex Technology, David McMahon, the company is benefiting from export-led growth in the agri-food sector. He said: “Thanks to the solid growth in Irish food exports, there is a corresponding growth in demand for more sophisticated and robust software systems for production management, reporting and traceability. Responding to this growing demand, we will be doubling our workforce over the next 18 months, recruiting twenty highly skilled software programmers to work in our three main operating divisions in Dublin. Alongside the country’s reputation for high quality food processing, Ireland is also becoming better known for its food processing software capabilities.
Originally founded in 2004 by Redmond Burke, now a non-executive director, and James Grennan, Emydex Technology’s product director, the company received feasibility and employment grants from the Fingal Local Enterprise Office and more recently, continues to be supported by Enterprise Ireland.
Recruitment is already underway for the software programming positions, which will be based at Emydex Technology’s Blanchardstown headquarters in Northwest Business Park. Of the new specialist roles announced today, ten will be hired immediately, with the remaining ten to be recruited over the next 18 months.
