Minister Martin announces Pillar Data Systems is to establish EMEA Headquarters in Drogheda

IDA supported project will create 200 high calibre jobs over five years

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin TD today (Thursday 30^th March 2006) announced that Pillar Data Systems Inc., of San Jose, California, supported by IDA Ireland, is to establish its European, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Headquarters in Drogheda, Co. Louth.

Pillar Data Systems designs and builds computer data storage systems. The new operation for Drogheda will have sole management responsibility for sales and marketing, technical support, finance, operations, IT management and business analysis in the EMEA region. It will create 200 high calibre jobs over five years across these business areas. The office will be initially based at the International Sales and Marketing Centre in Drogheda.

Minister Martin said “This investment is very welcome news for Drogheda and the North-East and it was aggressively fought for against strong competition from other global locations. Pillar Data Systems can be confident of finding highly skilled IT professionals and infrastructure of international standards in this part of the country. More and more high technology companies are discovering the benefits of locating in the smaller towns throughout Ireland and Pillar Data Systems is a perfect example of the type of company we want to attract. It will be a valuable addition to the North East, providing high calibre employment opportunities across its business.”

Pillar has developed a proprietary computer data storage product – the Pillar Axiom™ – that gives cost and integration efficiencies and provides a competitive challenge to the current established products on the market. The company, which is funded by Tako Ventures, LLC, the private equity firm of Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, has spent the last four years developing this product and intends to market it to customers in the government, telecommunications, financial, energy and healthcare sectors.

Michael Workman, CEO, Pillar Data Systems, said “Pillar’s philosophy is to provide products that make the management of computer data over a network simpler, more flexible and less costly. We intend to make a strong impact in the global storage market and we have an effective strategy for the global roll-out of our product the Pillar Axiom – this new Headquarters in Drogheda is an integral part of that strategy. Key influencing factors in our choice of Drogheda were a favourable business environment, a high quality of life for employees and the support and encouragement of IDA Ireland. It is also in close proximity to Dublin Airport, which was important as European customers will be regular visitors to the site”.