Combilift signs €1m contract during French trade visit

Seven Enterprise Ireland client companies agree deals with French organisations

Employees at Combilift’s facility in Co Monaghan: the firm is to deliver 50 Aisle-Master forklifts to Kingfisher later this year

Monaghan-based Combilift has signed a €1 million contract with Europe's largest home improvement retailer Kingfisher during a trade visit to France.

The company is one of seven Enterprise Ireland client companies to sign agreements with French firms during the trade mission, led by Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar.

Under the deal with Kingfisher, Combilift, a manufacturer of multi-directional forklifts, is to deliver 50 Aisle-Master forklifts to the company later this year.

Dublin-based start-up Novaerus, which has developed an infectious defence system for indoor facilities, has agreed a deal with Azelies that will see its equipment deployed in healthcare facilities in France.

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Solutions

Separately, waterless car-wash company Ecowash has agreed a new contract with Transpoco, a provider of fleet management solutions, while Ding, the mobile phone top-up network has announced a deal with money transfer firm Sigue France, a leading global money transfer company.

Irish renewable energy group Gaelectric is set to sign a memorandum of understanding with French offshore wind company Ideol on Friday to develop floating offshore wind energy projects in Irish waters.

Also agreeing new contracts are Vigitrust and Xintec.

Important initiative

“This trade visit is an important initiative towards achieving Enterprise Ireland’s strategic goal of increasing indigenous Irish exports to France which were valued at €91 million in 2015,” said Leo McAdams, Enterprise Ireland’s director of international sales and partnering.

“Post Brexit, France is a critically important market and Enterprise Ireland continues to support Irish companies with global ambition to exploit business development opportunities in the French market to sustain export growth in 2017,” he added.

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor is a former Irish Times business journalist