Smarthomes is to create 100 new jobs over the next three years at its new Dundalk offices, backed by an investment of €10m.
The company caters to a growing demand for integrated technology in people’s houses, by providing cabling systems for new homes that can be centrally controlled from a single unit. This allows people to operate a range of technology-based services in their house or apartment, such as phones, broadband, computer networking, wall mounted plasmas and LCD screens, home cinema, digital and satellite TV, CCTV, multi-room audio and lighting.
Smarthomes said that the new jobs would be highly skilled roles, requiring staff with qualifications in electronics, technology, research, sales and marketing. The recruitment drive is expected to bring total employee numbers at the company to 150.
The company’s target market is largely builders and developers involved in the residential sector with new homes and apartments. In the Irish market 81,000 new units were completed in 2005 and projected growth is half a million units over the next ten years. In the UK around 150,000 new homes are set to be built next year and Smarthomes intends to set up a presence to serve the market there.
Sean Gallagher, co-founder and managing director of Smarthomes, said that the investment would help the company to double the current market for technology in new Irish housing developments, as well as helping its push into the UK market in 2007.
“We set up Smarthomes because people were investing heavily in new homes, many of which were only equipped with a single phone point in the hall,” Gallagher added. “Home buyers’ expectations have increased significantly since then and access to technology in new homes, is now seen as a standard feature and not a luxury.”
By Gordon Smith
