From Left to Right – Dr. Orlaigh Quinn (Secretary General Department of Business), Ronald Low (Abrel Representative Singapore), Declan Brosnan (Director Abrel), Frances Fitzgerald (An Tánaiste), Julie Sinnamon (CEO Enterprise Ireland), Eileen Sharpe (Global Head IDA)
It’s been a busy couple of months for Abrel. Hot on the heels of Enterprise Ireland’s International Markets Week we jetted off to Singapore as part of an EI trade mission!! Enterprise Ireland have been extremely supportive of Abrel over the years so it was a huge pleasure to be invited along on the trip.
We’ve been working with companies throughout Asia for a number of years and always enjoy meeting with new business in the region to discuss the latest advancements in burn-in technology so, we couldn’t wait for the wheels to touch down in Singapore!
Here’s a little bit about what we got up to while we were there…..
Burn-in Technology – A Key Irish Export
Abrel is viewed by Enterprise Ireland as a key Irish exporter of burn-in boards and burn-in systems and a leader in burn-in technology. It was a great honour for us to be join up with EI Team to for this important visit to Asia.
The trip was led by An Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland), Frances Fitzgerald T.D., Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, who completed a five-day joint Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland trade mission to Singapore and Japan.
Declan and Ronald from Abrel met up Minister Fitzgerald, Julie Sinnamon (CEO Enterprise Ireland), Eileen Sharpe (Global Head IDA) and Dr. Orlaigh Quinn (Secretary General Department of Business) for the Singapore leg of the trip.
During our time in Singapore we were able to meet up with several key clients as well as having the opportunity to introduce ourselves to many new businesses. The Asian market is an extremely important one for Abrel and is central to our growth strategy for years ahead.
Without a doubt a highlight of the trip was a business dinner at the iconic Fullerton Hotel on the banks of the Singapore River. The dinner was hosted by An Tánaiste and during the evening there was plenty of opportunities to chat with the member of the local business community along with several very well established Irish exporters to Singapore.
An Tánaiste addressed member of the audience and said “I am delighted to be leading this trade and investment mission to Singapore and Japan. Trade Missions are vital in helping us expand into new and emerging markets across the world. Following the UK’s decision to leave the EU, I am working closely with the agencies in my Department who have intensified their efforts on increasing the export market penetration and diversification of Irish companies into alternative markets.”
“This visit will strengthen our existing economic ties with Singapore and Japan and raise awareness of what Ireland can offer, both as a potential location for companies from the Asia-Pacific region and as a source of high-quality, innovative products and services. I look forward to engaging with key decision makers at the highest levels in Government and industry to promote Ireland as a source of world-class products and services across the healthcare, engineering, education, aerospace and digital sectors.”
Developing Relationships
Developing long lasting relationships is extremely important for the success of any business. At Abrel we plan regular visits to meet up with our clients, whether they’re in the USA, UK or in Asia. Being able to see our customers on a regular basis means we can find out exactly how we can help them achieve their goals.
The objective of the trade mission included supporting Irish companies in strengthening their existing business relationships and to develop new opportunities in Singapore and Japan. On July 6th, 2017 the European Union and Japan reached an agreement in principle on the main elements in the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement. According to the European Commission EU organisations already export in excess of €58bn in good and over €28bn in services to Japan each year. The aim of the partnership is to reduce existing barriers in order to further boost trade.
The trade mission provided an ideal platform to promote the potential of this exciting partnership and in particular investigate any new opportunities for Irish companies that might exist.
East Meets West
Singapore, often referred to as the country where East meets West and is a stunning place. It is fabulous to see exports from Irish companies to Singapore increasing and ties between the two countries growing stronger. Many Irish businesses are now many planning to push further into Asia.
Get in Touch
If you’re interested in learning more about our burn-in boards or test systems we would love to hear from you. Please feel free to send us an email and we can arrange for a representative from one of our regional offices to contact you.
