Enterprise Ireland, the Irish leading state economic development agency, has announced the opening of a new US office in Austin, Texas to add to existing offices in New York, Boston and Mountain View, California.

The scope of opportunity for Irish companies seeking to expand their exports to the Southern States of the USA is substantial, with the scale of individual Southern States the equivalent of developed economies. The economy of Texas is one of the largest and most rapidly growing economies in the United States and the 15th largest in the world based on GDP figures.

Speaking at the opening of the new office Gerry Murphy, Director North America for Enterprise Ireland, said, “The United States is one of Ireland’s most important trading partners and the largest single export market for Irish goods. Sustaining export growth there is essential for economic recovery and the retention and creation of valuable employment in Ireland. However, we need to widen both our sectoral and geographical focus in US to sustain this growth. Irish companies entering the US market traditionally focus on the East or West Coasts and may miss out on expanding opportunities elsewhere in USA.”

He added, “Many large US companies and foreign multinationals have been expanding their operations in the Southern region and there is a strong  match with Ireland’s supply capability including Computer technology and Communications equipment, Energy and Cleantech, Medical devices, Lifesciences, Engineering and Material Handling.”