By Business & Finance 
Kevin Sherry reflects on the continued strength and importance of the Irish-American relationship from his perspective as Executive Director at Enterprise Ireland.
Note: This piece was originally published in Business & Finance annual magazine 2025/26, vol. 62, available to read, with compliments, here.
By Kevin Sherry, Executive Director, Enterprise Ireland
The United States is a vital market for Irish companies, fuelled by deep cultural ties and a shared entrepreneurial spirit across generations. Ireland currently ranks as the sixth-largest foreign investor in the US, with its top 10 firms alone employing 116,000 people in the US and purchasing billions in US goods and services.
Enterprise Ireland, the government’s trade and innovation agency, in its work with Irish companies, is actively driving this transatlantic success and growth in bilateral trade. With offices in seven US cities, we support over 950 Irish firms exporting to the US in sectors like life sciences, fintech, agritech, engineering services and advanced manufacturing. These partnerships help companies scale, innovate, create jobs both in Ireland and the US, and boost mutual prosperity with one of the world’s most dynamic economies.
Demand for Irish solutions continues to rise in the US. Enterprise Ireland-backed firms exported €6.66 billion to the US in 2024—an 8% increase from 2023. The US represents 18% of total Enterprise Ireland client exports, Ireland’s third-largest market after the European Single Market (€12.7 billion) and the UK (€10.52 billion).
And Irish companies continue to invest in the US. Recently, CEL Critical Power, a Dublin-headquartered provider of switchgear and power solutions to the global data centre industry, opened a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of a significant business expansion strategy.
Underpinned by a $40 million capital commitment, CEL Critical Power will create 250 skilled jobs in the US within the next 12 months, increasing to 500 by 2030 across R&D and engineering, manufacturing, quality, testing, logistics, and site services. Kerry Group, a taste and nutrition powerhouse, has invested over $5 billion in the US, including a $120 million sustainable facility in Rome, Georgia. Operating 70 sites in states like Georgia and Texas, it employs 6,000 and spends in excess of $1.5 billion annually on US raw materials.
Kingspan, a construction leader in insulation and building solutions, operates 32 US sites across 17 states, employing over 2,500 people. This style of investments underscore Irish commitment to US growth.
Advancing healthcare in the US, Irish firms have forged strong US healthcare partnerships with Northwell Health, Texas Medical Centre, Cleveland Clinic and others, delivering cutting-edge healthcare solutions for patient care. Aerogen, a global leader in acute care aerosol drug delivery, is one such example which has collaborated with Rush Hospital in Illinois for the past eight years, integrating respiratory devices to improve outcomes for patients with severe breathing illnesses.
In the area of fintech innovation, Fenergo, with bases in Ireland, Boston, New York, and Miami, accelerates digital transformation for US financial institutions, enhancing processes, self-service, and innovative banking solutions.
Notwithstanding the real challenge presented by the new 15% US tariffs on EU goods introduced in 2025, Enterprise Ireland and its client companies remain steadfast in their commitment to the US market and further growing investments and partnerships to mutual benefit. Irish companies have continually shown their resilience through Brexit and COVID-19, and Enterprise Ireland is supporting Irish companies through a range of initiatives, including an Enhanced Market Research Grant (€35,000) and Market Discovery Fund Grant (€150,000). These supports with our team in the US are helping our clients diversify markets, adapt products, and strengthen US footholds, safeguarding jobs and fuelling expansion. Through our overseas office network, Enterprise Ireland works with Irish companies on their individual responses for the US market, which is, and will remain, a primary export market for Irish companies.
The Irish-American relationship is a cornerstone of shared prosperity. By nurturing innovation and adaptability, Enterprise Ireland, working with Irish companies, will ensure Irish exporters continue to deliver value and jobs in both economies, reinforcing this vital Irish-American alliance for years to come.
Read more:
Ireland – US economic relationship is delivering prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic
Interview with Wilbur Ross, former US Secretary of Commerce
Interview with Claire D. Cronin, former United States ambassador to Ireland
