Irish firms secure UK deals on Northern Powerhouse trade mission to Manchester

Four Irish businesses have announced deals in the UK during a Northern Powerhouse trade mission.

Among the announcements was healthcare recruitment company TTM Healthcare’s plans for a new office in the city.

The expansion is part of a three-year multi-million-euro investment for the Ennis-headquartered firm, which currently manages the placement of one in five nurses recruited from overseas by the NHS.

Another company, One Touch Health, struck a deal with Merseyside homecare provider Local Solutions. One Touch designs and delivers connected healthcare solutions for care management firms.

Led by Ireland’s Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, the two-day Enterprise Ireland visit to Manchester aimed to help Irish firms consolidate and sustain exports to the UK.

Elsewhere, Ireland-based Aphix Software, the B2B ecommerce and mobile ordering platform for wholesalers, announced a partnership with the North East’s Sage Group.

The fourth deal was between Irish tech company CitySwifter and Transport for Greater Manchester, Cisco and BT as part of the wider CityVerve initiative – a project to deliver a smarter, more connected Manchester.

Heather Humphreys TD said: “Trade missions play a critical role in promoting the capabilities of Irish companies internationally.

“Ireland’s long-standing trading relationship with the UK is important and the trade mission to Manchester this week is focused on supporting Irish companies to consolidate and grow their exports to the UK.”

She continued: “I welcome today’s new business and expansion announcements which reflect the continued and growing opportunities for Irish businesses throughout the UK and particularly in the Northern Powerhouse region.

“Throughout the mission, we are engaging with senior officials and decision makers to further strengthen ties between Ireland and the region.”