e2-one Ltd to establish a Software Development Centre & Global Headquarters in Plassey Technology Park, Limerick85 new jobs

Mary Harney, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, today (Friday 17th November 2000) announced that IDA Ireland has agreed an investment package with e2-one Ltd which will create 85 new jobs at the company’s new Software Development Centre and Global Headquarters which will locate at Plassey Technology Park in Limerick.

Making the announcement the Tánaiste said that the e2-one project will focus on high skilled employment for people with IT engineering experience and quality software graduates. "Salaries will be in the higher end of the industry spectrum making this project a welcome one, as it closely conforms with current IDA strategy of attracting high value added skills based businesses".

e2-one Ltd are a subsidiary of Sherwood International PLC, a UK based public company which was founded in 1970. Sherwood are suppliers of information technology solutions to the global insurance industry and currently employ 530. Sherwood’s main product "Amarta" is a flexible workflow system which is customised to meet core insurance operation needs.

The new e2-one Software Development Centre in Plassey will further develop and market a range of e.business solutions to clients outside Sherwood’s core market especially in the IT consultancy sector, providing services to the financial, retail and telecoms industries.

Products will be developed based on the company’s "aeos" product, which is essentially an internet based version of "Amarta". "aeos" has the capability to process high volumes of customer enquiries, personal data updates and new business proposals. It can achieve more than 80,000 transactions per minute, calculate 1 million updated account variations and publish to the customer personal portal in 35 minutes, and service 100,000 active users per minute on a single mid tier server.

Among its target markets are IT consultancy firms, system integrators, OEM’s and VAR’s for incorporation into their total product and service solution. End users will be financial services, retail and telecoms companies who need to handle high volumes of e.business transactions.

The new Software Development Centre in Limerick will also incorporate an R & D facility to further enhance the "aeos" product ensuring that the product has the lead over its competitiors. The R & D facility will undertake a number of specific areas of research which will include articifical intelligence/neural technology and knowledge management, enhancing the functionality of personal portals on the web.