TÁNAISTE ANNOUNCES 80 NEW JOBS FOR TRALEE"Tralee’s newly-developing Kerry Technology Park already attracting attention of Irish graduates and Diaspora" - Harney

Mary Harney, T.D., Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment today (Wednesday, 2nd May 2001) announced that two new indigenous companies - Aspen Workflow Ltd., and PulseLearning Ltd., are creating 80 new ‘high tech’ jobs in Tralee. The companies are being backed by Shannon Development and will be among the first tenants to move into the Company’s newly developing Kerry Technology Park.

Aspen Workflow Ltd. will create 30 jobs developing and providing web-based workflow and process management solutions. Meanwhile, PulseLearning Ltd’s new Tralee-based e-learning operation will create 50 highly skilled jobs. The company designs, delivers, deploys and manages complete, integrated and interactive e-learning products and value-added services for businesses.

Making the announcement, the Tánaiste said: "when I turned the sod for Kerry Technology Park in late 1999, I said that it was an excellent example of the way forward for Irish industry. Modern industries are looking for a high quality business environment, the availability of the most up to date telecommunications facilities, a good supply of highly skilled labour, close linkages with local education and research centres, and the presence of a strong enterprise culture."

"Shannon Development has once again got the formula right in Tralee. The fact that these two companies, founded by young Irish graduates, have been attracted back to Tralee by the quality of the infrastructure speaks volumes in itself. It supports the argument that industry can be attracted to, and sustained in, a regional environment, once the strategy for doing so has been carefully defined. This is certainly the case in Tralee and I am confident that more investment of this calibre will flow into Kerry Technology Park." the Tánaiste added.

Shannon Development’s acting chief executive, Kevin Thompstone said: "getting to this stage with Kerry Technology Park has involved a lot of man hours but now that we are beginning to see the fruits of our effort, it has all been worthwhile. Our aim was to create an environment that would be equally attractive to foreign direct investment and to home-grown enterprise. Ireland is fast becoming a knowledge-based economy. Irish companies have proved that they are more than capable of competing in this sector, therefore it is critical that we provide the facilities and the environment wherein this type of company can grow and flourish. Eighty new jobs of this calibre is great news for Tralee and will act as a magnet for more investment of this nature."

Commenting on Tralee as a business location, Sean Ryan, general manager, Aspen Workflow said: "we see Tralee as an ideal location for a high technology business. After due consideration we chose to locate in Tralee because of its proximity to Shannon, Cork and Kerry airports, the high calibre of computer science graduates being produced from the Institute of Technology in Tralee, the excellent support and business environment being created and developed by Shannon Development and, the lifestyle benefits of being located in the Tralee area. We continue to build a strong dynamic team and will expand that team in the knowledge that the infrastructure in Kerry is ideal to support that growth."

Jim Breen, managing director, PulseLearning added: "the decision to base PulseLearning in Tralee was taken after consideration of the plentiful supply of both experienced and highly qualified IT professionals in Kerry. The opening of the new Kerry Technology Park along with the fantastic local support from Shannon Development and the Institute of Technology, Tralee, was also instrumental in our choice of location. We have been able to build a young, dynamic, competent, cross-functional team that shares an unusually strong and saleable sense of operational style and purpose. With the support of Shannon Development, we aim to continue this growth over the coming years."

Aspen Workflow Ltd. provides workflow and process management solutions to service oriented organisations and departments. These solutions are completely web-based and facilitate the inclusion of outside entities in the process. The solutions provide extremely valuable management views and benchmarking reports to enable process improvement, highlight weaknesses and allow businesses to expand and improve overall performance and service.

The Aspen Workflow( system enables business managers automate workflow systems thereby becoming more streamlined, accurate and punctual in all their business processes. It also enhances turnaround time, minimises possibilities of human error and allows real time updating of organisations’ records.

PulseLearning operates within the global corporate sector of the online training market - e-learning. Operating within the three major e-learning market segments of Content, Technology and Services, the company designs, develops, delivers, deploys and manages complete, integrated and interactive e-learning solutions and value added services to corporate clients. Solutions vary from sales support tools, to internal IT application training, to process specific learning packages.

PulseLearning provides products and services at three levels - Customised, Customised off-the-shelf (COTS) and off-the-shelf. PulseLearning copyrights course content and design; provides strategies for instructional design; and develops customised technological solutions with its complementary technology partners.