By Business & Finance 
Business & Finance brings you the day’s Irish business news in brief.
New Limerick data centre brings 50 new jobs
Global provider of real-time electronic payment and banking solutions ACI Worldwide today announced the opening of its new European data centre.
Located in Limerick, this state-of-the-art facility delivers the utmost in reliability, security and data privacy, further expanding world-class payments solution capabilities and capacity for European customers, comprising some of largest merchants, intermediaries and financial institutions, including the two biggest banks in Ireland.
The facility brings job growth to the region. In partnership with IDA Ireland, ACI will add 50 new hires, on top of the current team of nearly 100. The company has had a presence in Limerick for 10 years, cultivating strong talent as part of its long-standing internship program and collaboration with the University of Limerick.
Sligo jobs boost with opening of Connollys Mercedes-Benz
Connolly Motor Group have been appointed as main dealers for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, with the company beginning recruitment immediately.
Connollys Mercedes-Benz will open in Collooney, Co Sligo in September and will be one of the largest Mercedes-Benz dealership in the country.
The appointment gives Connolly Motor Group responsibility for Mercedes-Benz sales and after-sales services covering the north-west region.
Located to service customers across the north-west, the opening of the new dealership in Sligo will extend the number of Mercedes-Benz main dealers nationwide to 14.
Aerogen technology reduces Emergency Department admissions by 32%
Data released today at the American Association Respiratory Care (AARC) Congress 2016 reinforces Irish company Aerogen’s credentials as global leaders in high performance aerosol drug delivery.
The results show a 32% reduction in the admission of patients to hospital from the emergency department when treated with their vibrating mesh technology.
This groundbreaking research comes as recent INMO figures show ‘record levels’ of hospital patients on trolleys in Ireland, with over 400 patients currently waiting on hospital beds.
Commenting on the results, John Power, managing director and CEO of Aerogen, said: “This large clinical study demonstrates the impact Aerogen technology can have in the Emergency Department and is further evidence of the outstanding clinical results we’ve seen when Aerogen technology is used in critical care units all over the world. When patients feel better and can go home faster, without an extended hospital stay, it benefits everyone. This is truly great news for patients, clinicians and hospital administrators alike.”
Ladbrokes and Gala Coral sell 359 shops to the displeasure Boylesports
Boylesports has stated it is “disappointed” that Ladbrokes and Gala Coral have decided to sell 359 shops to existing UK retailers after it was beaten in the race to buy the outlets.
The Irish betting chain said its bid was higher than the reported sale price.
Betfred have reportedly invested £55m for 322 high street outlets, while Stan James have acquired 37 for £500,000.
A company Boylesports company statement read: “Boylesports believes the decision not to allow a challenger brand onto the UK high street is bad for retail consumers who would have benefited from the keen pricing and excellent service already available to our existing Irish retail customers and to online customers in Ireland and the UK.
“BoyleSports will be communicating its concerns to the Competition and Markets Authority and is reviewing its options on what other steps may be open to us.”
The betting outlets in the UK were being off-loaded as a result of the £2.2bn merger between Ladbrokes and Gala Coral.
European Investment Bank agrees €200m support for investment in 71 Irish schools
A long-term loan agreement which will allow the Department of Education to draw down €200m in European Investment Bank funding was singed today.
This loan will help deliver the Department of Education’s €530m School Building Programme which was announced in September 2015. It will support the construction, enlargement and modernisation of 71 schools over the next four years as well delivering improved energy saving measures to these schools.
Since 2010 the European Investment Bank has provided more than €294m to support investment at 108 primary, secondary and special schools across Ireland.
Irish-owned Group acquired Spanish multinational company Saica
Saica has reached an agreement to acquire 100% of the Irish-owned group Americk Packaging, a large-scale producer of flexible packaging solutions, labels and cartons.
The Americk Packaging Group, located across six sites in Ireland and the UK, employs 691 people with a turnover of about £110m in 2015.
Additional operations include PP Global and Starfish Brand Solutions, which operate as independent brands in the same market.
Ramon Alejandro, president of Saica, said: “This agreement allows us to enter the flexible packaging market in Ireland and the UK more actively, hand in hand with a leading player. We carry out this agreement with views to the long-term and potential development of this sector.”
