Bangor graduate relocates his business back to city
ABANGOR University graduate who is “passionate about the region” now aims to create high-skilled jobs in the city after relocating the head office of his business.
Smart Storm, run by founder and managing director John Duffy, is investing at the new HQ in north Wales to develop the wastewater instrumentation side of the business.
The firm – which was set up in Halifax, Yorkshire – hopes to create 25 jobs at the offices at Parc Menai.
A spokesman said: “We have secured new funds from Sunnybarn Investments and the Development Bank of Wales to support ambitious plans for growth and the expansion of our instrumentation and research and development divisions in Bangor.
“Dr Duffy, the company founder and managing director, is a Bangor University graduate and he has always had a goal to bring his company to north Wales.
“Dr Duffy is passionate about the region and contributing to the north Wales economy, creating high-quality jobs and developing research programmes with Bangor University. Already, Smart Storm has established a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with the electronics department at the university.
“Our innovative measurement and control technologies, available for use in the water and wastewater industries, will be developed, designed and built in Wales, where we expect to create 25 highly skilled jobs at our headquarters in Bangor.”
The move was supported by the inward investment consultant for Gwynedd Council, Brian Rees Jones, who they said had “been a great help”.
Phil Buck, chairman of Sunnybarn Investments Ltd, who has joined the board of Smart Storm, said “We are delighted to become shareholders in Smart Storm Ltd.
“They have some of the most innovative measurement and control technologies available for use in the water and wastewater industries.
“Developed, designed and built in Wales, where we expect to create 25 highly skilled jobs at our headquarters in Bangor, we look forward to supporting Dr John Duffy and his team to build a strong and successful export-led business.”
Smart Storm has partnered with Photonic Measurements of Northern Ireland to design and develop the UV254 Smart Meter, which incorporates advanced sensor technology. The sensor is able to detect the organic species found in water and wastewater, in particular the organic material that can cause the most harm.
Smart Storm has sold its first system to the Ho Chi Minh City government’s division of hydrometeorology and climate change in Vietnam.