Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst officially opened the new head office of Icomera UK Ltd. on Friday 9 October. The event, at Victory House, was also attended by Medway Councillors and officers, South East Local Enterprise Partnership Director David Godfrey, and representatives from across the UK transport sector.
Kelly Tolhurst said: “It is a real pleasure to be here to mark the continued growth of Icomera in the UK, and I am delighted that this hi-tech and high-value business has chosen Chatham Maritime as the location for their new head office.
“The UK was one of the first countries in Europe to realise the potential benefits of Wi-Fi on public transport – not just for the passenger experience but also for the contribution it makes to increasing economic productivity. Last year the Government took the decision to allocate money from fines imposed on Network Rail for poor punctuality to the roll-out of a free Wi-Fi service – the first time that a fine has been used to reinvest in improvements for passengers. As the investment is rolled-out over the next three to four years, routes between Kent and London will be among the first to benefit. I have learned today about the exciting range of applications Icomera’s technology and services provide, and look forward to seeing more public transport users benefitting from this kind of technology. I am delighted that the decision to base their UK head office here means that our community will also continue to share in their success.”
Established in Gothenburg in 1999, Icomera is one of Sweden’s fastest growing technology companies, providing open Internet connectivity and application platforms for passenger transport and emergency vehicles. After opening their first UK office at the Kent Science Park in Sittingbourne in 2006, Icomera then moved to the Innovation Centre Medway in 2009. Rapid growth in recent years has seen the total number of staff increase to over 50, and the company anticipates continued substantial growth over the coming years.
Karl-Johan Holm, President and CEO of Icomera, said: “Eleven years ago we won our first UK contract to provide Wi-Fi on GNER, and it is nine years since we established our first UK office with five staff. Our successful growth has been in no small part due to the excellent support we have received here and I am delighted that the next phase of our growth will be based in Chatham Maritime. With a rapidly growing team of UK employees, we are investing heavily in the UK to serve the growing demands of passengers and transport operators for ever higher standards of mobile connectivity.
“Icomera has led the way in the installation of Wi-Fi in trains, buses, coaches, trams and ferries over the past decade. The UK was one of the first countries to recognise the value of this technology and is therefore a highly valued market for our products and services. We look forward to continuing our work with UK clients, playing a leading role in revolutionising the passenger experience, and improving operational efficiencies and public safety.”
A leading provider of Wi-Fi technology, Icomera’s award-winning products are deployed on rail, road and sea, serving millions of Wi-Fi users every week across the globe. UK customers include Arriva, First Group, Stagecoach, Northern Rail, Transport for Edinburgh, Cardiff City Council, Irish Rail and Virgin East Coast.
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