High tech security firm Netwatch set to double its Newry workforce

The new, high value jobs are part of an £18 million investment to grow the business globally and will bring total employee figures to 250.

The Carlow-based company, which also has offices in Cambridge, Boston and New York, deploys the most advanced video processing technologies to proactively monitor and protect its clients’ assets.

“We are delighted to announce this expansion of our Newry base as a result of securing a number of high profile contracts from public utilities to blue chip organisations including Enva, Northern Ireland Electricity and Norbrook Laboratories since we launched here back in February,” said european sales director Paddy Finnegan.

“Our focus for Q4 of 2016 and into 2017 is to grow our Northern Ireland business by 30% and, to support that ambitious target, we’re now actively recruiting talent in areas such as software and hardware engineering, marketing and sales.

“We’re a highly innovative company with technology at the heart of everything we do so throughout the recession we focused on research and development and expanding the business internationally.

“We see this £18m investment and employee expansion announcement as validation of that decision. It lays the ground work for the next two years of growth and development. There’s a lot of untapped potential in the US which we will now be able to fully take advantage of.”

In a move to further strengthen their position in the province, the firm has formed a strategic partnership with Ireland’s largest indigenous foodservice and business support solutions provider, Mount Charles.

MD Cathal Geoghegan said he was confident the new partnership would deliver added value across its client base.

“Businesses are increasingly looking for ‘bundled’ service contracts. We already deliver catering, cleaning, retail and vending contracts to a vast range of public and private sector clients across Ireland.

“The one thing we have not been able to offer, until now, was a bespoke, state of the art security solution.

“Combining our experience allows us to create a truly innovative offering and increase our influence in a very competitive market.”

Mr Finnegan added: “Our companies’ strategic vision and cultural fit are perfectly aligned with a similar ethos of integrity and excellence.

“This partnership will be a springboard for Netwatch in Northern Ireland, allowing us to leverage Mount Charles’ enormous experience and insights in the local market whilst giving Mount Charles’ clients the benefit of the Netwatch service.”