Minister Bruton addressing a group in Austin, Texas.

In March the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, led 40 Irish companies on an Enterprise Ireland trade mission to Texas. Over the course of the four-day programme, the Minister attended over 20 trade events and meetings in Houston, Dallas and Austin, and held meetings with multinational companies already investing or considering investing in Ireland.

Over the last decade the State of Texas has become the USA’s second-largest economy – displacing New York and challenging California. It is now the 15th largest economy in the world, roughly the same size as Spain, with a high concentration of telecoms, banking, social media, electronics, cleantech, medical device, and network and web companies. As the largest exporter of goods in the United States, Texas currently grosses more than $100 billion a year in trade with other nations. Texas is home to six of the top 50 companies on the Fortune 500 list and has 58 overall. In addition to global players in the Oil & Gas sector, these include AT & T, Dell, Texas Instruments, Sysco, Whole Foods, Fluor, Kimberly Clark, Southwest Airlines and JC Penney.

Economic shifts towards southern US states offer significant opportunities for Irish companies seeking to expand their presence in the US, or grow exports to new markets.

Enterprise Ireland CEO Frank Ryan, who accompanied Minister Bruton on the trade mission, said: ‘This is a timely and exciting opportunity for Irish companies seeking to export to the US. Texas has an economy that is the second largest in the US and the 15th largest in the world. The economic boom being experienced in Texas and the Southern States provides an opportunity for Irish companies to forge partnerships where there is a clear win-win for both sides. Enterprise Ireland will continue to work with our client companies to ensure further business successes will result from the trade mission – helping to sustain and create employment in Ireland’.

Companies travelling on the trade mission included high-growth start-ups with fewer than 10 employees to more established Irish companies employing hundreds of people, in sectors including ICT, high-tech manufacturing, education and training, and financial services.

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