- Business, ERP, NetSuite, Sage
Every year, Enterprise Ireland’s International Markets Week (IMW) brings together hundreds of ambitious Irish businesses preparing for global growth. While IMW is an Ireland-focused event, the insights gathered from it are highly relevant for both Irish and UK exporters. The challenges, opportunities, and strategies discussed throughout the week apply broadly to organisations across both markets that are looking to expand internationally in 2026 and beyond.
With export optimism rising on both sides of the Irish Sea, now is the ideal time for businesses to understand what is driving this confidence, and what steps they need to take to succeed on the global stage.
Rising optimism among Irish exporters
At IMW, more than 700 companies from Ireland met with 140 market advisors from 42 international offices to discuss their export strategies.
This year’s theme, “Succeeding in Key Markets,” focused strongly on diversification and preparedness. During one-to-one advisory sessions, participating companies gained deep insights into global trends and sector-specific opportunities.
Some of the most significant findings from IMW include:
• 97% plan to enter new export markets in the next 12 months
• 66% expect export sales to grow in 2025, with 93% forecasting growth in 2026
• 98% are actively improving their competitiveness
• 87% are already integrating or planning to integrate AI into their operations
While these statistics reflect Irish sentiment, UK exporters face similar pressures, from supply chain volatility to rising operational costs. For both regions, strengthening digital maturity and expanding internationally are becoming essential.
What’s driving export ambition?
The past few years have forced Irish and UK exporters to adapt quickly to change. From Brexit and shifting trade rules to global shipping disruption and accelerated digital transformation, businesses have had to rethink how they operate.
Instead of slowing growth, these challenges have inspired exporters to become more agile and innovative. Many businesses are now:
• Embracing digitalisation to boost efficiency
• Investing in automation and AI for competitive advantage
• Strengthening supply chain resilience
• Exploring new markets to reduce dependency on domestic sales
• Leveraging government and agency supports to build export readiness
As both the Irish and UK economies face ongoing cost pressures and evolving trade relationships, international expansion offers a pathway to sustainable long-term growth.
Opportunities for sustainable international growth
For businesses in Ireland and the UK, expanding internationally provides opportunities such as:
New revenue streams
Entering new global markets reduces reliance on domestic customer bases and builds stronger long-term resilience.
Stronger brand recognition
Success overseas enhances the reputation of Irish and UK businesses, helping position both regions as hubs for innovation and high-quality services.
Operational improvements
Scaling operations often leads companies to modernise processes, adopt digital tools, and strengthen their infrastructures.
Competitive advantage
Global markets push businesses to adopt best-in-class technologies, refine their offerings, and raise quality standards.
Diversification and risk reduction
A diversified market footprint protects against regional economic or geopolitical uncertainty.
Employment and skills development
International success encourages job creation and helps develop advanced skill sets within teams.
Challenges facing exporters
Although confidence is high, businesses in both Irish and UK markets face similar hurdles when expanding abroad. Some of the most common challenges include:
Navigating regulatory complexity
Tax rules, compliance frameworks, and sector regulations vary widely from one country to another. Both Irish and UK exporters must be prepared for detailed localisation requirements.
Managing multi-entity operations
Operating across borders introduces complexity, from multi-currency transactions to distributed teams and expanded reporting needs.
Balancing standardisation with local adaptation
While standardised processes drive efficiency, products and operations often need to be tailored to local market expectations.
Economic and cost pressures
Rising business costs, labour shortages, and unpredictable economic conditions require exporters to plan carefully and remain agile.
To succeed, organisations need reliable systems, strong data visibility, and a digital infrastructure capable of supporting multiple markets.
How The Noledge Group supports international growth
At The Noledge Group, we help organisations across Ireland and the UK prepare for successful international expansion. As a trusted Sage 200, Sage Intacct, and NetSuite partner, we specialise in delivering modern cloud-based ERP solutions that remove operational friction, improve visibility, and support long-term growth across multiple markets.
Scaling businesses often outgrow spreadsheets, manual processes, or disconnected systems. Our ERP solutions provide the connected infrastructure needed to scale confidently by:
• Automating reporting, data entry, and workflows
• Giving all departments one unified system to work from
• Replacing rigid legacy tools with flexible, cloud-based technology that adapts to changing market demands
We also help organisations maintain financial control across multiple markets through consolidated multi-currency reporting, real-time visibility, and built-in compliance, enabling faster, more accurate decision-making during expansion.
Finally, we ensure companies are international-ready by configuring ERP systems to support different currencies, tax rules, regulations, and workflows, creating a flexible digital foundation that can quickly respond to new opportunities and sustain long-term global growth.
Making the most of global opportunities
As both Irish and UK exporters set their sights on new markets in 2026, now is the time to ensure systems, processes, and financial controls can support this growth.
If your business is preparing for global expansion, our team can support you with expert guidance and the right ERP solution to bring clarity, efficiency, and confidence to every step of the journey.
Get in touch with us to learn how we can help your business grow across new markets.
About the Author
David Burke
David Burke, Group CTO at The Noledge Group, leads the company’s technology strategy and oversees the design and delivery of both bespoke and off-the-shelf solutions. He is responsible for driving innovation across the Group’s product and service portfolio, ensuring customers benefit from scalable, future-ready cloud technologies.