Holfield buys former IFI site for over €5m

In Short: Holfeld Plastics has bought the former IFI site in Arklow for a sum believed to be in excess of €5 million.

A spokesman for the liquidator of IFI confirmed contracts were signed and that the deal is expected to close in May. It is understood that Holfeld, one of Europe's leading plastic extrusion companies, will move its Irish operation to the 150-acre site.

Local sources said the move could see employment at the company grow to around 300 from the 140 people currently employed at its Kilmacanogue, Co Wicklow, base.

SkillSoft stock up 4.2% over results

Shares in SkillSoft rose almost 5 per cent yesterday after it published better-than-expected results.

SkillSoft, which acquired the Irish software firm SmartForce in 2002, reported a quarterly loss of $9.5 million (€7.34 million), or 9 cents per share, down from $25.6 million, or 25 cents, a year earlier.

Sales were $56.4 million, up from $54.8 million, the company said. SkillSoft shares were up 4.2 per cent higher at $3.42 as the Irish market closed last night.

Intel sales rise by 15% in year to date

Intel, the world's biggest chipmaker, is enjoying "reasonable growth" so far this year as demand for its Centrino chips for laptop computers remains strong, the company's chief executive said yesterday.

Craig Barrett said Intel's forecast of sales of between $9.2 billion (€7.1 billion) and $9.4 billion for the quarter to the end of March - an increase of some 15 per cent over the year-ago period - outpaced a flattish sector. - (Reuters)

EC calls for cap on leased line prices

EU states should cap the price which phone lines are leased to broadband access providers, the European Commission said yesterday.

The commission made the recommendation after compiling figures that show some countries' customers paid up to seven times more than others.

In the Republic, service providers like Smart Telecom and Esat BT mostly rely on Eircom to connect their clients to their networks.

Hollinger sues Black for C$636m

Hollinger has sued majority owner and former chief executive Conrad Black, his companies and allies for more than C$636 million (€404 million).

The suit comes after Canada's securities regulator quashed Mr Black's attempt to buy the 22 per cent of Hollinger he doesn't already control. - (Reuters)

KPMG to work on electricity project

KPMG have been asked by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) to examine the possibility of building an east-west electricity interconnector with Britain.

The consultants will work with several groups and experts on the project.