FEATURE
MANUFACTURING NI’S SUCCESS STORY
According to Invest NI, employment in the Northern Ireland manufacturing sector has grown more than four times faster than the rest of the UK accounting for 11% of employment and over 15% of GVA. Here Emma Deighan talks growth, plans and ambition with key players in the industry. Northern Ireland is home to a range of indigenous and international companies, engaged in the full range of activities from R&D through new product development to manufacturing. Further research from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) shows that the sector is continually thriving, even with the challenges of Brexit and COVID. NISRA’s Index of Production (IOP) provides information on the output of the production industries, manufacturing industries and market trends. It revealed an increase of 3.6% in 2021, and when the most recent four quarters are compared to the previous four quarters, the NI production sector increased by 8.1%, while the UK production sector increased by 4.2%. From aerospace to construction and
Harland & Wolff
Jeremy Eakin, Armstrong Medical
automotive our manufacturing talents span a broad field that have garnered a strong reputation for NI’s skillset. In the medical sphere, NI firms like Randox have become a household name thanks to its role in the COVID-19 testing market (it launched 23 Randox testing clinics, more than 200 partnered testing clinics and 80 plus drop box collection points for home testing). Meanwhile,
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Armstrong Medical reinforced its strength by expanding its product portfolio and merging with Comber-based Eakin Medical. Jeremy Eakin says Eakin Healthcare Group’s acquisition of Armstrong Medical was a rapid transaction, a swift 10-week process. He said the brawn of both firms alongside Eakin’s investment plans will “take Armstrong Medical to the next level and help it take advantage of new
