Investment boost for County Down

A German company specialising in the testing of computer software is investing more than £500,000 to set up a testing and development operation in County Down.

Isardata Software Quality Engineering, which will eventually employ about 15 people, said it was establishing a base in Northern Ireland in order to meet a growing demand for its services in Europe.

The operation in Downpatrick would also provide a base for expansion into the UK, said the company.

The local MP, the SDLP's Eddie McGrady, said despite the fact the company was providing relatively few jobs, he was nevertheless delighted by the news.

It is the second overseas company to locate in the Down Business Park this year.

The other is the Korean electronics firm Advanced Digital Technology (ADT), which moved there in February.

The company makes digital set-top boxes for the European market.

ADT of Seoul currently supplies a number of leading manufacturers with the set-top boxes, as well as providing its own brand to customers.

The company was the first to combine set top boxes with DVD technology.