Tech billionaire Michael Dell on Friday paid a flying visit to Cork, touring the Irish base of data storage group EMC and meeting with staff. Accompanied by EMC chief executive David Goulden, the visit follows the $67 billion merger earlier this year of the two tech giants, Dell and EMC.
Security tight
Security was tight during the visit to the premises at Ovens, Co Cork with non-EMC workers not being allowed to enter the company grounds.
Staff spoke to the media with major reservations as they were ordered not to post online about the meeting or to make any reference to it to media outlets.
One man in his thirties, who declined to be named, said he was glad that his job was secure going forward.
“I am only a Joe Soap on the floor so I am not allowed to say much but EMC are a good company and we are happy enough. I am here three years and I don’t see myself going anywhere. I think we are safe.”
A young staff member in her twenties, who travelled from the Citygate EMC office for the briefing, said she was excited to see Mr Dell and Mr Goulden up close and personal.
“They are impressive men. We are not used to people like that coming to tour the place. We are not really sure what is going to happen in the next few months or what the changes will be but there is nothing to fear.”
Irish jobs secure
Earlier this month staff were reassured by management that there were no plans for lay-offs from the 1,900 staff in Cork.
A middle aged male employee said it was a “positive development” to see the likes of Mr Dell and Apple’s Tim Cook visiting Cork.
“You had Tim Cook a couple of months ago and now Michael Dell. I can’t talk really but we are pleased about things. It’s a good thing.”
Deirdre Twomey of the nearby Kilumney Inn said the pub/restaurant receives a sizeable passing trade from EMC. She hopes the merger will further boost business and that jobs will be added not reduced.
“We could have 15 members of staff in for lunch (at any one time.) We welcome any development at EMC.”
Local Sinn Fein councillor, Des O’Grady, said he was relieved to hear that the jobs onsite are safe.
“You have close to 2,000 working there so it was a big worry when you hear words like amalgamation. EMC is absolutely huge to the local economy. If it was taken away the economy would grievously suffer. People travel from as far away as Kerry to work at EMC . It is good to have someone like Michael Dell visit. It really puts us on the map.”
Michael Dell and David Goulden arrived at EMC at 8.30am and delivered an all hands meeting shortly before lunchtime.
Positive news
The merger will see the creation of Dell Technologies, a new umbrella organisation for Dell, EMC, VMware, Pivotal, Secureworks, RSA and Virtustream.
A spokeswoman for Dell said the news was positive going forward. “Operating as Dell Technologies, EMC and Dell businesses complement each other and we look forward to what the future will bring. The new company will be exceptionally well-positioned for growth in the most strategic areas of next generation IT.”
EMC vice-president and general manager for network storage and software, Fidelma Russo, confirmed that there are no plans to scale-down operations in Cork, on the back of the announcement.
Ms Russo, who is from Cork, was speaking at the EMC World 2016 Conference in Las Vegas earlier this month. She said that an expansion of Irish operations was more likely.
“We’ve doubled the VMax Enterprise team, over the last couple of years, and that trend is only going to continue.”
Also speaking at EMC World in Las Vegas earlier this month, Michael Dell announced that after the merger is completed, the two companies will be known as Dell Technologies.
The company’s new name is meant to “convey a sense of being a family of businesses and aligned capabilities,” Dell said. “As far as family names go, I’m kind of attached to Dell.”
