News

June 2005
Listowel Business Development Centre - A critical piece of business infrastructure for North Kerry

The new Shannon Development constructed Listowel Business Centre was officially opened today (Monday, June 27, 2004) by Cllr. Ned O’Sullivan, Mayor of Kerry.

The 10,500 sq. ft. building, located on a 2-acres site at Clieveragh, involved an investment of €1.7 million, funded from Shannon Development’s own resources. The building, which was completed on schedule, will provide a range of lettable units over two storeys.

The six units on the ground floor, ranging in size from 220 sq. ft. to 550 sq. ft, provide accommodation for start-ups or smaller indigenous companies while the first floor, with units varying in size from 500 sq. ft. to 2,170 sq. ft., can be configured to accommodate a larger mobile indigenous or overseas project.

Two indigenous start-ups have already been attracted to the Business Development Centre. Glasnua Ltd. - a telecoms company set up by a Kerry-born promoter Tom Walsh and his business partner, Patricia Mc Grath, who have returned from the Netherlands - is already in situ.

The second company - Payback Software - a software development and Support Company providing quality payroll software to leading Irish companies will relocate from Dublin in the coming weeks. The promoters – brothers Eamon and John Honan, have Kerry connections through their parents.

Opening the new building, Councillor Ned O’Sullivan, Mayor Kerry said: “This new Business Development Centre is a critical piece of business infrastructure for Listowel. It gives us the wherewithal to cater for high potential start ups and larger technology-driven businesses, which up to now was not feasible due to lack of suitable accommodation. It is a great honour for me, a Listowel native and Mayor of Kerry, to declare the Centre open for business.”

Mr. Kevin Thompstone, chief executive, Shannon Development said: “Our rationale for developing Listowel Business Centre was to give the area the quality office-type accommodation which is necessary to attract and accommodate the newer type of high potential start-up company.

“These companies require flexible accommodation, equipped with modern telecoms infrastructure, including broadband access. We now have a building in Listowel capable of attracting this type of investment,” said Mr. Thompstone.

To encourage entrepreneurial activity in Listowel, Shannon Development recently held its VentureStart 1 programme – an introduction to entrepreneurship - in the new Centre and was encouraged by the attendance level.

“We hope that some of the participants on this programme will set up in the building in the near future,” said Mr. Thompstone.

In addition to the physical development, a range of soft supports – advice and support - and business development programmes will be available through the Centre. This will help to stimulate an enterprise culture and generate a pipeline of new indigenous start-ups in the Listowel area.

“There is a great tradition of indigenous enterprise in the Listowel area,” said Mr. Thompstone. “The Kerry Group and Spectra are fine examples of what can be achieved by an indigenous company at a local level. And the fact that Stockbyte has been short listed for an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award is also notable. Having a facility such as Listowel Business Development Centre will enable us produce more home-grown winners in business in the future,” he concluded.

The project design team for Listowel Business Development Centre comprised: Paul O’Dowd & Associates (Project Managers and Structural/Civil Engineering); Chris Dennehy (Architect); JODA (Services Engineer); Richard Walsh & Associates (Quantity Surveyor) and Project Management (Client Liaison). Electrical and mechanical services were provided by Listowel-based Mc Carthy O’Sullivan and John O’Sullivan respectively. The main contractor was Kerlim Construction.

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