Celebrating three decades of advanced innovation at I.O. Systems

To mark 30 years in business, Irish owned I.O. Systems hosted two open days for the public at its location in Moydrum Business Park Athlone.

Established in 1995, I.O. Systems has become a leading name in the design, manufacture, and integration of advanced materials handling and industrial automation and robotic systems. The company offers a comprehensive range of off-the-shelf, bespoke, and fully customised solutions, complemented by a dedicated maintenance and after-sales division. This ensures that every system delivered is supported throughout its lifecycle, providing its customers with peace of mind and sustained performance.

IO Systems were delighted to welcome Minister Peter Burke to mark the opening of the two day Open House.

I.O. Systems operates across a broad spectrum of industries, including postal, airports, logistics, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, medical device, and manufacturing sectors, the company’s ability to understand the specific challenges of each market allowing it to deliver tailored solutions that enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and improve overall productivity.

I.O. Systems Finance Director, Mick Fitzpatrick, who has been working with the company since 2001, said the open days offered the public an opportunity to learn about the business and view their expansive product range.

“We have branched out into the robotics sphere and the open days allow us the opportunity to showcase these products to the public. We received our Certificate of Incorporation on April 6 1995 and it also offers us the opportunity to reflect on our 30 years in business,” Mick said.

I.O. Systems employs 70 personnel between their plants in Athlone and Dubai and continues to evolve from “small acorns”, the company founded by Athlone native and now Managing Director, Fergal Lynam.

“In 1992 after completing his Degree in Mechanical Engineering Fergal went to Japan on an IDA scholarship working with Okamoto Kogyo in Tokyo, Japan. After 3 years in Japan the company wanted Fergal to establish a European arm of the business to serve the needs of their customers predominantly in the automotive sector so I.O. Systems Athlone was born,” Mick said.

The I.O. Systems journey now starting, the company developed self-generated projects and eventually became a stand alone Irish owned business.

“We had a number of blue chip wins during our initial phase, particularly with 3-Com in Dublin and An Post for whom we provide the National Maintenance contract at their sorting centres based in Athlone, Portlaoise and Dublin. For many years now we have had a long relationship with Dell Ireland and Poland and over the years we have continued to develop products together especially in the Autonomous Robotic arena,” Mick added.

The company has moved “with the trends” and works across a broad number of sectors including pharma, medical device, food, postal, logistics and transport.

One of the company’s significant achievements was to win a contract to work with Dubai Airport to whom it supplies an automated tray return system for baggage screening.

“We spotted an opportunity to showcase our product for use in Dubai International Airport and with the help of Enterprise Ireland where we were able to supply the airport with 156 tray return systems to help enhance the customer experience as they pass through security. The project has brought an element of prestige to our business,” Fergal said.

As technology within the industry continues to make vast strides, I.O. Systems has turned its focus to robotics or “co-bots” working in conjunction with people.

“As a company we will always be customer focused, determined to find a solution to any issue they present to I.O. Systems. While I.O. Systems has formed business partnerships with whom we work closely, we also have an in-house team of engineers who design engineering solutions to ensure our customers receive a service that enables them to move their products as efficiently as possible through the manufacturing, packaging or logistics process,” Fergal said.

In-house capabilities allow I.O. Systems to provide complete turnkey solutions, from concept design and system integration to installation, commissioning, and long-term service support. Each project is developed with a focus on tangible customer benefits, increased productivity, reduced unit costs, improved product quality, and greater adaptability to changing production demands.

John Henry, I.O. Systems CTO, said innovation is at the core of the company’s mission objectives.

“We combine our in-house design and engineering expertise with proven technologies from world-leading suppliers to create intelligent, flexible, and reliable automation systems. Many of our projects have set new benchmarks in terms of scale, load capacity, environmental performance, and process complexity. Through strategic partnerships and a commitment to technical excellence, we have delivered some of the largest and most advanced automation projects in Ireland,” John said.

“With a proven track record of performance and innovation, I.O. Systems continues to strengthen its position as a trusted partner for automation, Robotics and materials handling solutions worldwide.

“Our mission is simple yet powerful, to deliver innovative, dependable, and cost-effective technologies that empower our customers to achieve operational excellence and sustainable growth,” John concluded.