An overview of the week in deals in the Irish and global technology sector.
Oracle to acquire GoAhead Software
Business software and hardware systems company Oracle has agreed to acquire GoAhead Software, a company that offers package service availability software for the communications industry. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“The addition of GoAhead technology will help us deliver a comprehensive, standards-based, carrier-grade platform that supports the delivery of new services in the call path of the network,” said Nigel Ball, vice-president, Oracle Communications Industry Solutions.
GoAhead, a privately held company based in Bellevue Washington, will continue to operate independently, as will Oracle, until the deal closes. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close before the end of 2011.
Chemical group BASF chooses BT as networking partner
Communications services company BT has secured a seven-year, €200m contract with chemical company BASF to interconnect about 900 BASF sites in more than 80 countries.
BT will also provide IP telephony and local network services (managed LAN services) at 300 sites in North and South America, as well as in Asia. BT will also network the sites of BASF-acquired chemical company Ciba.
A high-performance secure network is a priority for BASF, because employees around the world need to communicate and access business-critical IT applications over the network.
Heavey RF wins €100,000 IT deal with Johnston Logistics
Transport firm Johnston Logistics has signed a €100,000 contract with radio frequency specialist Heavey RF to install rugged mobile computers in its warehouse and second generation of wide area network computers across its transport fleet.
The haulier said the new technology will enable it to provide instant information to customers and eliminate paperwork across its entire business.
i360medical in strategic deal with top US research institutes
Ireland’s i360medical, formerly the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – Center for Innovation in Surgical Technology (RCSI-CIST), is about to sign a memo of understanding (MOU) with three premier US universities and one major US innovation hub.
The announcement came as part of this week’s Enterprise Ireland trade mission to the southern United States led by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, TD.
The new partner institutions include Duke University, the University of Miami, the University of North Carolina and Synecor.
“Collectively, these three universities and Synecor innovation hub house today’s scientific thought leaders and their research labs have produced some of the world’s most enduring surgical technologies,” said Derek Young, head of i360medical.
“It’s exciting to join forces with them as we jointly identify and develop a life-cycle plan for the breakthrough technologies of tomorrow.”
i360medical drives healthcare device innovation by catalysing collaborations throughout the life-science ecosystem to bring promising products from concept to global markets.
NHS contracts Cork start-up Radisens Diagnostics
Cork-based medical diagnostics start-up Radisens Diagnostics has been contracted by the National Health Service (NHS) East of England to integrate a kidney test into its chronic care assay panel for long-term disease management.
Radisens Diagnostics has the only point-of-care platform to integrate immunoassay, biochemistry and haematology tests onto a single mini-disc panel, to diagnose and monitor patients for multiple chronic and acute care conditions.
This project targets the integration of a creatinine (kidney) test onto Radisens’ lon-term chronic care panel. Using a finger prick of blood applied to the panel, the Radisens diagnostic device returns results within minutes.
Dublin Airport Authority gives Vayu €2.5m gas contract
Irish energy company Vayu has won the tender to supply gas to Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) in a contract worth about €2.5m for the next 12 months. Vayu will now supply energy to the DAA airports at Cork, Shannon and Dublin.
According to the DAA’s head of Purchasing, Paddy McMenamin, Vayu was selected following a rigorous tender process.
“Maintaining cost competitiveness is hugely important to the DAA as our airport charges are amongst the lowest in Europe. Operating efficient and low low-cost airports is a key goal for the company. This deal with Vayu is an important step in efficiently managing our cost base.”
Vayu’s sales manager Karl Phelan welcomed the deal and the opportunity to work with a company at the core of the Irish economy.
Stay informed – get daily updates on the latest happenings in technology directly to your inbox.
