NEWS IN BRIEF
Daily Digest 6 July
06-07-2009
by Emmet Ryan
Pfizer invest EUR11m in Cork plant | Eircom in data centre deal with HSE
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is to invest over EUR11 million in the establishment of a research and development (R&D) facility in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork. The Kilo Technology Laboratory was announced by the Tanaiste Mary Coughlan and is being supported by IDA Ireland. The new laboratory will be a dedicated R&D facility within the existing Process Development Centre at the site and will research, develop and create new manufacturing technology for Pfizer.
Eircom and the Health Service Executive (HSE) have announced the establishment of Ireland's National Health Data Centre at the Eircom managed services data centre in Clonshaugh. Eircom was awarded the EUR2 million HSE contract following a tender process. The National Health Data Centre at Clonshaugh will house all key systems for HSE hospitals and health service offices nationwide, including hospital clinical applications, administrative and e-mail systems. The centre will also be home to the central data repository for the HSE's upcoming national medical imaging project.
Construction company John Sisk and Son has installed AccessMyLan from O2. The service will provide Sisk's workforce with secure remote access to desktop and internal business applications while they are out of the office. The construction firm has also signed up to O2's mobile broadband service giving employees the ability to access the internet in the office, from home, or on the road using a portable USB modem. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Waste management firm Greenstar has installed a new mobile system from technology firm Heavey RF that provides instant information to customers, and eliminates paperwork for staff in 100 vehicles across eight sites nationwide. The new handheld mobile system, developed under a deal worth EUR200,000, means that Greenstar's customers have access to real time information on the waste services available to them. The system also helps Greenstar staff save hours of administration time per day in docket management due to a reduction in paperwork. The firm said productivity, efficiency and customer service have all been improved with the new system. Financial details of the agreement were not revealed.
Irish web content management firm TerminalFour has completed its first Canadian web content management system with Selkirk College in British Columbia. The new system will play a fundamental role in the development of the college's national and international marketing and enrolment strategy. Selkirk College is home to 3,000 students in six communities throughout South East British Columbia. This new system is part of TerminalFour's strategy to target the North American market. Financial details of the deal were not reported.
Security firm ESET has warned that the Waledac botnet has been activated and it is now sending spam promoting videos of US Independence Day, which took place on Saturday, 4 July. The perpetrators of the malware program are using multiple web pages with titles like 'Fourth of July Fireworks Shows'. Users wishing to view the video are asked to click an image that returns an executable and to then click Run. This action then infects the user with the Waledac malware. ESET has warned users to be wary of e-mails that appear related to topical events like 4 July celebrations or the recent spate of celebrity deaths.
Galway-based medical devices firm Crospon has completed the first shipment of its flagship gastroenterology product, EndoFLIP, to the European market. Following the announcement of a worldwide distribution deal in May with Dutch company, Medical Measurement Systems, Crospon has completed its start-up activities for EndoFLIP and has now gone into commercial production.
Irish-owned cloud computing firm Saaspoint has announced that it has sold its cloud computing applications or products to over 40 companies globally this year. The products are being used across three continents in countries including the US, Canada, Brazil, Australia, UK, Germany and Ireland.
Limerick-based mobile software firm Tango Telecom has partnered with Comarch, a global business software firm, to secure a deal in the Dutch market. Dutch mobile operator 6GMobile will deploy the firms' convergent billing solution.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 