As the result of the US election came through, it was clear to those in the know that shares in US construction companies would be one of the key winners.

The market quickly banked the promises Donald Trump had made to spend trillions on infrastructure if he came to office, and stocks in construction and engineering companies saw significant growth.

However, even before the election, construction spending for the year to date was a mighty $1.15 trillion.         

Irish companies are already winning business in this sector with a variety of products and services such as glazing systems, insulation, electrical systems, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning).

Construction technology, including project management software and Building Information Modelling capability, are also growing in demand. For example, software from Initiafy is being used by several large construction firms here.

Linesight (formerly Bruce Shaw), is involved in projects such as the build of Primark stores in over 20 states from their New York and San Francisco offices, and Irish players including Kingspan and Dortek are also gaining traction here.

US construction projects that should appeal to Irish companies include data centres; retail and commercial developments, healthcare, pharma and life sciences facilities.

Companies considering the US market should first do careful research because each of the 50 states offer different opportunities. For instance, construction methods differ hugely from the warm south to the chilly north.

Further, sustainable building methods are seeing real growth across the US, as design and construction firms are under pressure through building codes and regulations to deliver projects that meet green principles. Some state and local governments offer financial incentives, grants and tax exemptions for developments that achieve these standards.

Owners and developers are also becoming more aware of the benefits of green buildings in terms of better environment, comfort and significant cost-saving over the lifetime of a building.

The key challenge, however, is that buyers will ask about reference sites in the US or even in their own state, so securing those first few projects is difficult but essential.

Regulations can be another sticking point. Building and construction codes can vary from state to state; and it is important to note that architects and engineers expect drawings and product details to use imperial measurements.

Naturally, Irish companies will face local competitors but this can pose a problem that goes beyond price.

Construction professionals can be reluctant to use products or services from companies they are not familiar with or those without US reference sites. Therefore, having a local presence in the market is important for building relationships and trust with local buyers.

Marketing materials such as website and brochures should be adapted for the US market and show relevant project examples. Buyers are mostly interested in knowing what projects you have worked on, not only in the US but in their state or city.

A very strong positive for Irish companies is that US construction professionals acknowledge that design and construction standards in Europe can be far more advanced in terms of sustainable practices and innovation.

It is also recognised that Irish companies often deliver competitive lead times, which can be crucial for fast-paced construction environments like New York city.

Furthermore, the strong relationship between Ireland and US is acknowledged with many construction professionals in the US proudly claiming Irish heritage. Just recently, the year of Irish Design initiative hosted two events in the cities of Chicago and New York entitled, ‘We Built this City’, which explored the influence that the Irish have had in shaping the cities’ built environment.

Even today in New York city there are networking groups that bring Irish-American construction professionals together to build and strengthen important business relationships and keep the link with Ireland going.

Recent developments suggest those networks may soon be getting a lot bigger.

Caroline Donnelly is Enterprise Ireland Market Advisor for construction in the USA

Kevin Kelleher, from UL spin-out Ostoform, is pictured after receiving the “One to Watch Award” for an outstanding pitch at Enterprise Ireland's Big Ideas 2016 at the Helix, Dublin. Ostoform has developed a medical device to manage skin complications suffered by ileostomy patients and was selected from eight investor-ready start-up companies who pitched their new innovations to investors at Enterprise Ireland's annual Big Ideas event.

The award was presented by Middle East-based Irish entrepreneur Paul Kenny who was the keynote speaker at the event.

The other start-up companies making their pitch at Big Ideas 2016 included:

• Dr Brendan Boland, AltSurgical – an implant for arthritis sufferers that mimics the natural motions of the joint
• Stephen Collins, Tip Tap Tap – interactive school desks which allow a fairer opportunity for students to interact simultaneously
• Breandán Kennedy, Phision Therapeutics – developing drugs to treat blindness associated with diabetes and aging
• Chiara Leva, TOSCA – bespoke risk management solutions for high-risk industries, eg aviation
• Andrew McCareen, DATAS – web services which centralise multiple date feeds, enabling clients to develop insights about their business KPIs.
• David Molloy, Guru Developments – cloud-based software which simplifies the academic exam process
• Brian Noonan, Cala Medical – extracorporeal cassette-based prototype for the treatment of sepsis.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan TD is today (Wednesday 30th November) leading an Enterprise Ireland Trade Visit to Lyon focussed on the high potential Cleantech sector. There he will lend his support to the seven Enterprise Ireland clients participating at Pollutec, one of the world’s largest cleantech exhibitions.

The objective of the Minister’s visit is to raise the profile of Ireland’s cleantech capabilities amongst key buyers in France and particular in the Rhône-Alpes Auvergne Region.

Minister Flanagan’s visit to Pollutec and his participation in the Enterprise Ireland networking event will boost the work of these seven Irish suppliers to make new high-level French business contacts in the biomass, renewables and cleantech sectors.

Grant Engineering, Offaly; Galu, Kildare; Airsynergy, Longford; Greentech Biofuels, Kildare; FLI Group, Waterford; Ecocem Ireland, Dublin and Tricel, Kerry will be present in Lyon.

This trade visit is part of the Enterprise Ireland France strategy to develop business in the French Regions for Irish companies in addition to the broader Enterprise Ireland drive to increase the export market penetration and diversification of Irish companies post-Brexit.

In 2015, Enterprise Ireland clients generated  €0.914Bn  in exports to France.

Ash Technologies and Merlyn Industries were named as winners of the Innovation 4 Growth (I4G) Most Innovative Company Award in a ceremony hosted in Clontarf Castle last week.

The Enterprise Ireland Innovation 4 Growth programme which encompasses innovative management teams across all sectors is run in partnership with the Irish Management Institute.

Innovation 4 Growth is a unique programme specifically designed to meet the needs of ambitious and entrepreneurial Irish companies seeking to use innovation as a way to unlock opportunities in the marketplace. A team of five judges – three from Deloitte and two from Enterprise Ireland – chose the two winners and runners up of the Most Innovative Company award sponsored by Deloitte, which honours achievements from two separate phases of the programme.

The winner of Most Innovative Company award from the first phase of the programme (I4G1) was Ash Technologies Ltd. from Kildare. The company was selected by the judges due to their success in moving their business from low vision systems to digital inspection solutions and exporting over 90% of their products. They have had 25% increase in employment levels. The winner of the distinction award for I4G1 was Dawn Meats.

Chosen as winner of Most Innovative Company from I4G2 was Merlyn Industries from Kilkenny. The I4G programme has provided Merlyn with the structure required to deliver innovation in end to end customer experience. They were honoured for having engaged in value mapping exercises with partners in their key channels. The winner of the distinction award in this phase was Mullingar business Trend Technologies.

The Most Innovative Company award winners each win a session at a Deloitte Greenhouse to support their innovation plans. Deloitte Greenhouses are cutting-edge physical spaces located around the world designed to help clients tackle their complex problems. 

Shane Mohan, Partner, Consulting commented, “At Deloitte, innovation is the heart of what we do – we are constantly pushing ourselves to deliver transformative solutions to our clients. We recognise the importance of innovation for businesses and we are delighted to see these companies rewarded for their own innovation. In addition to the recognition these awards bring, we believe that the winners sessions with us at Deloitte Greenhouse will be valuable as we seek to create a process where ideas will grow, innovation will happen, and business will grow.”

Congratulating the participants and four category winners, Niall O’Donnellan, Head of Strategy, People and Regions, Enterprise Ireland said: “The Innovation 4 Growth programme has offered all 30 participant companies a unique opportunity to enhance the impact of innovation on their business growth and performance and, furthermore, has enhanced their ability to scale. Building innovation capability is a core element of Enterprise Ireland’s strategy and our aim is to assist companies with global ambition to innovate successfully. We do this by providing support via Innovation and Research and Development funding, facilitating access to third-level research, and building innovation capability through programmes such as Innovation 4 Growth. Enterprise Ireland will continue to support companies research and operationalise innovation initiatives through Innovation and R&D funding, enhancing their ability to develop new products, services and processes”.

Also speaking at the ceremony Dr. Simon Boucher, Chief Executive of the Irish Management Institute, said: “This ceremony is an important milestone for the companies which are participating in the Innovation 4 Growth programme in the IMI. While tonight’s finale marks the end of this programme, it is only the beginning of the inspirational innovation journeys these companies have embarked on.”