Strategic partnerships to boost Mallusk-based company

Mallusk-based Arca Technologies, a specialist in telecommunications test and simulation equipment, is aiming to increase its global business through strategic partnerships in the US and Europe.

With help from Invest Northern Ireland, Arca is investing in its marketing and product development capabilities through alliances with the US Teltone Corporation and Seba Services in Belgium, companies also specialising in systems used to test telecommunications networks.

The partnership will extend Arca’s marketing reach, enhance its product portfolio and form a key part of a new business strategy being implemented by the company to expand sales in the US and European markets.

Aubrey Sayers, Arca Technologies' Managing Director, said: "These alliances will bring tangible business benefits to all three companies. For Arca, it enables us to offer greater choice to our international customer base and ensures that our customers worldwide continue to receive high quality of service and support.

“We had been seeking to expand our products and services and thereby increase sales in key target markets such as the US and Europe. To achieve this, we approached the Invest NI for advice last year and were helped to pinpoint potential partners.

“This service was extremely worthwhile and enabled us to find partners quicker than would have been possible if we had had to do this ourselves.”

Teltone, which designs, develops and markets telecommunications solutions for business, government and other organisations in the US, will rebrand Arca’s products for the US market and the Northern Ireland company will provide the same service to its new US partner in Europe and further afield.

Debra Griffin, Teltone’s President and CEO, said Arca Technologies was a respected name in the international test market and that the partnership promised to generate significant revenue opportunities for both parties.

Seba, an R&D-led company, has developed a new digital system for testing telecoms cabling, which Arca will now manufacture and market.

Serge Timmerman, Seba’s technical director, said the partnership is helping the company in commercialising its research.

Welcoming the partnerships, Tracy Meharg, Invest NI’s Managing Director of Innovation and Capability Development Services, said: “We’ve helped Arca to stretch both its market and technology reach through a range of expert services available under our Business Solutions framework. Partnerships provide an excellent route for our companies to increase access to global markets.”

(SP)