Woman scientist in lab

Innovation and creativity in a time of crisis

The Covid-19 crisis has brought out the best in Irish companies, which are facing the crisis with a range of innovative solutions.

Repurposing production lines to manufacture personal protective equipment (PPE)and hand sanitiser, new digital healthcare apps, and the rapid development of new test kit componentsare just a few of the many highly innovative responses to the Covid-19 crisis that have emerged from Irish companies in recent months.

“It’s amazing how resourceful and creative people become when they are challenged,” says Enterprise Ireland, Divisional Manager for Innovation & Competitiveness, Tom Kelly. “We are seeing companies innovating, adapting and creating new solutions and product lines in response to the crisis.”

 

Pivoting business to address a need

He points to the shortage of hand sanitiser products as an example. “The need for a massive increase in supplies was one of the earliest instances. Several companies repurposed their existing systems to manufacture them. Mervue in Cork partnered with Irish Distillers and is selling directly into the HSE. EPC in Clara, Co Offaly manufactures medicated toothpaste, but has set up a completely new line for sanitisers; it went to Grants in Tullamore to secure a supply of alcohol. EPC is also selling into the HSE and other markets. That story has been repeated by other companies like Univet, Chanelle and Ovelle.”

The shortage of PPE is also being addressed. “Irema Ireland ramped up production to increase supplies of high-quality surgical and respiratory masks,” says Kelly. “Other companies are looking at aprons and gowns, but that’s still at an early stage.”

“From a standing start, we have seen a number of companies like Key Plastics step up to manufacture face shields for use in the health service. The engineering sector has been particularly responsive” says Kelly.

Moving into the lab, Aalto Bio Reagents is manufacturing a nucleocapsid protein for diagnostic tests. This is known as a lysis buffer, which is used for the purpose of breaking open cells. “Aalto Bio Reagents worked very closely with the HSE and the National Virus Reference Laboratory and came up with a formulation within a week. Serosep is another company that is manufacturing test kits. You have to recognise the courage and capability of companies like that. What they are doing is the result of an innovative mindset, which is serving the country very well at present.”

It is not only established companies that are making a contribution. Enterprise Ireland-supported high potential start-up (HPSUs) are also playing their part. “CALT Dynamics in Wicklow, a 3D printing start-up in Ireland, are printing 3D printable protective visors that could help to bridge the shortfall of PPE both in Ireland and overseas,” says Enterprise Ireland, HPSU Manager, Industrial & Lifesciences Alan Hobbs. “It has linked up with Automatic Plastics in Tinahely and is now supplying products to a number of hospitals.”

 

Digital Health

These early-stage companies are making a particular mark in the digital health realm. “We’ve been seeing a distinct uptick in that area,” says Hobbs. “A number of Irish companies have secured contracts with the HSE, and with other health services. We now have a cohort of innovative young Irish start-ups that have just secured their first reference sites in the domestic market. This is very important, because when they go abroad, they will get asked about sales at home.”

One such company is practice management software developer Wellola. It has launched a secure patient communication portal for the HSE that enables GPs to treat people remotely if possible.

Meanwhile, all appointments at Covid-19 urgent test centres are scheduled using software from another innovative Irish firm, Swiftqueue. “Patients don’t realise that this is being done on Irish-developed software,” says Hobbs.

These are just a few among many new healthcare solutions being brought to market by Irish firms, according to Hobbs. “PMD Solutions is trialling new respiratory monitoring technology with Beaumont Hospital at the moment. This fits in with the HSE strategy of shifting care into the community, and it takes a lot of the stress off hospitals. Jinga Life’s technology for the e-transfer of CT scans means less handling of CDs and so on, and it also reduces risk of infection. Finally, patientMpower provides the tools for patients with lung complaints to be followed remotely with integrated medication management. The company is also providing a new remote triage service for Covid-19 patients in the home.

“There is also an impact on supply chains. Having companies doing these things locally makes a huge difference to delivery times.” says Hobbs.

Looking to the future, Kelly says the Covid-19 crisis is likely to change the way we think about healthcare supply chains. “We already recognise the need for food security and energy security. It is becoming increasingly obvious that healthcare security has to be viewed in the same way.”

 

To learn more about the steps companies can take to address the impact of Covid-19 visit our business supports page.

Market Watch Industry Bulletin – Cleantech


Download the bulletin here.

 

The global cleantech and energy industry is experiencing significant disruption and operational issues due to Covid-19. In addition, changing patterns of energy demand, declining oil prices, the continued growth of renewable energy generation and stringent climate action plans, means global markets are changing at pace.

In this bulletin, Enterprise Ireland’s market advisors assess the implications of Covid-19 on the sector and summarise the major developments, opportunities and challenges across international markets.

Read the full report here.

Transport

Market Watch Industry Bulletin – Transport

Download the bulletin here.

As an island economy, our economic prosperity is heavily dependent on the reliability of the global transport networks to consistently source key materials from suppliers and in turn ship the finished goods to customers.

The Transport Bulletin provides insights from Enterprise Ireland’s market advisors and industry experts across the world, bringing you a practical overview of freight transport conditions from different markets.

Agritech

Market Watch Industry Bulletin – Agritech & Machinery

Download the bulletin here.

The Irish agricultural machinery and agritech sector has been designated as a critical service, committed to supplying customers and fulfilling current and future orders. While the sector is open, the Covid-19 crisis presents significant challenges.

Enterprise Ireland‘s Agritech and Machinery industry bulletin looks at international developments from labour shortages to supply chain issues to border closures, and industry stimulus packages which may impact your business.

Read the full report here.

Sean Davis

Market Watch – A view from North America

North America, like the rest of the world, has been seriously impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19 and Sean Davis, Enterprise Ireland Regional Director of North America, says while there is no certainty in business at the moment, Irish exporters should seek to reassure their US customers.

 

Key Takeaways

  • The situation is changing daily but most states are operating on a work-from-home basis.
  • Travel and supply chain disrupted in many areas.
  • Irish exporters are advised to keep in contact with their North American clients, be aware of their situation and the need to communicate more personally via telephone or video link.
  • Business is still moving so Irish exporters are encouraged to adapt where possible and utilise time wisely in order to be ready for any business which should arise.

 

“It’s an evolving situation across North America but for the most part there are work-from -home requirements in most jurisdictions across both the US and Canada,” he says. “Travel is heavily restricted, and there is some supply chain disruption, also your customers are busily working to stabilize their own businesses. There is also uncertainty and fear of the unknown, along with customer cash flow disruption and in some cases contract negotiations frozen.

“With this in mind the focus of activity for Irish exporters should be around three pillars – stabilise, reset and recover, which in the immediate term, means stabilise. So staying close to customers and key strategic partners is vital, as is being aware of their situation, i.e. in addition to shared commercial challenges being able to connect by having an understanding of the specific impact of this crisis in their town or city is an important demonstration of empathy at a critical time

“We are seeing instances where contacts in some NA companies we are close to have been directly and profoundly affected personally by Covid-19, so again situational awareness is important and as much as possible communication needs to be via telephone or video conference as it is much more personal, empathetic and engaging.

“But brevity is key when it comes to the US and while many people are working from home, they are still time poor, so it’s important to keep things brief – to quote Franklin D. Roosevelt ‘Be sincere, be brief, be seated’.”

Davis says that the Reset and Recover phases will be more successful if companies use the stabilise period to accumulate as much market and customer intelligence as possible.

“This is an important time to identify where your company and product offering might have to pivot in order to be ready,” he advises.

“North America is an enormous economy, over $25TRN, and the US is the second largest single export market for Irish companies so despite the challenging times there will be huge market opportunity to develop as we recover and re-emerge. So any movement which demonstrates a willingness, where possible, to share some of the burden created by cash flow or credit terms is beneficial.” says Davis.

 

“But don’t over-extend your company’s credit terms either; this is a rapidly evolving situation and cash flow is crucial. Any Irish companies with an in-market presence and employing in the region, especially those with significant deployment, should be actively looking at what supports are being made available whether through economic stimulus packages or through funds available to support key sector strategic priorities within a country, state or province.”

Enterprise Ireland has seven offices across the region with teams ready to support their client companies throughout this journey.

“We have developed and completed a six-part webinar series called “Reliance and Adaptability in Extraordinary Times” led by a series of key opinion leaders in areas such as Leadership and Communication, Crisis Communication and Creating a New Narrative,” says Davis. “Our teams are working on a one-to-one basis with clients through key areas and deliverables. And for significantly impacted sectors, we have delivered, and are working on, other webinars bringing client companies and subject matter experts together.

“On a weekly basis, we are gathering market and sector intelligence which is being collated centrally in HQ and distributed via our colleagues in Ireland to client companies.”

While not all sectors are impacted equally, Davis says there are still  opportunities available and companies are still signing new business by solving problems, delivering innovation and fostering good partnerships

“Not everything has ground to a halt,” he says. “So I would advise companies  to pivot effectively, use our market research centre as it’s a prime time for under-utilised members of staff to build valuable market intelligence or look at opportunities in other North American geographies you have not previously considered.” 

“North America is a vast economic and geographical landscape which is likely to emerge from the current crisis in different stages and in different states (US) or provinces (Canada), hence some markets are likely to enter that Recover phase sooner than others and our network will be able to advise and support as this happens.”

Sean Davis is Enterprise Ireland’s Regional Director of North America. To learn more about the steps companies can take to address the impact of Covid-19 visit our business supports page.

Andrew O'Shaughnessy, CEO, Poppulo

Communications moves up to the Covid-19 front

Poppulo helps ensure first casualty of war on virus isn’t truth

 

Irish technology company Poppulo is supporting critical communications for frontline workers in the battle against Covid-19.

The company, which is a global leader in employee communications technology, has opened up its secure, effective communications platform to healthcare crisis teams battling the pandemic – for free.

It is already assisting public health services such as Ireland’s Health Services Executive (HSE), having fast-tracked the set-up process so that its Covid crisis team can get up and running on the platform as quickly as possible.

Effective employee communications are Poppulo’s stock in trade.  It manages secure communications between over 25 million employees, in over 900 companies, across more than 100 countries, every day.

Its clients are some of the world’s most successful organisations. These include pharmaceutical company GSK (GlaxoSmithKline), car maker Rolls Royce, fast moving consumer goods company Unilever, telecoms giant Telefónica and building systems specialist Johnson Controls.

The Cork, Ireland based company has its US headquarters in Boston, MA. It specialises in enabling organisations with more than 1000 employees to solve the kind of complex employee communication and engagement challenges that can arise in large, international workforces.

Its custom-built software is designed for internal communications only, enabling managers to plan, target, publish and measure the impact of their communications across multiple digital channels.

These include email, mobile, video and social networks, all of which are handled securely via the Poppulo platform. It also provides organisations with extensive analytics, enabling them to measure and assess employee sentiment.

 

Staff under pressure

In recent weeks, communications relating to the COVID-19 crisis have soared on the platform.

“The key thing for organisations is to understand how important good communications is to all employees,” says Poppulo founder and CEO Andrew O’Shaughnessy

Frontline workers are shouldering the heaviest burden right now but all employees are facing challenges in a changed world, especially remote workers.

“Everyone is under a lot of pressure. This is something that was forced on all of us really quickly and all of a sudden many employees found themselves at home,” he says.

Equally suddenly, organisations must find ways to replace all the invaluable interactions that usually take place in the workplace.

“With remote workers, you can’t just pick up the phone and ring people because they are in virtual meetings, and their calendars are crowded,” says O’Shaughnessy.

 

Single source of truth

Yet good internal communications are more essential than ever. “Employees are under pressure not just from their job but from feelings of isolation, overwhelm, and mental health issues. At a time like this, your employee base needs huge support,” he says.

Clear, secure and engaging communication is one of the most effective ways you have to support staff them.

“Right now there is a lot of disinformation about, and things are changing very quickly, on a daily basis. It is therefore really important for every company to establish itself as a single source of truth for employees,” says O’Shaughnessy

In “just a couple of weeks” organisations, both private and public, have undergone the kind of transformation project that would previously have been given 18 months to plan and execute, he points out.

Such a radical transformation can only succeed on the basis of having an effective communications strategy, both in terms of content and delivery.

That means avoiding the kind of disinformation that may come via public social media platforms, such as WhatsApp. These “can’t be locked down, are crowded with noise, don’t allow you to target individual people, and offer no visibility of who is reading them,” he says.

 

Tracking talk

Poppulo allows organisations to rapidly send urgent communications to whoever needs to get them, track what’s been read or not opened in real-time, and take corrective action through resends, updates and instructions.

Poppulo’s Blackout functionality kills the circulation of non-essential information by ensuring employees only get relevant and useful information, during specific times, increasing clarity while minimising over-communication. Its targeting capability lets users engage the people, sections, and geographies who need the information, without needlessly involving those who don’t.

Its survey functionality allows users understand how their communications are resonating, both in business units and across the organisation, with reports that can inform further actions. The platform also provides content templates which allow users to save valuable time, for greater speed, efficiency and sign off.

 

Trusted source

Crucially, it alleviates employee uncertainty in a time of crisis through personalised communications from trusted sources.

Poppulo’s secure communications platform works across a range of channels including email, mobile and video and right now video is proving hugely important as a way of helping remote workers cope with isolation, he says.

In any change management scenario organisations appreciate that good communications are the key to success. In a pandemic, they can be no less than the difference between life and death. It’s why communications has moved not just centre stage but up to the front.

“People are calling communications a critical business system. That has never happened before,” he says.

shipping containers

Managing supply chain risk

Global supply chains have been stretched to breaking point as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Enforced closures of companies, coupled with newly imposed border controls and other issues, have had a severe impact on many Irish businesses.

There are steps that can be taken to mitigate those effects, according to Shirlee Kelly, a strategic sourcing consultant with IDDEA, a strategic procurement consulting company.

“In Ireland, many companies rely on just-in-time delivery for the supply of goods and services, and the success of this strategy is dependent on highly integrated and efficient supply chains,” Kelly points out. “The availability of labour may impact on supply chains, while government actions may lead to delays in physically moving materials from location to location as well as at ports and across borders.”

As a first step, she advises businesses to assess their supply chain risks and identify those critical suppliers that can have a detrimental impact on the business. “Businesses should conduct a health check on their critical supply chains,” she says.

Start by looking at internal data.

  • Who are the high-spend, high-impact suppliers?

  • What are the immediate risks that you need to plan for?

  • How will you address any lack of supply?

  • What are the steps you need to take to ensure that you continue to meet your contractual obligations with customers?

Contingency Planning

The next step is contingency planning. “These plans may include, finding alternatives to normal supply routes, investing time in discovering and conditioning new suppliers,” Kelly advises. “Companies may need to change their sourcing strategies to include a more local approach. If companies are dependent on one supplier, they need to put measures in place to make sure they have sufficient stock and ensure business continuance. It is important for businesses of all sizes to build resilience across their supply channels and keep their key customers informed of the work they are doing to meet demand.”

Good supplier management is essential in order to reduce the potential impacts of supply chain disruption. “You may have 500 suppliers, so it is not possible to manage every supplier in the same way,” Kelly notes. “We use the Kraljic Matrix to categorise suppliers by the value you spend with them and the risk they pose to your ongoing operations.”

This matrix reveals those suppliers who are strategically important by evaluating them against their value to the bottom line and the risks of a disruption affecting their performance. High-value, high-risk suppliers clearly need careful management, as indeed do those in the low-value, high-risk quadrant who are defined as bottlenecks.

Supplier management begins with information.

“Capture all appropriate data about your critical suppliers, and use this information to drive value for your organisation.  Using tools such as Porters Five Forces and PESTEL analysis as part of your market research, will allow you to assess and evaluate the external factors which may affect your industry and business operations.” says Kelly.

The data analysed, and the knowledge gained, forms the basis of your supplier performance management. “Ensure you have a scorecard in place to allow you measure supplier performance? What metrics do you use and are they aligned with what you are trying to achieve in your overall business strategy?”

“It is important that strategic suppliers work with you on risk management strategies,” she adds.

Those risk management plans should be based on four key elements – awareness, impact, mitigation, and contingency planning.

“Awareness is about understanding the probability and potential impact of the risk,” Kelly explains. “The goal of risk management is to recognise, reduce or mitigate the likelihood of risk. The objective is to identify procedures for managing all stages of risk, this includes, disruption – interruption, response, recovery and restoration of service.

She concludes by pointing out that doing nothing is not an option.  “Companies need to act now, investigate the opportunities in your data, identify your key supply partners and work together on problem resolution.  Treat key suppliers as an extension of the business and find out how you can support each other. Irish businesses are very good at working together in difficult times.  Government bodies such as Enterprise Ireland are a great resource for information on the various supports available to Irish businesses.  The companies I am currently working with are sharing information with their supply base and this is helping to ease supply chain problems.”

man applying for funds

Support when it’s needed most

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) has launched a range of supports for employers and people who have lost work and income in order to support them during the COVID-19 crisis. These include the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the Enhanced Illness Benefit Payment.

 

Pandemic Unemployment Support

The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is an emergency payment of €350 per week introduced by the Government in response to the numbers of people who have lost employment on foot of the pandemic. It is designed to quickly get thousands of people into payment.

According to the DEASP, all workers, including the self-employed, are eligible to apply for this emergency payment provided they are aged between 18 and 66 and have lost employment – or temporarily ceased trading if self-employed – due to the pandemic, and live in the Republic of Ireland.

To be eligible, workers must have been in employment or self-employment immediately before Friday 13 March and have been temporarily laid off from work, and are not in receipt of any employment income. For employees, their employer must not be in a position to retain them on the payroll.

 

Apply online for quick payment

The quickest and easiest way to apply for the emergency COVID-19 payment is to apply online at MyWelfare.ie All that is required is for the individual to have an email address, a bank account and a PPSN. Simply go onto the COVID-19 Services section of the website and apply for the payment. You will have to set up an account, but it is a simple and straightforward process.

The DEASP advises those with an adult dependent and one or more dependent children to apply for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and then apply Jobseeker’s Benefit instead, as this will pay more than the €350 available under the COVID-19 scheme.

 

Enhanced Illness Benefit Payment

The Enhanced Illness Benefit Payment is available to workers who have been told to self-isolate by a doctor or the HSE, or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 by a doctor. To be eligible for this payment, a person must be confined to their home or a medical facility. The rate for this payment is €350, as compared with the normal Illness Benefit rate of €203. It will be paid for a maximum of two weeks where a person is self-isolating and for a maximum of 10 weeks if a person has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

A doctor will complete a medical certificate on the person’s behalf and send it directly to the DEASP. Alternatively, where the person has been advised by the HSE to self-isolate, they will need to submit a copy of the HSE notification with their Illness Benefit application form.

Once again, the quickest and easiest way to apply for the payment is by applying online at MyWelfare.ie

 

Short Time Work Support

Another payment available to workers is Short Time Work Support. This is a form of Jobseeker’s Benefit for people temporarily placed on a shorter working week. The payment is made in respect of the person’s regular salary for the days that they are no longer working. For example, if their working week has been reduced from a five-day work pattern to three days, they can receive support for the other two days. Payment is proportionate to the €203 Jobseeker’s Benefit rate.

People can apply for Short Time Work Support by applying at their local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

 

Temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme

Operated by Revenue, the Temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme is an innovative initiative to support companies to retain employees and to re-employ employees who have been laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the terms of the scheme, employers will be refunded 70% of an employee’s wages – up to a level of €410 per week.

The subsidy scheme applies both to employers who top up employees’ wages and those who aren’t in a position to do so. Employers make the support payment to their employees through their normal payroll process and will then be reimbursed by Revenue within two working days of receipt of the payroll submission.

The scheme is available to employers from all sectors (excluding the public service and non-commercial semi-state sector) whose business activities are being adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To qualify for the scheme, employers must be experiencing significant negative economic disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic; be able to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of Revenue, a minimum of a 25% decline in turnover; be unable to pay normal wages and normal outgoings fully; and retain their employees on the payroll.

Revenue has made it clear that declarations made under the scheme are not declarations of insolvency.

Employers wishing to register for the scheme can apply to Revenue through ROS myEnquiries on the COVID-19: Temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy section.

Market Watch Industry Bulletin – Life Sciences

Download the bulletin here.

Enterprise Ireland life sciences companies are experiencing extraordinary market conditions, resulting in unpredictable demand, production shortages and bottlenecks, as well as fractured supply chains.

While these are certainly unprecedented and challenging times, there remain significant opportunities for clients within the global lifesciences market. Read the full report in our industry bulletin.

Industry Bulletin Construction

Market Watch Industry Bulletin – Construction

Construction Bulletin

Download the bulletin here.

Enterprise Ireland construction companies are experiencing unprecedented market disruption both domestically and across international markets.

In this first bulletin, we look at the movement of labour and materials, restrictions on access to sites, market supports and the projected implications of shutdown where this has occurred.

 

 

 

Market Watch Germany – Webinar – Covid-19 challenges and market sentiment

Market View Germany

Enterprise Ireland’s offices in Germany have launched a series of Webinars; Market Watch Germany, to help Irish companies exporting to Germany navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by Covid 19.

The first webinar on Friday April 3 looked at overall market sentiment and the German Government support package for companies facing acute difficulties in light of Covid-19. We were joined by market, legal and tax experts from Germany Trade & Invest, SHWP Tax & Law and MHL Law.

 

Marina Donohoe

Market Watch – A view from the UK, Central & Northern Europe

There is no doubt that COVID-19 is making its presence felt with businesses across the globe feeling its impact and Marina Donohoe, Regional Director, UK, Central and Northern Europe, says Enterprise Ireland clients in the region are no different.

 

Key Takeaways:

  • Great uncertainty on how deep the recession might be and its length makes it a particularly challenging time for Irish industry. 
  • Restriction of movement is causing further issues for Irish exporters.
  • Prepare for the upturn – invest in client and partner relationships to secure existing business and research potential new opportunities to emerge now and post the crisis.

 

“Restrictions on movement of people is impacting on clients’ ability to respond to customer and partner needs,” says Donohoe. “Market confidence and demand has been eroded, and deals are being lost while fund raising plans have been curtailed or stalled. There is great uncertainty on how deep the recession will be and how long it will last, and this makes for a particularly challenging time for Irish industry.

“Enterprise Ireland has eight offices across the region which are working closely with clients on a one-to-one basis to support them throughout this difficult period focusing on sustaining existing and securing new business where possible.” says Donohoe.

 

Strengthening partnerships

Donohoe says it’s vital for companies to stay connected by keeping abreast of what is going on, exploring the possibilities of virtual business and continuing to invest in client/partner relationships.

“It’s a time to listen and learn about the problems your clients are experiencing and how together you may find potential solutions which strengthen your partnership,” she says. “But also, it’s important to exercise caution when extending credit, especially when your business partners are relatively new, and you’re not familiar with their current liquidity position.

“So, I would encourage companies to actively research the marketing issues their clients are facing, seek out information on the current situation from trusted sources like the WHO or local government departments. And continue to invest in marketing because while industries globally are in crisis mode, they are still seeking solutions to trade so with heavy restrictions on travel, focus on virtual meetings and as a means of engaging prospective new customers.”

 

Global supports for business

While it is undoubtedly a difficult time in business, the regional director says there have been many supports put in place across UK, Central & Northern Europe and Russia.

“A variety of measures have been adopted by the British and other European governments,” she says. “Each country is offering a range of specific supports including loans, wage subsidies or guarantees and these may be relevant for Irish companies with a presence overseas. OECD provides a regularly updated Country Policy Tracker to help navigate the global policy response and provides information on travel, border crossings and general health advice.

 

Key sectors facing challenges

“Many sectors are severely impacted such as the tourism and hospitality trade, personal and professional services and certain areas of the financial and manufacturing sectors.

“Transport is also a major concern and although some countries (e.g. UK and Sweden) have not closed their borders, many others have created temporary regimes which are causing problems for road deliveries – logistics details can be found here.

With all these added complications, doing business can be difficult for Irish exporters and Enterprise Ireland is currently preparing sectoral market insights which will be shared with clients and updated weekly to provide view on market conditions, government supports etc.  Details on public sector contracts and offers can be seen on this platform and also on the GOV.UK site.

 

Opportunities for growth

Donohoe also says there are still opportunities for growth but in a few core sectors:

“The healthcare, pharma, digital services and medical device sectors are still experiencing growth and Enterprise Ireland has been fielding requests for solutions in this area,” she says. “Similarly, solution providers for retail, BPOs, food production and office solutions may also see some growth.” 

“As markets and sectors emerge from this crisis with expected fundamental shifts in consumer/business needs it is a time to also prepare for these changes. Ireland’s SMEs have demonstrated resilience and flexibility by adapting to Brexit challenges and a global recession so remaining agile will be an advantage”.

No-one knows when the crisis will be over, but Donohoe says it’s vital for Irish exporters to stay connected and prepare for the reopening of markets.

“Utilise all digital tools to deepen relationships and promote your business,” she advises. “Prepare for the upturn to secure existing business and research potential new opportunities to emerge now and post the crisis.

“Business and consumer demand will change so investment in research, new idea validation, competitor analysis and the development of strong market development plans will all position Enterprise Ireland clients for the next global economic growth cycle.  Enterprise Ireland’s executives across the 8 offices in UK, Central & Northern Europe are on hand to support you through this exceptionally difficult and unprecedented period.”

Marina Donohoe is Enterprise Ireland’s Regional Director for the UK, Central and Northern Europe. To learn more about the steps companies can take to address the impact of Covid-19 visit our business supports page.