Yelo Ltd, the Carrickfergus-based technology company, has used Invest Northern Ireland trade missions to win new business in the US worth around £500,000.

The company specialises in the design and development of sophisticated automated test equipment for testing and measuring the performance of lasers, radar systems and electronic products.

The latest contracts are with high profile clients in San Francisco and San Jose and strengthen Yelo’s position in the US, the world’s biggest market for technology products and services.

Yelo’s customers are Tier 1 original equipment manufacturers of electronic and laser products for the growing broadband telecommunications industry, and radar systems for the aerospace industry.

Welcoming Yelo’s success, Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI Trade Director, said: “Yelo is operating successfully in a very important niche and has made good use of our trade missions and the help of our consultants based in the market to develop significant business in leading-edge technology centres such as California’s Silicon Valley.

“This position, in an immensely important market, is enabling this progressive and technology-led company to benefit from huge investment by businesses there in highly innovative systems that will help strengthen economic recovery in the US and worldwide.

“North America, principally the US, remains the most important market for Northern Ireland products and services beyond the United Kingdom and Ireland. Our missions there enable Northern Ireland companies to showcase their expertise to businesses there and to keep abreast of developments in the world’s biggest and most important new technology hub.

“Over the years, we’ve helped many smaller technology-focused companies to gain a foothold particularly in lucrative market niches,” added Dr Kell.

David Simms, Yelo’s Sales & Marketing Director, said: “The US is a crucially important marketplace for us because of its sharp focus on new technologies that need to be tested and measured. It is still the world technology leader and major exporter of high tech equipment. “We’ve identified exciting opportunities there and are keen to develop these as quickly as practicable.

“As a small company, we’ve benefited enormously from the advice and support that Invest NI provides especially in terms of trade missions and consultancy assistance in this important market. The US is a market in which we have to have a visible position and be able to visit existing and potential customers on a regular basis. Developing and maintaining a presence there demands significant resources.”