150 new jobs are to be created in Dublin and Belfast by a French technology company.

Expleo will hire staff in the areas of robotics, quality engineering, development operations and project management.

In total €8 million is to be invested in the workforce here, with 120 of the new positions to be located in Dublin and 30 in the Belfast.

The company, formerly known as SQS in Ireland, currently employs 500 people here.

Recruitment for the new jobs has already begun.

The Managing Director of Expleo's Irish business, Phil Codd, said the key to the company's expansion here is the people and the firm intends to be at the heart of the digital ecosystem in Ireland.

As part of the Irish expansion plans, Expleo will focus on future growth in the manufacturing, pharmaceutical, aerospace and automobile industries.

The news of the investment has been welcomed by the government and the IDA which said it was a strong reflection of the thriving technology sector here.

The company, formerly known as Assytem Technologies, is today relaunching under the new name, Expleo, following the takeover of of Assystem SA's Global Product Solutions division and a series of acquisitions last year, including SQS.

It offers a range of consultancy, business agility, product design, production and support services to customers across a range of sectors, to help firms use technology to change their businesses.

Expleo currently employs around 15,000 people in 25 countries.

It intends to expand its global business, concentrating in particular on Germany, North America and India, where it aims to double its workforce to 5,000 in the next few years.

