Keeping a good reputation Intact

18 January 2009  By Cheryl Rickard

Paul Marry

Company: Intact Software

Position: co-founder and chief executive

Location: Dundalk and Cork



Entrepreneur Paul Marry has big plans for his company, Intact Software, in 2009. His ‘to do’ list for the next 12 months includes a move to new headquarters, hiring new staff and a rebranding campaign worth more than €100,000.The company hopes to record a 10 per cent rise in revenues this year to €3.3 million.

A n accountant by trade, Marry founded Intact in 1993 with software developer Aidan Lawless. Marry had worked in accountancy for seven years before moving to London where he worked for Orchard Software, which developed systems for accountants.

‘‘My seven years in accountancy gave me a very good insight into the dealings of business across a wide variety of industries," he said. Two years after joining Orchard, Marry met Lawless, who had just graduated in software development.

They decided to pool their knowledge and have a go at providing software to small and medium sized businesses. They were initially supporting Orchard’s software, but later decided to develop their own product. Within four months of its foundation, Intact had a limited product and won its first client, which remains a customer today.

While growth was slow at first, customer recommendations around the time of the euro changeover helped push Intact’s reputation and business forward. Marry said that the company’s main selling point was its ability to adapt its software to suit clients.

‘‘There are the usual giants in the market, but they cannot offer the same model as we do," he said. ‘‘We differentiate ourselves by having the ability to tailor our software to suit specific business models." The firm’s customers include recycling body Repak.

Intact employs 30 people in Dundalk and Cork and plans to hire ten more staff over the coming 18 months. Marry said the company’s rebranding and expansion - which includes a move to new €1.5million headquarters in Dundalk - would increase its competitiveness, despite the economic slowdown.

‘‘We want to expand the Intact name," he said. ‘‘Some companies cutback on marketing in times like this, but we have increased our resources to help keep Intact at the forefront for our customers, should they decide to change their software provider."

The staff will concentrate on business development and support for the British market, where Marry hopes to expand Intact’s network of partner companies. ‘‘Partners know their market better than we ever will," said Marry. ‘‘We have taken the line that we will provide the Intact solution, and they will carry out the implementation process and support."

He said that Intact could expand further a field, selling its product in other overseas markets. It already has a presence in Cyprus through a company called Dioratiki IT Solutions, which plans to sell Intact products in the Mediterranean region and the Middle East.

‘‘We know the solution we provide is top-class - our end users keep on reminding us of this fact. Businesses do not have to settle for an ‘off-the-shelf’ package rigid in its application and where any chance of getting amendments are zero."