Exciting expansion plans are underway at Episcan with the company hoping to substantially increase its workforce and increase its market share in Europe.
The company, which is based at IT Sligo’s Innovation Centre, also plans to start exporting into the US this year and its global workforce will increase from four to 12 by 2017.
“We hope to be in a position to be exporting systems to the US in 2016 and ultimately have a foot print there also,” says CEO Noel Dolan.
Episcan was set up in September 2012 and moved into the Innovation Centre in February last year. Its state-of-the-art scanning technology eliminates the risk of labels with incorrect data reaching the market place.
“We do this by using high-resolution cameras which are supported by intelligent software,” explains Noel. “Productivity is increased, waste is reduced and product re-calls are eliminated.”
Technology is the core of Episcan’s business. Once the camera takes an image, this data is processed through a controller and all data is cross-correlated against the product master.
Episcan’s systems check 100 per cent of the data 100 per cent of time – at printed speeds up to 400 feet per minute.
“If there is a difference, no matter how small, even a missing decimal point this is highlighted on the VDU as a fail and the process operator is alerted,” says Noel. “The difference in a pharmaceutical dosage of 2.5mgs and 25mgs could result in a fatal outcome for the patient,” says Noel.
Noel’s background is in the Medical Labeling sector and previously worked at Amcor Flexibles in Sligo.
He says that the Innovation Centre has provided Episcan with a window to collaborate with other companies based here.
“We are also investigating working with some departments in the IT to develop and enhance software solutions which will be part of Episcan’s technology roadmap.”
Episcan has partners in Canada, the UK and Germany and is currently engaged with a blue chip company in Taiwan, with which Episcan will be co-developing technology to be used in mobile devices such as smart phones and iPads.
For more information, visit episcan.ie.
Photo caption:
Episcan CEO Noel Dolan with An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny.