£1m boost from China for Carrick firm

Details were announced on Tuesday by First Minister Peter D Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at the start of their trade mission in Shanghai.

The First Minister said: “The success of Yelo in winning business worth £1million in China strengthens our conviction that our companies, both large and small, have the leading-edge technology and expertise that China requires.”

The deputy First Minister added: “Yelo’s increase in orders in China underlines the growth potential in this vast marketplace. We want to grow and strengthen our economy by opening up new markets for business and explore new opportunities through investment in science, research and technology. We share a commitment with China to invest in our young people and encourage education exchanges by collaborating with universities right across China.”

Yelo designs and manufactures automated test equipment for the electronics market. As market leader, it distributes products in North America, Europe and Asia, and customers include Fortune 500 corporations, universities and research establishments.

David Simms, the firm’s Sales and Marketing director, said: “Three new clients in China, based in Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai have purchased highly innovative temperature-controlled laser diode systems for testing broadband and data storage equipment widely used in telecommunications and materials processing.

“Our technology enables laser manufacturers and their clients to determine the lifetime of a laser and also to prevent early failure in the field.

“They commissioned us to develop very reliable test systems within a very short lead time. We achieved this by quickly customising our main product to suit the widest range of lasers. Invest NI helped us to take part in two major trade shows in China, which produced contacts that led directly to the new business.

“Furthermore, Invest NI assistance has helped us to quickly become a market leader in both high and low power laser test systems. In fact, we can lay claim to having worked with more laser types than any other company worldwide.”