Foster announces new deal in the Netherlands for TotalMobile

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has announced that TotalMobile in Antrim has won new export business in the Netherlands.
~ Thursday, 2 February 2012

Minister Foster, speaking at the annual Northern Ireland – Netherlands Trade and Export Society dinner in Belfast, said TotalMobile has signed a deal with Aenova BV, a leading software company based in Delft.

The Minister said: “This is a significant export development for TotalMobile in the Netherlands and will further strengthen the strong and impressive business collaborations now developing between companies.

“This is another success from Invest NI’s excellent ‘Going Dutch’ initiative which has enabled many small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) here to access the Dutch market. This new partnership will enable TotalMobile, among our most successful export-led IT companies, to benefit from Aenova’s knowledge and contacts there and further afield.

“Going Dutch and the contacts that it has fostered through associated activities including the NI-NL Trade and Export Society have led to a 20% growth on our exports to the Netherlands. It has also helped Northern Ireland and Dutch companies to build mutually beneficial business relationships. Such successful trade initiatives will help us to achieve the 15% growth in exports set as one of the key targets in our draft Programme for Government.”

Colin Reid, TotalMobile Managing Director, commenting on the company’s latest export contract, said: “The agreement with Aenova is the outcome of research by us to identify a suitable partner in a market that we believe offers substantial potential for our specialist software for businesses and public sector bodies that use mobile technology. Our software helps industry, government, and their agencies, to streamline workflow, maximize productivity and reduce their operational costs.

“Aenova is an ideal fit for us because of the company’s vast experience in Time Resource Management software and its excellent customer base such as local government and Utilities, such as water companies. Aenova will integrate our software within its solutions and also market it as a standalone product and market it to existing and new customers. The partnerships will also allow us to target new opportunities in Healthcare.

“Invest NI’s Going Dutch programme was extremely important in terms of the advice and guidance about doing business in the Netherlands and in helping us to find the right partner there in our business sector,” he added,

Hans van der Last, Aenova Managing Director, said: “We are looking forward to working with TotalMobile, our new technology partner in Northern Ireland, to develop business throughout the Netherlands. The agreement enables us to extend our own portfolio and to offer existing and potential customers a wider software solution that will enable them to increase productivity and competitiveness.”

Notes to editors:

1. More than 100 business people from Northern Ireland and the Netherlands attended the dinner in the Great Hall at Queen’s University Belfast hosted by the Dutch Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Mr Pim Waldeck.
2. Among the 45 business people from the Netherlands was a delegation from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation.
3. NI-NL, organised by Northern Ireland Trade Consultants in Amsterdam with support from Ulster Bank, is a not for profit platform supporting partnerships in trade, enterprise and investment between the two countries. More than 250 companies participated in NI-NL events in 2011.
4. Invest NI, the Netherlands Embassy in London and Lisburn City Council are working together in researching and matchmaking business opportunities.
5. For press enquiries please contact DETI Press Office on tel: 028 9052 9604. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.