Ulster Business Top 100 2024 by Ulster Business

Thelatestnewsandexclusivesfromacross NorthernIrelandandbeyond

Top100analysis

JonathanCushleybreaksdownallthekey numbersfromthisyear’sleadingbusinesslist

Top100

The UlsterBusiness Top100NorthernIreland Companies2024,inassociationwithKPMG 69

Top50Employers

We takealookatthebiggestemployersfrom rightthroughoutNorthernIreland 88

Comment

MinisterConorMurphysaysthe Top100 showcasesthevibrancyofourprivatesector

Interview

JohnMulgrewspeakstoConorMulliganabout thechallengesfacinghousebuildinghere

Top100analysis

DrKristelMillerofUlsterUniversityon reaching thehiddenandunderemployed

128

InFocus

Revealed:Fifty renewableschemesneededin NItoavertgreenenergy‘crisispoint’

155

Motoring

PatBurnstakesonaBMWestateand Hyundai’slatestspeedyelectric 164

Photocall

Alookatwhat’sbeenhappeningacross NorthernIrelandthissummer

174

Travel

RasAl-Khaimahhastophotelsalongside wildlife,andischeaperthanitsneighbours

176

Technology

IsApplerunningasecurityriskforitsusersasit fnallyenterstheAIrace?

UlsterBusinessisapartoftheIndependentPressStandardsOrganisation(IPSO).Ifyoubelieveyouhavebeenunfairlytreated,youcancontactIPSOinwritingviaitswebsiteforguidanceonwhattodo. Theserviceisfree.IPSOcan thenadviseonwhetherit’slikelyyouhavegroundsforacomplaintandwhattodoaboutit. Thenormalprocedureisforthecomplainanttothencontactthepublication’seditordirectly.Ifnoagreementisreached,thecomplainant cangobacktoIPSOtolookforanadjudication,orforittotakeoverthecomplaint.

Fulldetailsareavailableatwww.ipso.co.uk.Alternatively,emailcomplaints@ipso.co.uk,orinquiries@ipso.co.uk,ortelephone03001232220,ortheout-of-hoursemergencynumber: 07659152656.

Orwriteto:IPSO,c/oHaltonHouse,20-23Holborn,LondonEC1N2JD

EDITOR’S COMME

Bigsales butsigns of tightermargins

It’s hard tobelieve a yearhasgoneby sincewelasttook a closelookatthe bigbusinesslandscapeindetailhere.

The UlsterBusiness Top 100Northern IrelandCompanies2024,inassociation withKPMG,chartsthesuccessstories, performanceandrankingofourlargest businesses.

It remains a keymeasure oftheworkings ofoureconomyand a snapshotofhowthe widerlandscapeimpactsfrmsfromright acrossthesectors.

It’sa bigpieceofwork,butit remains thefagshipdoubleeditioninthe Ulster Business calendar – somethingwhichit’s doneacrossfourdecades.Thisyear’s list showsanotherstrongsetof resultsacross

theboard,andspecifcally, forsomeof ourhouseholdnames,andthosefamilyownedstalwartswithlessof a brandname presence,butwhichemployhundreds,or thousandsofstaff,andhavedonesofor generations.

Overall,therankingisbasedonsalesor turnover, whichhasnow reached a record level.

Theperformanceofthe Top 100companies shows record salesof£35.2bn,upsome 17%onprioryearperformance.

Butduringthatsameperiod,averagepretaxproftsfellby8%to£1.32bn,while shareholdervaluegrew

Thatmayhavebeeninpartduetosome

sizeable reductionsinsomecompany year-on-yearbottomlines,butmightalso indicatethatrisingcosts, a tightenedlabour market,andborrowingratesare playing somethingof a role.

I’dliketothankourpartnerKPMGforits involvementinthisedition,andespecially partner-in-chargeJohnnyHanna. You can hearfromhimelsewhere inthisedition aboutthisyear’s Top 100.

I’dalsoliketothankeveryonewhois involvedinthisedition. Wereallycan’t do itwithoutyouandthesupport remainskey toensuringweproducethebestpublication possible.Enjoythisedition,andwe’llcatch upsoon. ■

JohnMulgrew

Publisher UlsterBusiness c/oMediahuisUKLtd Belfast TelegraphHouse,33ClarendonRoad, ClarendonDock,BelfastBT13BG

Printer W&GBaird GreystonePress,CaulsideDrive, AntrimBT412RS www.wgbaird.com

Editor JohnMulgrew,j.mulgrew@independentmagazinesni.co.uk

Advertising JudithMartin,j.martin@mediahuis.co.uk

Graphicdesign SusanMcClean,MediahuisIrelandDesignStudio

Proflephotography ElaineHill

@ulsterbusiness www.ulsterbusiness.com

MediahuisUKLtd©2024.Allrights reserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybe reproduced,storedina retrievalsystem,ortransmittedinanyform, orbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical,photocopying, recording,orotherwisewithoutthepriorpermissionofMediahuis.

Top100 showcases buoyancyof oureconomy

ByJohnnyHanna,partnerincharge, KPMGinNorthernIreland

Aquickglanceatthisyear’s Top100 NorthernIrelandCompanieslisting suggeststhelocaleconomyhas, foralargepart,enjoyedabuoyantyear.

Turnover,thebasisonwhichthelistis compiled,hasincreasedforaround90%ofthe Top100withsomeimpressiveperformancesin theupperechelonsofthelist.

Ofnote,therearenowsixcompaniesin NorthernIrelandwithturnoverofover£1bn, twomorethanlastyearandasignifcant improvementon10yearsagowhenwe countedjustone.

ThatcompanywasMoyParkandnow,as then,ithastakenthetopspot,leadingan illustriousgroupfromthesectorwhichprove agri-food remainsapowerfuleconomicforce inNorthernIreland,closelyfollowedbyenergy, manufacturingandconstruction.

Whileturnover refectsthelevelof investmentcompaniesaremakinginthe region,theproftfgurestellthetaleof businesseswhichwerecopingwiththeimpact ofhigherinfationandtheaccompanying interestratehikes.

ThatchimeswithKPMG’sexperienceoverthe lastyearorsobut,withinputinfationslowing andborrowingrateseasing,costpressures

haveeasedandshouldcontinuetodosoin thenearfuture.

Certainly,therearesomefantasticexamples ofentrepreneurism,tenacityandstrategic thinkingfromthecompaniesonthelistwhich, dayinanddayout,continuetopunchabove theirweight,bothlocallyandfurtherafeld.

Theyhavehadatoughfewyears,coping withnumerouschallengesincludingCovid-19, soaringinfationandtheabsenceofpolitical leadershipatStormont.

Butthatwasthepast.

Now,thosechallengeshaveeasedand thereareanumberofuniqueopportunities wellwithin reachwhichhavethepotentialto superchargethis region.

Mostpertinently,the restorationofthe Executive revivesthepotentialto reducethe mainrateofcorporationtax.Ifenacted,itwill helpleveltheplayingfeldacrosstheisland ofIrelandforindigenouscompaniesandin theraceforforeigndirectinvestment.The UKGovernmenthasalreadysanctionedthe devolutionofcorporationtaxsettingpowersto Stormont,powerswhichifimplementedwould allowitto reducetherateto12.5%,onapar withRoIandwellbelowtheUKrateof25%.

Meanwhile,thepieceoflegislationwhich setsNorthernIrelandapartcompetitivelyisthe WindsorFramework.Underthetermsofthe Brexitagreement,itprovidesNorthernIreland

withunfetteredtradeaccesstobothGBand theEuropeanUnion,auniquepositionwhich willbeneftthe regionenormously.

Businessesarealwayslookingforunique sellingpointstodifferentiatethemselvesfrom thecompetition.Theaboveopportunities providejustthatfromaneconomypointof viewandarenodoubttheenvyof regions aroundtheworld.

AsKPMGentersits50thyearofoperation inNorthernIreland,weareverymuchin growthmodeandseehugepotential,not justforourbusinessbutforourclients.Our confdencestemsfromthefactthefuel neededto realisetheseopportunities–a skilledworkforce–isgrowing.Becauseof aworld-classeducationsystem,adynamic broad-basedeconomyandastandardof livingratedoneofthebestintheworld, NorthernIrelandnowhasadiverse,highlyskilledworkforcefromaroundtheworldto powerourambitions.

Thathasalreadyprovidedthefuelforour growth,andIknowitwilldothesamefor companiesineverycornerofthe regionand ineverysectorinthefuture.

Fornow,congratulationstoeveryone onthe Top100Companieslistandwe lookforwardtoworkingwithyouaswe collectivelytakeNorthernIrelandtonew economicheightsinthecomingyears. ■

A summer innumbers

100

Theﬁrmsonthisyear’s leading UlsterBusiness Top100Northern IrelandCompanies 2024list,inassociation withKPMG.

8,502

Thenumberofpeople inNorthernIreland employedby Tesco, whichisthelargest workforcehere.

£1.9bn

Thelatestpublished turnoverofMoyPark whichheadsthisyear’s Top100list.

2 Thenumberofyears developerLagan Homeshasbeen waitingforahousetypechangeofuse planningapplication decision.

UlsterBusiness editorJohnMulgrew withJohnnyHanna, partner-in-charge, KPMGinNorthern Ireland

Top 100 companies hit record saleslevels

Northern Ireland’s biggest ﬁrmshave reachedall-time record saleslevels, UlsterBusiness can reveal.

The UlsterBusiness Top 100Northern IrelandCompanies2024,inassociationwith KPMG,chartsthesuccessstoriesofourlargest businesses – rankedbyturnover

Andthisyearturnoverhas reached a record levelof£35.2bnacrossthe ﬁrmswhichhave madethelist – up17%ontheprevious accountingperiod.

However, averagepre-taxproﬁtsfellby8% to£1.32bn,whileshareholdervaluegrew

The UlsterBusiness Top 100listingincludes the resultsofNorthern Irelanddomiciled companies,eitherNI registeredorwhen a signiﬁcantportionofthecompany’s businessis drivenandtransactedthroughthe region.

MoyParkhas returnedtothetopspotfor 2014withturnoverof£1.88bnandpre-tax proﬁtsof£18.7m.

Someofthenewcomerstothisyear’s list includeKingsbridgeHealthcare Group,which recentlysold a majoritystakeinthebusinessfor a reported£300m.

Meanwhile,wholesaleanddistribution grocerybusiness,D&WCarlislehasjoinedthe list,afterappearingonourNext200SMElist, alongsideCharlesBrandGroup – whichhas shotintothenumber74position.

“Lookingatthe Top 100Northern Ireland Companieslistingsuggeststhelocaleconomy has,for a largepart,enjoyed a buoyantyear,”

JohnnyHanna,partnerincharge,KPMGin Northern Ireland,said.

“Ofnote,there are nowsixcompaniesin Northern Irelandwithturnoverofover£1bn, twomore thanlastyearand a signiﬁcant improvementon10yearsagowhenwe countedjustone.

“AsKPMGentersits50thyearofoperation inNorthern Ireland,weare verymuchin growthmodeandseehugepotential,notjust forourbusinessbutforourclients.

“Becauseof a world-classeducationsystem, a dynamicbroad-basedeconomyand a standard oflivingratedoneofthebestinthe world,Northern Irelandnowhas a diverse, highly-skilledworkforcefromaroundtheworld topowerourambitions.”

JohnMulgrew, editorof UlsterBusiness, said: “The UlsterBusiness Top 100Northern Ireland Companies2024,inassociationwithKPMG, onceagainshowstheprowessandabilityof manyofourbiggestandbest ﬁrmstogrow, expandand reachnewmarket.

“Thisyearsalesare at record levels,while pre-taxproﬁtshavesoftenedsomewhat –perhapspointingtotheimpactofrisingcosts, higherborrowingandskillsshortagesforsome companies,hittingthatbottomline.

“We’venewcomerstothisyear’s list,and stalwartswho remainatthetop,withmany othersrising,andwecontinuetoseeanever greaterrangeofbusinessesmakingthelist. Longmaythatcontinue.”

Moy Park aiming to becomeNI’s first £2bn firm

MoyParkisaimingto“crash throughthenextglassceiling” andbecomeNorthernIreland’s frst£2bncompany, UlsterBusiness can reveal.

Itcomesasthepoultrygiant returnedto thenumberonepositioninthisyear’s Ulster Business Top100NorthernIrelandCompanies, inassociationwithKPMG.

“Undoubtedly…ourambitionisstillaround

growth,”JustinColeman,director,MoyPark told UlsterBusiness

“Andfromagrowthstandpointgiventhat weoperateinainacategorythat’sgotthose keyelementsaroundaffordability,health, versatilityfromaconsumerstandpoint.

“Andsothere’sabsolutelyno reasonwe shouldn’tcrashthroughthenextglassceiling.”

Thefrmpostedsalesof£1.88bnforthelast publishedsetofaccounts,withpre-taxprofts of£18.7m.

MoyParkdroppedoffthetopspotinlast year’s UlsterBusiness Top100NorthernIreland Companies,inassociationwithKPMG–cominginatthenumbertwospot,overtaken byW&RBarnett.

Lookingahead,MrColemansaysthefrm will returnwithstrongernumbersagaininthe recentpasttradingperiod.

“It’soutthebackofanumberofvery diffcultyears…startingwiththepandemic,” Justinsaid.

Readthefullinterviewonpage56-57

JustinColeman ofMoyPark

Firms ‘finding itmore difficult than ever ’ to find skilledstaff

Companiesarefndingit“morediffcultthanever”tofnd staffandthereisanuntapped resourceofsome120,000 peopleherewhocouldhelpfll rolesandvacancies,it’s beenclaimed.

Recent researchbytheUlsterUniversityEconomicPolicyCentreand EPICFuturesNI(2024)highlightsthatthereissparecapacity,beyondthe unemployed,intheNIlabourmarket.

Theseadditionalformsofsparecapacityareincludethe‘hidden unemployed’andthe‘underemployed’.

DrKristelMiller,ProfessorofEntrepreneurshipandSmallBusiness DevelopmentatUlsterUniversity,told UlsterBusiness:“Atatimewhen unemploymentlevelsinNIareatnear recordlows,fndingemployees withtherightskillsismorediffcultthanever.

“Acompetitivelabourmarketalsoilluminatestheneedtoalso lookinternallytoensurefrmscan retainthestafftheycurrentlyhave, ensuringworkissecureandfulflling,andthattheyhaveopportunities foradvancement.

“Therearestrongexamplesinthisyear’s UlsterBusiness Top100 NorthernIrelandCompanieslistshowcasingleadingjobdesignand crafting.”

“Thehiddenunemployedcompriseofindividualswhoare economicallyinactivebutcananddowishtoworkifadditionalsupports areprovide,andindividualsongovernmenttrainingprogrammes.In NI,thelargesthiddenunemployedgroupsarewomen,individualswith disabilitiesandindividualswhoareover50.”

Shesaidthereareasmanyas“50,000hiddenunemployedindividuals inNI”.

“EPICFuturesNIisledbyUlsterUniversityandinvolvesaconsortium ofco-investigatorsacrosspolicy,communityandvoluntarysectorand business,”shesaid.

Quotes of the summer

“The Top 100highlights the level of diversity, longevity,andingenuit y of the companieswhich employ tens of thousands of people.”

UlsterBusiness editorJohn Mulgrewwritinginthis editionofthemagazine.

“Therearealsoover47,000underemployedindividuals,whoarepart andfulltimeworkerswhowouldliketoworkmorehours.Combined withtheunemployed,thereisthepotentialofover120,000ofavailable labourintheNImarket.

“Therearelotsofgoodexamplesfromthe UlsterBusiness Top100 whichhaveledthewaywithinnovativejobdesignandjobcrafting. Itisimportanttoshowcasesuccessesandsharebestpracticestohelp collectivelyimprovetheNIlabourmarketconditionsandoutcomes.

“However,uncertaintyoffuturefundingtosupportindividuals toenterthelabourmarkethasmadeitdiffculttocapture robust evidenceofthelonger-termholisticmultiplierimpactsofprogrammes. Fundamentally,participatinginthelabourmarketnotonlybeneftsthe economy,butcantransformcommunities,familylifeandhelpalleviate pressureonourhealthandsocialcaresystems.Howeverforthistobe achieved,itdoes requireacross-departmentalpolicyapproach.

“Atatimewhenpublicfundingisbeingcut,NIbusinessesneedto beproactivetoinnovatetheirhuman resourcepracticestoensuretheir workplacesareinclusivetohiddenunemployedandunderemployed groups.”

Readthefullarticleonpage102-103

“All-island cooperation and collaboration – where expertise, resources, skills andinnovation can be shared for mutualbeneft – is central tofuture growth.”

EconomyMinisterConor Murphyspeakinginthis edition.

“There’sabsolutelyno reason we shouldn’tcrash through the next glass ceiling.”

MoyPark’sJustinColeman speakingaboutthefrm headingtoitsnexttargetof hitting£2bninturnover.

Professor KristelMiller

Lidl ‘aiming to doubleNI market share’

ByJohnMulgrew

Lidlisaimingtomorethandoubleits NImarketshareto20%inthenext fewyearsahead,itschiefheresays.

Speakingto UlsterBusiness,Ivan Ryansaid: “Wehaveamissionofupwardsof60stores,” hesays.“Singledigitmarketshareisthingof thepast,ouraimistobechoiceforeveryone–20%marketshare–that’swhereweshouldbe

intermsofwhatweofferthecustomers.”

Itcurrentlyhasamarketshareofjustover 9%–behindthemarketleaderof Tesco onmorethanathirdofgroceryspendhere amongthemultiples.

Accordingtoitslatestflledaccountssales standat£434mwithpre-taxproftsofjust over£11m,fortheyearendingFebruary2023. Butthat’slikelytoapproachthe£500minthe nextaccountingperiod.

“PeoplehavebeenturningtoLidlinthecost oflivingcrisis…wehave500,000[customers] aweekcomingintoourstores,”hesays.

“Businessperformanceisgood,proftsare down,drivenbyourownmarketstrategyof beingthecheapestand[good]value.

“Wenowhave41storestrading,andtwo storesopeningthisyear–Carryduffandthe BoucherRoad. We employ1,300people directly,withthatupto1,400attheendof thebusinessyear.”

Readthefullinterviewonpage66-67

IvanRyan

Zero hour contracts ‘couldbe banned’ undernew proposals

Zerohourcontractscouldbebanned amidnewplansaimedatimproving jobsandworkplaceconditionshere, theEconomyMinisterhassaid.

ConorMurphyhasunveiledhisnew extensiveconsultationaspartofhisofﬁce’s ‘Economic Vision’,whichfocuseson‘good jobs’,productivity, regionalbalanceand headingtowardsnetzero.

Itwillexaminearangeofareasincludingpay, work/lifebalanceandparentalleave.

AndaspartofthattheMinisterislooking at removingso-calledzerohourcontracts, wherebyworkershavenosetorguaranteed workinghourseachweekormonth.

“Thegeneralsensewouldbetoban –wewillseewhatcomesoutfromthe consultation,”theMinistertold UlsterBusiness Zerohourcontractsallowemployerstohire staffwithnoguaranteeofthehourstheywill work.

Butthosecontractscouldbe replacedwitha “bandedhours”system,whichgivesaworker therighttoworktheaverageofacertain

numberofhoursinaspeciﬁedbandfora year.

Hesaidtheremaybe“somerareoccasions” inwhichtheﬂexibilityofferedisbeneﬁcialto bothemployeesandemployers.

It’salsoexaminingso-called‘ﬁre andhire’, wherebysomeonemaybedismissedfroma roleandthensomeoneelseishired.

Hesaidhisdepartmenthasalreadyengaged withbusinesses,businessorganisations,and tradeunions,andthatthe responsehadsofar been“verypositive”.

Onmaternityandgeneralparentalleave,Mr Murphysaidtheconsultationwillexaminea widerangeofareas,includingwhenitstarts andends.

Lookingatsharedparentalleave–inwhich parentscansharetheirallottedtimeoff–he saidit’sdependentonwhatcomesoutofthe consultation.

“It’saverysubstantiativepiece,”hesaid. “Whatwearetryingtodoisgetthebest conditions[foremployees]…[thereare] arangeofdifferentareasaroundleave–

maternal,paternalandneonatal,allofthose issuesandtheentitlements–howdoyoutake thatandmakeitasﬂexibleaspossible.”

Onwages,MrMurphysaidit’salready committedtotargetinga‘reallivingwage’for employees.

Butonwhetheritwouldbepossiblefor NorthernIrelandtosetitsownnewliving wage,whichiscurrentlya reservedmatter at Westminster,MrMurphysaidpotential transferofthepowerswouldhavetobefore theExecutive.

“Ifwewereto[introduce]legislation, powersbeingtransferred,itwouldhavetogo backtotheExecutive,”hesaid.

Intermsoftheimpactonanorganisation’s wagecosts,MrMurphysaidthepotential impactonthepublicsectorandtheblock grant“wasn’thuge”whenitwasassessed, whileanybusinesswageincreaseswouldbe feltbytheprivatesectoritself.

“[Inthepublicsector]thereweren’tthat manypeoplebelowthatlivingwage,”he said.

EconomyMinister ConorMurphy

Housebuilder expanding outsideNI amid planning delays

OneofNorthernIreland’sbiggesthousebuilderssays it’sexpandingintotheRepublicandGBamidongoing planninganddevelopmentdelayshere, UlsterBusiness can reveal.

LaganHomes–whichisfnishingofftheconstructionofitslarge 700-housedevelopmentatMillmountoutsideDundonald–saysit’s beenwaitingfortheplanninggreenlightforastraightforward‘change ofhouse’application,despiteitbeingforthesamenumberofproperties andhavingnoobjections.

“I’mwaitingonaplanningapplicationforachangeofhousetype–thesamenumberofhousesandnoobjections.It’stakentwoyears,” ConorMulligan,managingdirectorofLaganHomes,said.

“Whenyou’reintheboardroomandI’mtellingpeopleit’staking twoyearsforachangeofhousetype,whentheguysdownsouth aregettingplanningapprovalsinsixmonths–wheredoyouputyour money?

ConorMulligan

“It’salsotheavailabilityofland.Thissitehere[Millmount]willhave 600-700houses.Therewillneverbeanothersitelikethis.

“Wehopetodo£70m[intheRepublic]thisyear.That’sfroma standingstartfveyearsago–soincrediblegrowth,”hesaid. “That’sdowntothemarket,whichisstrong,buttheabilitytoget planningpermissionandtheavailabilityofland.

“Wehavetoexpand. We aredoingasmuchinGBaswearedoing here[NorthernIreland],”hesaid.

Readthefullinterviewonpage92-93

Randox posts £39m lossandsalesdropin wake ofstrong Covid-19 pandemic results

ByJohnMulgrew

MedicaltestinggiantRandoxhas fippedfromstrongproftsto a £39mloss – withturnover droppingtolessthan a third inthe lastyear – inthewakeoftheCovid-19 pandemic.

Randoxpostedsalesof£173.2mand pre-taxlossesof£39.6mfortheyearending June2023,accordingtoaccountsforRandox HoldingsLtd.

Thatcameafterseveralstrongtrading periods,buoyedoninpartbyitsworkon testingduringtheCovid-19period.

A yearearlierthefrmsawprofts remain strongat£189.8mfortheyearendingJune 2022. A yearearliertheystoodat£274.8m. Turnover roseslightlyto£625.6mforthe periodendingJune2022.

Randoxsaiditslastthreefnancial reports “were signifcantlyimpactedbythecompany’s responsetotheCovid-19pandemic”.

Itsaysthelatest results,whichshow a largedropinsalesandanoperatingloss,are “entirelyexpected”.

Thefrm,foundedbyDrPeterFitzGerald,

employssome2,100staff,witharound a quarterofthoseworkersscientistsand engineers.

“Thedemandsofthatperiod required a signifcantnumberofR&D(researchand development)programmestobeplaced onholdtoenablethecompanytodevelop highvolumePCRtestingwhilecontinuing tosupportourglobalpartnerswiththeir diagnostic requirements,”itsaidinitslatest strategic reportinaccountsforRandox HoldingsLtd.

“HighvolumePCRtesting,at a levelnever before witnessedintheUKorinternationally, wasutilisedtosupporttheUKGovernment’s testingprogrammeandforprivatetesting, largelytoenableinternationaltravel.”

Itsaysits responsetothepandemic “illustratedthedynamism,fexibility, adaptabilityanddriveofwhichthecompany iscapableinaddressingbusinessneedsand opportunities”.

“Thisfnancial reportfortheyear2022/23, immediatelyfollowingthepandemic,shows salesof£173m(upfromthe£118minthelast pre-pandemicperiod12-monthperiod), a gross proftof£37mandanoperatinglossof£38m.

“Thisisentirelyexpectedand,operating with a strongbalancesheet,is a positionwithin whichthedirectorsare entirelycomfortable.”

The reportsaysthefrm’s core business –whichincludesqualitycontroland reagents operations – remainsproftable.

“Randoxwillalsobeneftfrom a widerange ofR&Dproductsbeing releasedtothemarket whichwere putonholdduringthepandemic.”

Itsaysitcontinuestoinvest“signifcantly”in ongoingR&Dprogrammeswhich“are critical tofuture growth”.

“Notingthe resourcesdevelopedinprevious years,andthepost-Covid realignment necessarytoplacethecompanyin a position toseizefuture opportunities,thedirectors maintain a verypositiveoutlook.”

Thefrmprocessedmore than25millionPCR testsand1.8millionlateralfowtestsduring thepandemic.

Itsaysfollowingthecommissioningof a reportin2022fromOCOGlobalitconcluded itsworkhadaverted“over3,100deaths, prevented14,100extrahospitalisationsand, byenablingeconomicactivity, theUK’s GDP is£8.3bnlargerthanwouldotherwisebethe case”.

Randoxfounder

DrPeterFitzGerald

New

government ‘must bring back EV carincentives’

TheGovernmentmust reintroduce grantsandassistancetohelp customersandthesectordealwith themovetoelectriccarsandthebanning ofthesaleoftraditionalpetrolanddiesel

vehicles,thechiefofNorthernIreland’s largestmotorsalesbusinesshassaid.

While a dateof2035hadbeensetbythe lastConservativegovernmenttobannew combustionenginesales,Labourhaspledged

Solarfx: reducing costs andcarbonacross Northern Ireland

Sinceopeningin2015,Solarfxhasbecomeoneof NorthernIreland’sleadingsolarcompanies,withover 2,000installationsgeneratingmorethan16millionunits ofelectricity.

Solarpanelsarea smartinvestmentforbusinessesandhomes, providingelectricityat a lowercostthanthegrid.Mostcommercial systemsfromSolarfxpayforthemselveswithinthreetofveyears, andcomewith25-yearperformancewarranties,offering returns exceeding20%.

Inadditiontofnancialsavings,Solarfxpanelssignifcantly reduce carbonemissions,savingNorther n Irelandoverfourmillionkilograms ofcarboninthepastnineyears. Trustiscrucialforlong-term investmentslikesolarenergy

Withover20yearsofindustryexperience,Solarfxisdedicatedto excellentcustomerservice,supportedbypositive reviewsand a team ofover10full-timesupportstaff inMallusk.

SpecialisingexclusivelyinSolarPV, Solarfxprovidesexpertadvice

tobringthatforward to2030.

Alleyesare nowonthefuture andthe electricvehicle(EV)marketforthemotoring industry

“TheGovernmentneedstocometothe partywithgrants,”Jeff McCartney, group operationsdirectorofCharlesHurst,told Ulster Business

“Iftheyare reallyseriousaboutit,theyneed to. We had a grant[system]forthevehicle, whichwasupto£5,000butwe’veseenthat erodeovertime.

“Whileelectricisdoingthemixwhichit needstoinNorther n Ireland – about16%in theUKand14%here– itneedstobe22%,” MrMcCartneysays.

That’s centredaroundtheGovernment’s EV mandate.Itmeansmanufacturersmustnow uptheirEVproductionto22%oftheirfeet, otherwisetheyfaceheftyfnes.

“[Productionofvehicles]willgoup.[They] needtogoupin retail,”hesays.

Readthefullinterviewonpage64-65

tailoredtoyourneeds.As a DuracellEnergyPlatinumPartnerand SolarEdgePreferredPartner, andwithanannualturnoverexceeding £3m,theyhavetheexpertisetomanageanyproject.

Solarpowerofferssignifcantbenefts:it’s lessexpensivethan gridelectricity, environmentallyfriendly, reducingfossilfuel reliance, andprovidesenergysecuritywithlesspricevolatility Giventhese advantages,whynotconsidersolarpowerforyourproperty?

SolarfxstandsoutasoneofNorther n Ireland’s topsolar companies.

Contactthefrmnowforacomplimentaryquoteat08002465198 orvisitwww.solarfx.co.uk

JeffMcCartney

NIprivatesector‘inmuchbetter condition’asgrowthcontinues

NorthernIreland’sprivatesectorisina‘muchbettercondition’thanthestartof2024 withoutputandsalesontherise,afreshsurveyhassaid

Neworders roseattheirfastest paceintwoandahalfyears, whileoverallbusinessactivityis ingrowthmode,accordingtotheUlster Bankpurchasingmanagers’index(PMI).

Thelatest reportforJuneshowsNorthern Ireland’soverallgrowthwasonlyoutpacedby London.

However,therateofnewjobcreationwas “modest”,withsomefirms reportingdifficulty infindingworkers.

Inmanufacturing,foodanddrinkcameout ontopwiththefastestgrowth,whileITand ﬁnancialintermediation(whichincludesbanks andfunders),sawthebiggestbumpinthe servicessector.

“ThelatestPMIwrapsuptheﬁrsthalfof 2024andshowsthatNI’sprivatesectorisina muchbetterconditionthanitwasinJanuary,” RichardRamsey,chiefeconomistNorthern Ireland,UlsterBank,said.

“Mostofthekeyindicatorshaveimproved signiﬁcantlyinthatperiod,withoutput,new ordersandemploymentallmarkedlyhigher inthesecondquarteragainsttheﬁrst. Growthinorderbookshasbeen acceleratingalmosteverymonthin 2024andJune representedthe fastestrisein28months.

“Indeed,newordergrowth inNorthernIrelandwasthe strongestofthe12UK regions inJune.Notably,export ordersfellforthe14th monthrunning,meaning thattheoverallneworder growthisbeingdrivenby domesticdemand.”

“Businessactivityhasnow risenineachofthepastseven months,withonlyLondon seeingafasterexpansionin June,”the reportsaid.

“Particularlysharp increasesin

activitywereseenacrossthemanufacturing andservicesectors,whilegrowthwasalso recordedinconstructionand retail.

“Risingoutputwasmainlya responseto higherneworders,whichincreasedatthe fastestpacesinceFebruary2022.Growth ofnewordersandtheprospectoffurther improvementsinthemonthsaheadsupported jobcreationinJune.”

MrRamseysaidwhileallmonitoredsectors werein“expansionmode”,manufacturing hadcomeoutontop.

“Manufacturingoutputandordersexpanded attheirfastestclipin27months,butdespite thisdemand,manufacturers’stafﬁnglevelsfell forthethirdmonthrunning,”hesaid.

“Recruitmentdifﬁcultiesandchallenges replacingleaverscontinuedtobecitedinthe report,andthisisleadingtobacklogsasthe constrainedcapacityisnotabletomeetthe growingdemand.Thissituationlookssetto intensify,withmanufacturers’optimismfor outputin12months’timehittingaserieshigh.

“Manufacturing’sstrongdemandisbeing accompaniedbyinﬂationarypressures,with inputcostsrisingattheirfastestpacein 16months.Thesecostsarebeingpassed ontocustomers,withoutputpricesrisingat theirfastestpacein14months.Itisthough encouragingtonotethatconstructionprices, ontheotherhand,whichhadgonethrough asustainedperiodofinﬂationarypressure,are nowrisingattheirweakestpaceinalmostfour years.” ■

Richard Ramsey

Demandforequity investmentdrivesinterest innewWhiterockfund

Belfast-basedfundmanager Whiterock saysthatitsﬁrstinvestmentsbyitsnew GrowthCapitalFund willbeannouncedshortly,withhighdemandsinceits launchafewmonthsagomorethanconﬁrmingtheneedfornewequityfunding optionsforNorthernIrelandbusinesses

TheteamatNorthernIrelandfund managerWhiterockwereinno doubtthattherewouldbedemand forfundingfromitsnew£75mequity investmentfundwhentheyannouncedits creationearlierthisyear.

Butthelevelofinterestsincethefundwasﬁrst unveiledinMarchandafteritsofﬁciallaunch inJunehassurpassedallinitialexpectations followinganextensiveperiodof research withinthemarket.

“Therehasbeenfantasticinterest,”Paul

Millar,chiefexecutiveofWhiterock,said.

“Sinceannouncingthefund,wehavetalked toawiderangeofambitiousNorthernIreland businesseswhoareseekinganinvestment partnertohelpthem realisetheirgrowth ambitions.Thelevelsofdemandandthehigh qualityofthecompanieswe’reindiscussions withmeanswewillbeinapositiontoclose ourﬁrstinvestmentssoon,whichisan excellentstartforthefund.”

Thenew£75mfundisthelargestever locallymanagedequityinvestmentfundfor NIcompanies.Whiterockexpectstomake

investmentsofbetween£1mand£5mfor minorityshareholdingsingrowthandscaling companies,withcapacityforfurtherfollowon fundingif requiredbyportfoliocompanies.

Interestinthenewfundhasbeenhelpedby thefactthatWhiterockhasbeenoperating inNorthernIrelandformorethan10years andhasastrongnetworkacrossallparts ofthe region,particularlyintheSMEand advisorycommunity.Ithasmanagedinexcess of£225macrossﬁvefundsandtodatehas deployedover£125m,whichhasleverageda further£100mfundingfromotherfunders.

TheWhiterockFinanceteamwhichwillworkon theGrowthCapitalFund.PicturedareGraham Ferguson,JennaMairs,Chris TrotterandDavid McCurley.SittingareSaraMcCreaandPaulMillar

Ownedbyalocalseniormanagementteam, Whiterockhasprovideddebtfundingtoover 180SMEsbasedinNorthernIrelandthrough GrowthLoanFundIandII,GrowthFinance Fundandmore recentlytheInvestmentFund forNI.

TheGrowthCapitalFundteamisledbyMillar andfellowWhiterockdirectorDavidMcCurley, withinvestmentdirectorsGrahamFerguson, formerchieffinancialofficerofFirstDerivative, andChris Trotter,whojoinedWhiterock thisyearfromClarendonFundManagers, alongsidefinancedirectorJennaMairsand investmentanalystSaraMcCrea.

“Thisisasectoragnosticfundandithas been reallyinterestingtoseethebreadth ofcompaniesfromdifferentindustriesthat haveengagedwithourteamalready,”David McCurleysaid.

“WesaidattheoutsetthattheGrowth CapitalFundwillinvestinbusinessesacrossa rangeofsectorssolongastheyhavestrong managementteams,ademonstratedand provenbusinessmodelandhighgrowth potential. We arefortunateinNorthern Irelandtohavesomanycompanieswhoﬁt thosecriteria,manyofwhomclearlyseethe opportunityintakingequityinvestmenttofuel thenextphaseoftheirgrowth.”

Whiterockexpectsthefundtobedeployed overafive-yearinvestmentperiod,investing in15-20companiesduringthattimeacross sectors.Thesearelikelytoinclude,butaren’t limitedtodigital,ITandcreative,fintechand financialservices,lifeandhealthsciences, agri-tech,andadvancedmanufacturingand engineering.

“Wewanttobeastrategicpartnerthathelps thebusinessesweinvestintoachievetheir growthambitions,whilealsogenerating attractive returnsforourinvestors,”Graham Fergusonsaid.

“Fundingoptionshaveimprovedfor companieshereoverthepastdecade,but independent researchfromtheBritishBusiness Bankhasfoundthereisstillaclearequitygap inNorthernIrelandwhenitcomestolocally basedprivateequityinvestors,particularlyin the£1m-£5minvestmentrange.That’sthe levelofinvestmentwebelievemanyambitious businessesinthispartoftheworldareseeking inordertoimplementthenextstepsoftheir planstoscaleup.”

TheBritishBusinessBank,theUK Government’seconomicdevelopmentbank, hasinvested60%ofthefund(£45m)through itsEnterpriseCapitalFundsprogramme,with the remaining40%(£30m)comingfrom privateinvestors,includingseverallocalfamily ofﬁcesandhighnetworthindividuals.The fundplanstomakeminoritystakeinvestments incompaniesandwillthenworkalongside themastheyimplementexpansionstrategies.

“TheGrowthCapitalFundisthelargest everlocallymanagedequityfundforNI companies,”Chris Trottersaid.

“Whiterockhasbeenactivelysupportinglocal businessesforoveradecadeandourwellestablishedteamhasaproventrack recordof deployingfundsinthemarket. We are really keentohearfrombusinessesandtheiradvisors whowanttoexplorehowaminorityequity investmentcouldhelpthemaccelerategrowth andtakethemtothenextlevel.” ■

ItwasafullhouseattheGrowth CapitalFundlauncheventat WatermanHouseinBelfast

JosephBurns’familypicturedatthe unveilingofhismuralonLinenhall StreetwithFearghalMcKinney,left, headofBHFNorthernIreland

Leadingheartcharitymakes urgentfundingcalltotackle causesofsuddencardiacdeath

URGENCYCAMPAIGN

A powerfulmuraldedicatedto a 23-year-old northBelfastmanwhodiedsuddenlyhasbeen unveiledonBelfast’s LinenhallStreetaspartof a BritishHeartFoundation(BHF)campaignto raiseawarenessofsuddencardiacdeath.

Thestrikingartworkdepictspopularbarman andelectricianJosephBurns,whosuffered a suddencardiacarrestathisparents’home10 yearsagoinJuly2014.

Despitethebesteffortsofhisfamily, the emergencyservicesandhospitalmedicalteam, JosephsadlydiedinBelfast’s MaterHospital laterthatday

Just24hoursafterhistragicdeath,his

girlfriendSineaddiscoveredshewaspregnant withtheirdaughterBellawhoisnownineyears old.

Theyoungman’s familyspentmonthsnot knowinghowtheirsonandbrotherdied.

Joseph’s sisterJeanettesays:“WhenJoseph diedourfamilywere absolutelydevastated.He wastheonlyboyinourfamilyandeveryone justlovedhim,hewassowellknowninnorth Belfastandafterhisdeathsomanypeople contactedustosaywhat a gentlemanhewas. Hemadesuch a bigimpactonsomanypeople.

“We didn’t knowwhathadcausedhisdeath anditwashard dealingwiththatbecausewe

didn’t haveanyanswers. We were referred totheinheritedcardiacconditionsservicein Belfastandaftertestswediscoveredthatmy mumUnaand I carrythefaultygeneforLong QTsyndrome,soitisverylikelythatiswhat Josephdiedfrom.

“TheworktheBHFisdoinginraising awarenessofsuddencardiacdeathinthe youngissoimportant.Thiswillsadlyhappen againtootherfamilies,butas a familywehave dedicatedourselvestoraisingmoneyforBHF sinceJoseph’s deathbecausewewanttofund the researchthatwillsavelives.”

To donatetotheBritishHeartFoundation today, visitbhf.org.uk/untilidied

LIFESAVINGRESEARCH

A BritishHeartFoundation researcher, whose familyhailfromNorthern Ireland,isoneof a teamofscientistsworkingtodevelop a cure forinheritedheartmusclediseaseswhich affectaround8,000peoplehere.

Thecharity’s £30mCureHeartprogramme – themostambitious researchgrantinthe BHF’s history – aimstodevelopthefrstcures forinheritedheartmusclediseases.

DrKathrynMcGurk,whoseparentsare fromBelfastandNewry, is a cardiovascular geneticist,supportedby a BHFImmediate ResearchFellowship,andispartofthe ImperialCollegeLondonteamworkingonthe CureHeartProject.

DrMcGurksays:“My researchaimsto understandmore aboutthegeneticrisk factorsofcardiovasculardiseasesandtheir effectsonheartstructure andfunction.

“Thegoaloftheentire CureHeartteamis todevelopcuresforinheritedheartmuscle diseases,whichare theleadingcauseof suddencardiacdeathinyoungpeople. With theprogresswehavemade,wehopetobe abletostartclinicaltrialswithinfveyears.”

GlengormleymumSharon Lyttleknowsonly toowellhowinheritedheartdiseasecanhave a devastatingimpacton a family Shelosther husbandandtwosonstoheartconditions.

SharonandherhusbandNeilwere left distraughtinJune2008whentheireldestson Ryan(13)diedsuddenly

Thirteenmonthslater, Neil,whowasjust40 yearsofage,passedawayfromhypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HCM).

Ryan’s deathwassaidatthetimetohave beenthe resultofanasthma attack,butfollowing hisfather’s tragic passinginAugust 2009,itwas presumed theteenager alsohad a cardiomyopathy

Withher husbandand eldestson passing awayso closeto eachother,

Sharonmade sure youngest sonNiall(9)was screenedfor a cardiomyopathy andhewas diagnosedwith hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Sharonsays:“Becauseofwhathappened toNiall’s daddyandhisbrother, withhis diagnosis I madesure hewaskeptbusyso theheartconditiondidn’t holdhimback.

“Hewas a memberoftwolocalgolfclubs –hismainclubGreenacresandfor a whilehe playedattheHilton Templepatrick.Before hewas18,Greenacresaskedhimtoplayfor theirsocietyandhewasalsoJuniorCaptain.

“Niallhad a wonderfulpersonality Withit beingjustthetwoofusforsolong,wewere verycloseandhad a specialbond.Niallwould alwayssitandchatwithmeandmakesureI wasokay

OnNovember14,2018,10yearsafterhis brotherhadsadlydied,Niallwenton a Universityteam-buildingnightoutonthe Belfastpartybikes.Itwasthere hehad a cardiacarrest.

Bystandersworkedonhimwith a defbrillator andcalledanambulancebuthehadanother cardiacarrestintheambulance.

NiallwastakentotheICUattheRoyal VictoriaHospitalinBelfastandwithhisheart havingstopped,hewasplacedon a ventilator untilNovember18.Sadly, familyandmedical staff hadtotaketheheartbreakingdecision toturn theventilatoroff.

FiveyearsonandSharonsaysthepainof losingNiallnevergoesaway

“LosingNiallwas a livingnightmare especially afterwhatI’dgonethroughlosinghisbrother anddad.Havingsuch a closefamilycircle withmysistershasgotmethrough.

“IstillmeetwithNiall’s friendsand I cansee howmuchhemeanttothemallandhow muchheisstillmissed.Italsogivesmesome comforttoknowthatthetwoboysare now withtheirdaddy

“Peoplehavebeenamazingintheirsupport overthepastnumberofyearsbutmore needstobedonetohelppeopleoutthere sufferingfrominheritedheartconditions.”

Support crucial tohelp savelives

ByFearghalMcKinney,headofBHF NorthernIreland

“We’velaunchedtheurgencycampaignin Northern Irelandtohighlightthetragic reality that12youngpeopleundertheageof35are losteveryweektosuddencardiacdeathinthe UK.

“We’re sharingtheheartbreakingstoriesof localfamilieswhoknowonlytoowellthe unbearablepainofsuddencardiacdeathand wewanttothanktheBurnsfamilyandSharon Lyttlefortheirsupportinraisingawareness ofthedevastatingimpactinheritedheart conditionscanhave.

“Toomanylives,likeJosephBurnsandNiall and Ryan Lyttle,are beingtakentoosoonby suddencardiacdeath.Nooneshouldhave toexperiencethelossoftheirchild,sibling orparent,butsadlythatisthecruel realityof heartdisease – itdoesn’t discriminate.

“TheBHFisalreadycarryingout groundbreaking research,totreatandprevent thecausesofsuddencardiacdeath,butthere is stillmore todo.

“BHFcanonlyinvestintransformational researchlikethisthankstothegenerosityof ourloyalsupporters – soit’s vitalwehave continuedandincreasedsupportifwe’re to keepbackinglifesaving researchlikeCureHeart.

“Ifyou,as a business,wouldliketopartnerBHF Northern Irelandtohelppreventotherfamilies goingthroughthisheartbreakpleasegetin touch.” ■

To fndoutmoreaboutBHFNI’s lifesaving workandhowyoucanhelp,please contactOrlaCopelandat copelando@bhf.org.uk orcall07714069129.

PROF IL E

DrKathryn McGurk

Niall Lyttlewhodied fromacardiacarrest

BoostingNorther n Ireland’s economy withemployee-ownedtrusts

Employeeownershipandthebeneftsitcanbringtobusinessesandthelocal economyareincreasinglyatthefore. We lookedatthelargestemployee-owned TrustinNorthernIreland,Newry-based S&WWholesale,tobetterunderstandwhy thisbusinessmodelissosuccessful

AspartofUnitas,thelargest independentbuyinggroupinthe UK,S&WWholesaleservice2,500 businessesacrosstheislandofIreland.

Switchingtoemployeeownershiphas resulted innovisibledifferenceintheday-to-day runningofthebusiness,butthebeneftsfor employeeshavebeennotable.

“Whenthecompanydoeswell,theemployees, asbenefciaries,willdowell.Thenatureof thestructureallowsforincentivessuchas tax-freebonusesandotherinducementsasthe businessmodelcontinuestomature,”Michael Skelton,chiefexecutive,S&WWholesalesays.

Assuch,employeesfeelmoreinvestedin their roles,andmorevalued.Andthisnot onlypositivelyaffectsemployee retention,but productivity,too.

S&Wisboththelargestandoneofthe oldestcompaniestobecomeanemployeeownedtrust. With108yearsinbusiness, implementingthisnewmodelbrought assurancetostakeholdersthatthefutureof thebusinesswouldbesecure.

“Wehavealoyaltytoourpeople,customers, andsupplypartners,”AnthonyMcVeigh, deputychiefexecutiveandchieffnancial offcer,says.

“Beingboughtoutandswallowedupby abiggercompanyjustisn’tanoption. Andnowwithournewpurpose-builtsite currentlyunderway,we’redemonstratingour commitmenttogrowthandourambitionfor thefuture.”

S&Wisn’ttheonlyoneexcitedbythebenefts

ofemployeeownership.AttheOwnership SuccessioneventinBelfastthissummer, EconomyMinisterConorMurphysaid:“The ‘PeoplePoweredGrowthReport’,which underpinstoday’sevent,makesforinspiring reading.Ithighlightsthecontributionof theemployeeownershipmodeltodriving productivity,tocreatingmoregoodjobs,and toinvestingintheskillsoftheirworkforce; allkeyobjectivesofmyplanforthenorth’s economy.”

NorthernIreland’seconomyhasgrownbyover 30%since2000,accordingto recentfgures fromtheNorthernIrelandAssembly.And yetit’sstilllowerthantheUnitedKingdom average(40%)andtheotherdevolvednations ofScotland(38.6%)and Wales(33%).Social enterpriseandbusinessmodelslikeemployee ownershipwillgiveNorthernIrishbusinesses morefeasibleexitstrategies,whilehelping

increaseoutputandimproveoutcomes throughbetterstaffengagement.Andthiscan onlybegoodnewsforoureconomy.

Indeed,forS&W,thedecisiontobecomean employee-ownedtrustwasagoodone.Inthe yearandahalfsince,theyhaveintroduced bi-annualpaymentstoallstafftotallingmore than£500,000.

Thenthere’stheirnew£15mdistributionhub inNewry,whichwillcreateevenmorejobsin thelocalcommunitybesidesthemorethan 250peopletheyalreadyemploy.Andwiththe furthergrowthofitssymbolbrandNearbyto almost150stores,aswellasits recentwinsat theGrocerMarketing AwardsforBestIn-Store ConsumerPromotion,DigitalCampaignand theLeaderinMarketing AwardforDaniel Comiskey,S&W’sbrandmarketinglead,it’s beenagreatyearforthecompanyall round.

donnellyfresh: where tastemeetsimagination

donnellyfresh’smantrais“where tastemeetsimagination”–bringing innovationandexpertiseto NorthernIreland’s retailandfoodservice market.

JamesO’Connor,groupchiefexecutiveat donnellyfresh,introducesthecompany’s excitingofferingstotheNorthernIreland market.“Ourjourneybeganin1979withthe Donnellyfamily,andwe’vebeencommittedto providingthehighestqualityfreshfoodever since,”Jamessays.

“Fromgrowingourownfreshvegetables,to workinginpartnershipwithgrowers,both locallyandglobally,andproducingsomeofthe highestqualityvalue-added ready-to-eat/readyto-cookranges,wecantrulysaywehavea complete‘feldtofork’offering.

Thedonnellyfreshgroupoperatesthree interconnectedbusinesses;farms,produceand foods.

Itsvalues;progressive,adventurous,inspiring andgrounded,areatthecoreofeverything thecompanydoes.

donnellyfresh.produceoffersanextensive rangeoffruitsandvegetablesinbrandand privatelabelandofferscustomersolutions includinglogistics,in-housefruitripening, categorymanagementandthird-partyservice provision.“Aswellasbeinggrowersourselves wehavemanyvaluedlong-termlocaland globalgrowingpartners”Jamessays.

“We’reproudtobeoneofthelargest vegetablegrowersinIreland,focusingoncrops thatthriveinourclimate.“Ourfarming roots keepusgroundedandclosetothesource, ensuringthatconsumershaveaccesstofresh, seasonallocallygrownproduceallyear round.”

donnellyfresh.foodsspecialisesinvalueaddedinnovation,producingarangeoffresh delisaladsandpreparedvegetablelines.

“Weunderstandthebusylifestylesoftoday’s consumers,”Jamessays.“Our ready-to-eat and ready-to-cooksolutionsofferconvenience withoutcompromisingonqualityortaste.”

Thecompany’sbroadrangeofproducts includespremium ready-to-cooklinessuchas Chinese-inspiredStirFryand ready-to-eatlines

suchasFalafelMezzeLayeredSaladPotand GreekStyleOrzoPastaSalad,alongwithafull rangeofbulkdelisaladsforthefoodservice marketand retaildelicounteroffering.

AvisionforNorthernIreland

“We’reexcitedtobringourinnovative productsandsolutionstoNorthernIreland andhaveappointedfoodindustryandtrade expert,CarolineDalzell,toleadourbusiness development”Jamessays.

“Carolinewillbeworkingwithboththe retail andfoodservicemarketstobringourtasty andexcitingrangeofproductstoNI,thatwill deliverinnovationandgrowthinthemarket.

Thetradecanlookforwardtoworkingwith anewprogressivesupplierandconsumers canenjoyawiderangeofhigh-quality, convenientandinnovativefoodoptionsthat catertomodernlifestyleswhilemaintaininga connectiontolocalfarmingtraditions. ■

Harlandand Wolff: Government rulesoutsupportover‘substantial

risktaxpayermoneywouldbelost’

TheGovernmenthasruledout offeringfnancialsupportto Harlandand Wolffbecauseof“a verysubstantialriskthattaxpayermoney wouldbelost”.

Inastatement,Labourbusinesssecretary JonathanReynoldssaidthatfollowinga review, thegovernmenthasdecidedagainstproviding aguaranteetobailouttheailingshipyard.

Thecompany,whichispartofaconsortium thatlandedamajorcontracttobuildnew RoyalNavyships,hadappliedfora£200m loanguaranteefromthegovernmentaspart ofeffortsto restructureitsfnances.

InthestatementMrReynoldssaid:“While suchadecisionisnoteasy,itismyassessment, followingextensiveengagementbymyoffcials withmarketplayers,thatHMGovernment fundingwouldnotnecessarilysecureour objectivesandthereisaverysubstantialrisk thattaxpayermoneywouldbelost.

“Thegovernmentbelieves,inthisinstance, thatthemarketisbestplacedto resolvethe commercialmattersfacedbyHarlandand Wolff.”

MrReynoldsemphasisedthatthegovernment iscommittedtosupportingUKshipbuilding.

TheBelfast-basedshipyardcompany,famous forbuildingtheill-fated Titanic, recently saidthatitsapplicationfora£200mExport DevelopmentGuaranteehadbeen rejected.

Thecompany,whichhassubstantialdebts,is nowdiscussinganemergencyloanwithits existinglender.

Harlandand Wolff,whosetwincranesSamson andGoliathdefnetheBelfastskyline,had beencontractedtobuildthreefeetshipsfor

theRoyalNavyaspartofa£1.6bncontract.

Itemploys1,500employeesacrosstheUK, with500basedinBelfast.

Lastyear,theshipyarddelivereditsfrstship in20yearsasitwascontractedtobuild23 bargesforaLondon-basedwastemanagement frm,Cory.

EastBelfastMP,GavinRobinson,toldBBC NewsNI’sGoodMorningUlsterthatthe contractstillputstheshipyardinamuchbetter placethanitwasjustfveyearsago,whenit wentintoadministration.

MeanwhileUnitegeneralsecretarySharon Grahamsaid:“Harlandand Wolff’sworkforce andtheshipyardstheyworkinareofcritical strategicimportance.

“FiveyearsafterUnitememberssecured Harlandand Wolff’ssurvivalinBelfast,the politicalfocusmustnowbeonattracting stakeholderswhoarecommittedtobuildinga

long-termfuture,ratherthanthoselookingto turnaquickproft.

“Ihavebeenveryclearwithministersthatour unionwillleavenostoneunturnedtodefend thesevitalassetsandUnitehasbeenengaging positivelywithseniorgovernmentoffcialsin ordertoensurethatthishappens.”

MattRobertsfromtheGMBunionadded: “Theseareworryingtimesforworkersand theirfamiliesinNorthernIreland,Scotlandand theSouth West.

“TheseyardshavebeenattheheartofUK manufacturingforcenturies-frombuildingthe TitanictotheshipsthatdefeatedtheArmada.

“Nowtheyarecriticaltoourfuturesecurity inbuildingtheFleetSolidSupportshipsfor ournavyandinprovidingthe renewables infrastructureneededto reachnetzero.

“Theseyardsmustbesavedandtheirlongtermsustainablefuturesecured.”

TheHarlandand Wolff ShipyardinBelfast

MarconFitout: marking20years asaleadinginterior

ﬁt-outﬁrm

Antrim-based MarconFitout iscontinuingtowork withsomeoftheworld’sbiggestbrandswithplansto expandfurther.It’sgrownintoa£40mbusinessinjust twodecadesbuthasaspirationstoexpandfurtherstill

Fit-outspecialistMarconis a company whichhasworkedwithsomeofthe biggestglobalbrandsandbusinesses includingGuinnessStorehouse,Miele, TheNorthFace,Allstate,McDonald’s restaurantsandTitanicBelfast.

It’s nowmarking20yearsinbusiness – set upbyco-foundersMarkO’ConnorandMark McElroyin2004 – andisheadingforitsbusiest yearyet,aftercreating20newjobsoverthe lasttwoyearsinsupportofitssustainable growthplan.

Marconworksacross a rangeofsectors, including retail,commercial,hotels,hospitality trade,heritage,andquickservice restaurants – withMcDonald’s oneofitsbiggestclients havingundertakenover600projectsforthe Globalfast-foodgiant.

“We are nowsittingataround75employees andhavehadourbusiestyeartodate,”Mark McElroysaid.

“We haveenjoyedanotherbusyyearworking withMcDonald’s on a varietyofdifferent typesofprojectsincludingthe refurbishment ofexistingstores,newbuildstoresandthe conversionofexistingtrading restaurantsto McDonald’s.

Above:TheImperial WarMuseuminLondonwhichMarconrecentlyworkedon,andright:AMarconﬁt-outforMiele inLondon

“We havealsobeenverybusywithJD Wetherspoon – workingoncomplexprojects thatincludethe refurbishmentofexisting barsand restaurantsandalsoexpandinginto assistingthemwiththeirhoteloffering.”

The ﬁrm,whichhasitsownin-housejoinery workshopatitsAntrimbase,deliveredthe ﬁt outfortheinitialbuildof TitanicBelfastin 2012includingtheoriginal TitanicExperience galleries,andlastyearwastaskedwiththe bespokejoineryitemsandsetworkdisplaysas partoftheworld-leadingattraction’s multimillion-pound refreshmentprogrammeto a numberofgalleries.

Thenature ofthe ﬁt-outsectoriscustomerand public-facing,soit’s keythatcompaniesinvest inthecorrectspecialiststocarryitout.Marcon remainsoneofthoseleadingthewaywithits considerablebreadthandcompanyportfolio.

“Forus,it’s aboutdeliveringprojectsontime, oncostandtothehighestqualitystandard,” MarkMcElroysaid.“Andthat’s reallywhere Marcon’s experiencecomesin. We tryanddo asmuchheavyliftingfortheclientaspossible – sortingoutthechallengesasandwhenthey emerge.”

MarkO’ConnorsaidMarconhas ﬁrmly

TheGuinnessStorehouse inDublinwhichwas ﬁttedbyMarcon

establishedits reputationinthemuseumand heritagesector

“There continuestobe a growingnumberof opportunitiesinthatarea,”hesays.“Alongside thequickservice restaurantsector, whichhas shown a lotofgrowth.”

Hesaidit’s notabout“goingaftereverything” butinstead,workingwithbusinessesand internationalbrandswhich ﬁt wellwith Marcon.

“It’s aboutlikemindedbusinessesand individuals,alongwiththeopportunityfor multiplelocations.Forus,it’s importantthatthe clientis a good ﬁt withourethos.”

ThemajorityofMarcon’s businesstakesplace inGB – around80% – andthe restisspread acrossIreland.

“Oneofourbiggeststrengthsisthatwecan manufacturea lotofthejoineryourselves,” MarkO’Connorsaid.

“We haveourownin-housespecialistjoinery team,whichhasgreatexperienceandis equippedwithcuttingedgemachinery Ifclients have a tightturnaround,ourteamisuptothe testtobeabletodelivertop-quality, bespoke joineryfortheirevery requirement.

“We alsohaveanextensivenetworkofhigh qualitysitemanagersandskilledjoiners,along with robustsupplychainsacrosstheUKand Ireland.”

Ofcourse,challenges remainforthewider sector MarkMcElroysaidthatthisincludes ﬁndingskilledstaff whohavetherightattitude andthenextgenerationofitsworkforce.

Lookingahead,Marconisworkingon a major heritageprojectattheHullMaritimeMuseum.

“We’re proudthatour reputationspeaksfor itself,”MarkMcElroysaid.“We are continuing tobethe ﬁt-outspecialistofchoiceforlarger museumandexhibitionattractions,andthat’s a realvoteofconﬁdenceforus.It’sa testament totheworkwe’vebeeninvolvedwithinthe heritagesector.”

Marconisgrowingitsownheadcountandis currently recruitingfornewstaff.

“We havedevelopedprocesseswhichweknow work,”MarkO’Connorsaid. We have a very strong record of repeatclients(around90%). We knowwhatweare doingandwe’re going togrowanddevelopthatfurther.”

AndMarconisputtingsustainabilityatthe forefrontofitsfuture growthplans.“That’s highontheagenda,”MarkO’Connorsays.

“We are lookingcloseratwhat a sustainable ﬁt-outlookslikeintheyearsahead.”

Thatincludeslowenergyuse,sustainable materials,cuttingdownonwastecomingoff theprojects,andensuringsub-contractorsare alsoworkinginaneco-friendlymanner

MarkMcElroysaid:“We are delightedtobein thepositiontomarkour20thyearinbusiness andare conﬁdentthatwe’re wellplacedfor continuedsuccessandhaveexcitingplansin place.

“Whileweare wellknownfortheworkthat wecarryoutinthe retail,heritageandleisure sectors – thehospitalityandtourismindustry isonethatweseeas a keyareaofgrowthfor usandwelookforward tobuildingonthe greatworkthatweare doingforourcurrent customersandincreasingourclientbaseinthis areainthemonthsandyearsahead.”

“Oursuccessoverthelasttwodecadesisalso thankstoourtalentedteamsofemployees andweare verythankfulfortheircontinued commitmentanddedication. We are delighted topartnerwithourforward thinkingclients, andweenjoywatchingtheirownincredible growth,theyhavealsoplayed a key roleinour successtodateandwethankthemfortheir continuedsupport,”MarkO’Connorsaid. ■

Marconco-foundersMarkMcElroyandMarkO’Connor picturedatlocalclient TitanicBelfast

Chartinggrowth: DohertyPICmakes movetoRiverHouse withMattioli Woods

DohertyPIC,nowpartoftheMattioli Woodsplc group,isrelocatingtothesixthfoorofRiverHouse inBelfast’sCathedralQuarterthissummer,marking asignifcantmilestoneinitsevolutionsincejoining forceswithMattioli WoodsinAprillastyear

WealthmanagementfrmDoherty PIC,nowboastingateamof over40staffmembers,has secured5,815sqftofprimeoffcespace toaccommodateitsexpandingworkforce, includingtheintegrationoftheSSAS SolutionsteamfromMattioli Woods.

Thisstrategicmovecomesontheheelsof ayearmarkedby remarkablegrowth,with DohertyPICachievinga20%increasein revenueandsignifcantlyexpandingitsclient basethroughoutNorthernIreland.Managing over£600minassetsandbeneftingfrom Mattioli Woods’extensiveadvisoryexperience with£15bninclientassets,DohertyPIC isuniquelypoisedtooffercomprehensive fnancialplanningsolutionsthatcatertoboth corporateandindividualneeds.

DohertyPIC, renownedforitsholisticapproach tofnancialplanningandcommitmentto meetingdiversefnancialgoals,issetfor thesignifcantmilestonewith TerryLappin, managingdirector,expressingenthusiasm

aboutthefrm’supcomingmovetoRiver House,emphasisingitspivotal rolein accommodatinggrowthandenhancingservice delivery.

RefectingonthesynergybetweenDohertyPIC andMattioli Woods,AlanThomson,directorat DohertyPIC,emphasisedhowtheacquisition hasstrengthenedtheircapabilitiesin specialistpensionsanddiscretionaryportfolio management.“Theintegrationhasallowed ustoleverageMattioli Woods’expertiseand resources,empoweringustobetterserveour clientsandexpandourmarket reach,”hesaid.

Discretionaryfundmanagement(DFM) Buildingonthisenhancedcapacity,Doherty PIChasrunitsowndiscretionaryfund managementservicesince2022,offering tailoredfnancialsolutionstoitsclients.Over thepasttwodecades,thefrmhasdiligently curatedportfolios, resultinginover£600min assetsunderadministration.Thisfgureisset toexperiencesubstantialgrowthinthecoming years.

Thefrm’sexpertiseininvestment management,particularlythroughits discretionaryfundmanagementservice, underscoresitscommitmenttotailored fnancialsolutions.Managedbyahighly experiencedinvestmentteam,thisservice activelyoverseesportfoliostooptimise returns acrossvaryingrisklevels.

Thisserviceoffersclientssophisticatedportfolio managementcharacterisedbyenhanced diversifcation,proactiveriskmanagement, andtimelyadjustmentsinformedbythelatest marketinsights.“Ourapproachseamlessly integratesadvisoryserviceswithdiscretionary fundmanagement,ensuringclientsbeneft fromacohesivestrategyalignedwiththeir fnancialgoals,” Terrysaid.

Self-investedpensionsolutions(SSAS) PartofDohertyPIC’ssuccessandspecialisation

liesinitsprovisionofself-investedpension solutions.Theycurrentlyenjoytheunique positioninNorthernIrelandastheonly dedicatedproviderofbothitsownin-house smallself-administeredscheme(SSAS)andselfinvestedpersonalpension(SIPP).ASSASallows clientswiththeirowncompaniestomanage theirpensionfundsindependentlywithintheir ownpensiontrust,withoutinvolvingathirdpartytrusteeoradministrator.

TerryconfrmedthatDohertynowmanages anextensiveportfolioexceeding400SSAS schemesacrossNorthernIreland. WithMattioli Woodsoverseeingapproximately2,400SSAS schemes,thecombinedexpertiseoffersclients awealthofexperiencetodrawuponand beneftfrom.

Lookingahead,DohertyPICispoisedfor continuedsuccess,boastinga40%increase

SomemembersoftheDohertyPICandMattioli Woodsteams picturedatthenewoffcelocatedatRiverHouseinBelfastcitycentre

initsSSASportfoliosincelastyearanda signifcantriseinclientenquiries,underscoring itsgrowinginfuenceinthefnancialplanning sector.Theupcoming relocationtoRiver Housesignifesnotjustaphysicalmovebuta strategicadvancementtowardfurthermarket growthandinnovation.

Self-investedpensionplans(SIPPs) Inadditiontothesedevelopments,aspart oftheMattioli WoodsGroup,theMattioli WoodsSIPP,whichofferspersonalclients similarcontrolandfexibilitytothatofaSSAS, isnowpartoftheenhancedsuiteoffnancial productsthatDohertyPICcanofferitsclients. UnlikealotofSIPPsonthemarket,whichcan bequiteprescriptiveintermsofwhatyoucan andcannotdowithyourpension,theMattioli WoodsSIPPtrulyoffersafullyfexibleandcosteffectiveself-investedpensionforindividuals. JohnDooher,businessdevelopmentdirector

atDohertyPICstressedthat“notonlyisthe fexibility,controlandexcellentservicehugely compelling,buttheimportanceofalarge, fnanciallysecureSIPPprovidercannotbe overstated,especiallyinthewakeof recentSIPP companycollapses,suchasHartleyPensions”.

AsDohertyPICcontinuestoexpandits footprintinfnancialplanningacrossNorthern Ireland,itsstrategicfocusonSSASschemes hasproveninstrumental.Asa resultofthese developmentsandgrowthinotherareasofthe company,DohertyPICplanstoexpanditsteam, facilitatingopportunitiesforinternalpromotions aswell.

LorraineRodgers,operationsdirectoratDoherty PIC,said:“Theacquisitionhasprovidedus withtheleveragetonavigatethe recruitment landscapemoreeffectively,creatingfurther opportunitiesforourexistingstaffand>

enablingustoofferamorecompetitive packageinthemarket. Withthesupportof Mattioli Woods’marketing,fnance,andHR teams,wecannowfocusongrowingour businessinNorthernIreland.”

Employeebenefts

AspartoftheMattioli Woodsgroup,Doherty PIChasextendeditsemployeebeneftsproduct portfolio.Thecollaborationhaspermittedthe twoareastocombineexpertiseand resources, resultingininnovativeofferingstoclients. Onesuchadvancementisaccesstoemployee beneftportalsuniquetoNorthernIreland. Theseinnovativeportalshavebeendeveloped byMattioli Woodsandallowsemployeesto readilyviewandpersonalisetheiremployee beneftspackage.

Inadditiontoenhancingserviceofferings, otherbeneftsforDohertyPIChaveincluded theexpansionofoursynergies,sharingof ideas,increasing resourcesandmostofall improvingandexpandingouremployee beneftproducts.

StephenCross,employeebeneftsdirectorat DohertyPICsaid:“Mattioli WoodsandDoherty PICworkcohesivelytogether.Thisisachieved

throughonsitevisitstopartnersitesintheUK andNorthernIreland,withmembersofthe DohertyPICemployeebeneftsteam,having recentlyattendedtheMattioli Woodsquarterly corporatebeneftsmeetinginManchester. Theteamfoundtheeventstobebenefcial toourcontinuedsuccessofbeingtheleading providerofemployeebeneftsinNorthern Ireland”.

IanMattioli,co-founderandchiefexecutive atMattioli Woodsagrees.“Workingwith DohertyPIChasallowedustodevelopand exploreopportunitieswedidnotpreviously haveinNorthernIreland,”hesaid.“Moving toRiverHouseisthelogicalnextstepinour commitmentnotjusttothoseatDohertyPIC, buttoourclientsandpotentialclientsacross the region,andsomethingI’mpersonally excitedtosee.”

Additionally,underscoringitscommitmentto thelocalbusinesscommunityandfostering networkingopportunities,Mattioli Wood isoneofthesponsorsoftheprestigious President’sBanquetthisyear.Organisedbythe NorthernIrelandChamberofCommerceand Industry,thisblack-tieeventdrawsover900 guestsfromthebusinesscommunityandlocal

government,featuringadistinguishedkeynote speech.ThissponsorshiphighlightsMattioli Woods’supportforlocalbusinessesandits dedicationtoenhancingbusiness relationships acrossNorthernIreland.

AsDohertyPICpreparestosettleintoitsnew headquartersatRiverHouse,theteamiseager toembarkonthisnextchapteroftheirjourney, confdentintheirabilitytobuildontheir strongfoundationsanddelivervaluetoclients acrossthe region.

“Lookingbackonthepastthreedecades andwithaclearvisionforthefuture,we atDohertyPICalongwithourcolleagues atMattioli Woodsareexcitedaboutthe opportunitiesaheadaswecontinuetogrow andinnovateinthefnancialservicesindustry, pavingthewayforthenextsuccessfulthirty years,” TerryLappinsaid. ■

DohertyPICisrelocatingtotherecently-refurbishedoffcesatRiverHouse

Salessoaramong Top 100 reaching record levelsbutprofts take dip

The UlsterBusiness Top100NorthernIrelandCompanies2024,inassociationwith KPMG,showcasestheperformanceofourbiggestandbestbusinesses.Analyst JonathanCushley,whocompiledthelist,breaksdownallthekeyfactsand fguresfromthisyear’sleadingbusinesslist

The36thcompilationofthe Ulster Business Top100NorthernIreland Companies,inassociationwith KPMG,showsthatexceptionallystrong sales resultshavebeenpostedbyour majorbusinesses.

Theperformanceofthe Top100companies shows recordsalesof£35.2bn,upsome17% onprioryearperformance.

However,averagepre-taxproftsfellby8%to

£1.32bn,whileshareholdervaluegrew.

The UlsterBusiness Top100Listing incorporatesthe resultsofNorthernIreland domiciledcompanies,eitherNorthernIreland registeredorwhenasignifcantportionofthe company’sbusinessisdrivenandtransacted throughthe region.

Forthe2024listingthemajorityoffgures relatetolate2022or2023fnancialyearend flings–inessenceaperiod representingwhen

companiesfled resultsforthefrst-timepost pandemic.

Sincetheinceptionofthe Top100listingmore than30yearsago,turnoverhasbeenusedas thekeyidentiferofperformance,however, wealso reviewpre-taxproftandshareholder value(tangiblenetworth)providinga rounded viewonindividualcompanyand Top100 performance.

Forbenchmarkingpurposescomparisonshave

JonathanCushley

beenmadewithprevious Top100editions. Thesecomparisonswillinclude resultsfor companiesthatarenolongerincludedin thecurrent Top100listing,thisisduetothe fuidityoffnancialperformance.

TURNOVER

Salesgeneratedbythecompanieslistedinthe 2024 Top100increasedby17%to£35.2bn from£30.1bn.Thisisthelargestsalesfgure generatedbythe Top100sincethelisting’s inception.

Ithasseensomeexceptionalperformances, forthefrsttimesixindividualcompanieshave exceeded£1bninsales,withaseventhAlmac GroupLtdalmostcertainlylikelytobreakthe barrierintimeforthe2025listing.

MoyParkHoldings(Europe)Ltdhas regained thetopspotfromW&RBarnettLtd,with LCCGroupLtd,PowerNIEnergyLtd,John HendersonHoldingsLtdandJohnGraham HoldingsLtdallachievingoverthe£1bnsales mark.

Apointofnote,LCCGroupLtd’sturnover foryearending31/03/2023 relatestoan 18-monthaccountingperiod.

Bothsalesandpre-taxproftabilityperformance weresignifcantlyimpactedby resultsposted byRandoxHoldingsLtdwhichdroppedfrom 14onthelistto62. Turnoverdroppedbysome £452.3mandpre-taxproftby£229.4m.

Anotherfrstforthe Top100listingisthatonly onecompanylisted(D&WCarlisleLtd)posted asub£100mturnover–bodingwellforthe 2025listingwheninalllikelihoodall100frms’ turnoverwillexceed£100mforthefrsttime.

PROFITABILITY

Asmentioned,thesales/turnoverofthe Top 100hasgrownby17%,howeverconversely theproftabilityofthecompanieshas disappointinglydecreasedby8%to£1.3bn from£1.4bninthecorrespondingfnancial period.

Unfortunately,ninecompanieswithinthe Top 100madepre-taxlosses,theseaccounted>

TOP10MOSTPROFITABLECOMPANIES

TOP100YEARONYEARSALES(£B)

JeffMcCartney

forsome£592m.Thisperformance representsanoveralldecreaseinproft margin(pre-taxproft/sales)acrossthelisting to3.7%againstaprioryearproftmarginof 4.8%.

TANGIBLENETWORTH(SHAREHOLDER RETURN)

Thefnalmeasurewetendtousetogaugea company’ssuccessthatwe reviewisitsvalue toitsshareholders.Initssimplestformthisis calculatedastheshareholdersfunds(issued capital)and retainedearnings(intangible assets).

Thevalueofthisyear’s Top100Northern IrelandCompaniessitsat£10.4bn.

Sixofthecompaniesshowedanegative tangiblenetworth,aconditioninwhicha company’sliabilitiesexceeditsassets.

Theshareholders returnforthe100 companiesequatestoproft/tangiblenet worthasapercentageof12.7%.

Salestoequityratiodefnedasturnover/ tangiblenetworth,indicateshowmany poundsaregeneratedwitheachpoundof investment–forthelatestfled resultsthis equatesto3.4.

TOP10MOSTPROFITABLECOMPANIES

ConorMulligan

TOP10MOST VALUABLECOMPANIES

EMPLOYEES

The UlsterBusiness Top100employsatotal of102,720people,ﬁgureslifteddirectlyfrom eachcompany’sﬁnancialaccountsshow.

Eachemployeewithinthe Top100accounted for£342,815turnover–sales/employee andaccountedfor£12,840proﬁt–proﬁt/ employee.

Thetop10companiesemploy31%ofthe Top 100’sworkforce.

LOCATION

Thisyear’s Top100Listingmirroredthatof 2023–63companies remainwitheitherhead ofﬁceor registeredaddresslocatedintheeast, with37locatedinthewest.

NOTES

1. LCCGroupLtd results relatetoan 18-monthperiod.

2. McLaughlin&HarveyHoldingsLtdprior year results relatetoan18-monthperiod.

3. SpiritAeroSystems,SchraderElectronics LtdandSeagate Technology(Ireland)all ﬁleaccountsinUSdollars.Foranalysis purposesdollarvalueshavebeen convertedtosterlingatthe relevant exchangerateatﬁnancialyearend.

4. LakelandDairiesLtdﬁlesaccountsin euro.Foranalysispurposeseurovalues havebeenconvertedtosterlingatthe relevantexchangerateatﬁnancialyear end.

5. BothSSEAirtricityEnergySupply(NI) LtdandSSEAirtricityGasSupply(NI)Ltd areseparatesubsidiariesofSSEplc.

6. AdateoftheJune28,2024,has beenusedasthecutofffortheﬁlingof accountsfortheinclusioninthisyear’s UlsterBusiness Top100.

7. Thelistinghasbeencompiledbyusing datasourcedfromCompaniesHouse.

IvanRyan

COMPANY LTD CRANSWICK COUNTRY FOODS FIRMUS ENERGY (SUPPLY) LT INVESTMENTS LTD MZURI GROUP LTD KINGSPAN WATER&ENERGY LTD LACPATRICK DAIRIES(NI) LTD TBF THOMPSON

LTD DONNELLY BROS GARAGES (DUNGANNON) LTD DIAGEO NORTHERN IRELAND

SCOTT& SONS (FUELS) LTD GH CONCRETEPRODUCTS LTD CLEARWAY DISPOSALS LTD JAMESEMCC

DEVENISH (NI)

ORBROOK

(NI) NORTHERNIREL

INDUSTRIES

SEVERFIELD (NI) LTD NORTHERNIREL

SHORTBROTHERS DEVENISH (NI) LTD WESTL AND

Y CHARLESHURS ONE (NI) NORTHERNIREL AND TRANSPORT HOLDING CO MCALEER& RUSHE CONTRACTS

HARVEY HOLDINGS FRYLITE OOK LABORATORIES LTD MAXOLOIL LTD SONI FIRMUS ENERGY (SUPPLY) DUNNES STORES HALDANEGROUP LTD COOLKEERAGHESB IMED ARD INTERNATIONAL LTD MEDWYNHOLDING LTD MCBURNEYTRANSPORT GROUP LTD COMMERCIAL SHIPPING COMPANY OILS LTD SHS GR YVESEYINDUSTRIES LTD JOHN GRAHAMHOLDINGS LTD FD TECHNOLOGIES PLC CHARLESBRAND GROUP LTD SEAGATETECHNOLOGY (IRELAND) SEVERFIELD (NI) LTD NORTHERNIREL AND ELECTRICITY NET WORKS LTD COOLKEERAGH ESB LTD LAKEL AND DAIRIES(NI) LTD STRATHROY DAIRY LT LTD BRETT MARTINHOLDINGS LTD S&W NEARBYHOLDINGS LTD EAKIN HEALTHCARE GROUP LTD ALLSTATE NORTHERNIREL AND LTD HERON HALL TRADING LTD FOYLE FOOD GROUP LTD CIRCLEK ENERGY LTD MORGAN FUEL & LUBES LTD LYNNʼS COUNTRY FOODS LTD NORTHSTONE(NI)L D SCHRADER ELECTRONICS LTD GREENFIELDSIREL AND LTD MACNAUGHTON BL AIR LTD CDE GROUP HOLDINGS LTD MCCLOSKEY INTERNAT KINGSBRIDGE HEALTHCARE GROUP LTD THE SYCAMORE AVENUE COMPANY LTD CRANSWICK COUNTRY FOODS FIRMUS ENERGY (SUPPLY) LT INVESTMENTS LTD MZURI GROUP LTD KINGSPAN WATER&ENERGY LTD LACPATRICK DAIRIES(NI) LTD TBF THOMPSON (GARVAGH) LTD DALE OILS LTD MCL AUGHLIN& HARVEY HOLDINGS LTD SHORT BROTHERS CLDN RORO LTD (SEATRUCK) D&W CARLISLE LTD LAGAN HOMES GROUP RANDOXHOLDINGS LTD DONNELLY BROS GARAGES (DUNGANNON) LTD DIAGEO NORTHERN IRELAND LTD TW SCOTT& SONS (FUELS) LTD GH CONCRETEPRODUCTS LTD CLEARWAY DISPOSALS LTD JAMESEMCC

MillarMcCall Wylielaysfoundations

asitrelocatestorestoredPrintworks

LeadinglawfrmMillarMcCallWylie recently relocateditscitycentre teamtothe restored Victorian-era PrintworksbuildinginBelfast’sQueen Street.

Themoveisastrategicsteptowardsthe futureforthefrm,asitcontinuestogrow itsemployeeandclientbaseacrossawide spectrumoflegalservices.

Fortyfvestaffarenowoccupyingthe Printworksbase,providinglegalexpertise acrossareasincludingcorporate,fnancial, realestate,media,commercial,employment, family/matrimonial,dataprotectionand insolvency.

Around15 residentialpropertyandprivate clientspecialistsarebasedatthefrm’s longstandingsuccessfuleastBelfastsitein Ballyhackamore.Thefrmhasplanstofurther growitsemployeebaseacrossbothsitesby 20%inthenextthreeyears.

Havingundergonemajorinvestmentbyowners AngusProperties,thePrintworkshasbeen extensively restored,withMillarMcCallWylie becomingthefrsttenantstooccupythespace.

ChristopherMcCandless,chiefoperating offceratthefrm,ledthe relocationproject.

“Wealwaystrytodothingsalittledifferently –andprideourselvesonbeingaprogressive, locally-owned,independentfrmthathaslong established rootsinBelfast,”hesaid.

“ThePrintworkscouldn’tbeamoreperfect choiceforourcitycentreteam.Itisan excellentlocationinanareathatisundergoing agreatdealof regeneration,whilethebuilding itselfissteepedinheritageandhasbeen restoredinawaythatcombinestheoriginal industrialaestheticwithmoderndesign.

“Webelieveourclientsandstaffalikewill appreciatetheatmosphereofthespace. We haveanopenplanoffceflledwith naturallightandseveralsoundproofpods andbreakoutareas.Featuresliketheoriginal exposedceilingjoints,theoutdoorterraceand thecastironcolumnsmakeitfeelparticularly special.”

Inanincreasinglycompetitivemarketplace, managingpartnerJanCunninghambelieves thatthefrm’snewoffces,combinedwithits breadthofexpertise,meansthefrmcanoffer auniquesolutionforclientsinNorthernIreland andavaluablecareerpathforlegaltalent.

“Thelegalmarkethaschangeddramatically in recentyears. We frmlybelievethatby

cultivatingourapproachableculture;focusing on resultsforourclientsandprovidingafrst classworkingenvironmentforourpeople, wewillcontinuetosetourselvesapartfrom thecompetition.

“Wehaveincrediblytalentedlawyersand supportstaffworkingforusandyearonyear we’rekeentowelcomefreshtalentfrom alllevelsandbackgrounds. We believein helpingpeoplemaximisetheirpotentialand thatoftenmeanslettingthemtryvarious areasoflawbeforetheydecidetospecialise.

“We’vealwaysbeenveryproudofbothour basesinthecitycentreandBallyhackamore –bothofwhichplayanintegral roleinour overallsuccessandallowustoofferexpertise foreveryoneatdifferentstagesoftheir personalandbusinesslife.

“Thismoveisaboutcontinuingtobuild onthesolidfoundationthathasbeenlaid downuntilnow,andlookingtoMillar McCallWylie’sfuturewitha realsenseof confdence.” ■

CarolinePrunty,JanCunninghamandDamianMcParlandatMillarMcCall Wylie’snewpremisesatThePrintworks

HendersonGroupinvests£52m salesbackintobusinessin2024

HendersonGroup,theleading grocerand retailerwhichownsthe SPAR,EUROSPARand ViVObrands inNorthernIreland,will recycleprofts backintothebusinessoverthenextyear.

TheGrouppostedsalesof£1.338bnfor2023, anincreaseof8.6%onthepreviousyear, withaplannedinvestmentofaround£52m intowholesaleand retailpricingandprojects throughoutthecomingyear.Thisinvestment willalsocovernewstorebuilds,continued supportforindependent retailerpartnerships, sustainabilityinitiativesandadvancement oftheGroup’stechnologies,logisticsand effciencies.

NeilGamble,who recentlyjoinedHenderson Groupasthenewchieffnancialoffcer,says theGroup’scustomerserviceandwarehouse facilities,strongstockavailabilitythroughout theyearandongoinginvestmentinwholesale and retailpricinghasunderpinnedthese results.

“Retentionofexisting retailersand recruitment ofnew retailerstooursymbolbrandswere keytosuccessin2023,whileourongoing co-investmentstrategywith retailpartners helpsustoestablishabest-in-classportfolio

ofsupermarkets,forecourtsandconvenience storeswhichfacilitatesthatstrongsales performance,”MrGamblesaid.

Intotal,125signifcant retailprojectswere completedthroughouttheindependentand company-ownednetworkin2023.Henderson Retailinvested£31mintoitsstorenetwork, completingtheyearwith106storesoperated bythecompany,afteropeningtheirfagship EUROSPARKillyleaghfreshfoodssuperstorein CoDown.

TheFoodservicedivisionoftheGroupposted salesof£225m,up19.7%from2022, recoveringthemomentumlostduringthe pandemic,whichparticularlyimpactedthe hospitalitysector.Contractandindependent businessinbothNIandtheRepublicof Irelandwasstrongwiththefood-to-gosector benefttingfromthe recruitmentofnew retailersandthe rolloutoftheDelishdeli brand.

Bytheendof2023,over930storesacrossthe UKandAustraliahadHenderson Technology’s EDGEPoSsoftwareinstalled,whilemorethan onemillionelectronicshelfedgelabelsarein useinover200sites,plusself-check-outsare nowinstalledinnearly200stores.

HendersonGroupcontinuedtofundraisefor keycharitypartnersincludingMarieCurie, CancerFundforChildren,AgeNI, Tearfund, FareShareandActionMentalHealth,while manyotherorganisationsweresupportedby storesthroughoutcommunitiesinNI,raising approx.£1.45mintotalin2023.

TheGroup’scarbon reductionand environmentalfootprintfor2023ensured HendersonWholesaleandHenderson Foodservicewarehouseanddistribution divisionsmaintainedtheirISO14001:2015 EnvironmentalManagementcertifcationfor the12thyearina row. Ambitiousinternal targetsweresetfor2023/2024,whichinclude reducinggeneralwastetonnageby1.5%per annum,foodwaste reductionby10%and energyconsumptionby2%ayear.

“Ourenergy reductionpledgesfallunderour TomorrowMattersstrategy,whichfocuseson people,placeandplanet,aimingtodevelop thebusinessinawaythatisbenefcialtoand responsibleforbothemployeesandshoppers, whilehavingapositiveimpactonsocietyasa whole,”MrGamblesaid.

“In2023webeganinstallingelectricvehicle chargingpointsthroughoutourcompany owned retailestatethankstoapartnership withbppulse,while1,494solarpanels wereinstalledtocover75%ofthenewest distributionwarehouseatoursupportoffce inMallusk.Solarpanelswerealsoinstalled across23moreHendersonRetailstores in2023, reducingthecompany’sannual electricityconsumptionbyaround160tonnes ofcarbon.”

ThesecondphaseoftheGroup’ssolarpanel installationacrosswarehousesandstores continuesalongsideHendersonWholesale’s freshfoodambition,collaboratingwith HendersonRetailtocreatefreshfood superstoresthatcontinuetocatertochanging consumerdemandsandneedsintownsand citiesacrossNorthernIreland. ■

HendersonGroup’s newchieffnancial offcer,NeilGamble

Moy Park

Comingonthebackofcoupleof challengingyears,MoyParkstill ﬁrmlyhasbecomingNorthern Ireland’sﬁrst£2bnbusinessinitssights.

“Undoubtedly…ourambitionisstillaround growth,”JustinColeman,director,MoyPark tells UlsterBusiness

“Andfromagrowthstandpoint,giventhat weoperateinainacategorythat’sgotthose keyelementsaroundaffordability,health, versatilityfromaconsumerstandpoint.

“Andsothere’sabsolutelyno reasonwe shouldn’tcrashthroughthenextglass ceiling.”

MoyParkisbackontopasNorthernIreland’s largestﬁrm–withturnoverof£1.88bnand pre-taxproﬁtsof£18.7mfortheyearending 2022.

Itfelloffthetoppositioninlastyear’s UlsterBusiness Top 100NorthernIreland Companies,inassociationwithKPMG–cominginatthenumbertwospot.

Andlookingahead,Justinsaystheﬁrmwill returnwithstrongernumbersagaininthe recentpasttradingperiod.

“It’soutthebackofanumberofverydifﬁcult years…startingwiththepandemic,”Justin said.

“Lookingback,fromatradingstandpoint,the pandemicwasverygoodforfoodbusinesses

and[settingaside]thesocietalimpactfora minute.

“Andthensteppedintotwoyearsof hyperinﬂation,whichdidn’tabate.

“Andso,ifyou’recomparingyear-overyear,comingoutthebackofa reconﬁgured businesspostinﬂation,[it’sa]goodsetof numbersandbacktooursortoftrading expectations,andwherewe’dexpect[the company]tobe.”

Thepoultryprocessorhasalsoundergonea restructureoflatefromitsparentcompany JBS.

AndgrowthisstillverymuchMoyPark’s ambition,accordingtoJustin.

“Whenwewhenwethinkaboutgrowth… therewillbethere’llbenaturallyNorthern IrelandelementsandaUKelement,”hesays.

“Ourambitionwouldverymuchbecontinued growth–partofourDNAisgrowthasan organisation,andhasbeenforalongtime andIdon’tseethatchanginginanyway, shape,orform.”

Lookingaheadtothebarriersandchallenges ahead,Justinsays–parkinginﬂationand costs–thatenvironmentalissuesandtargets willcometothefore.

“Ifwelookatthemoremacroimpacts,the rolethatandtheenvironmentalchallenges comingtowardsus,beitlegislatively

consumerled,globallyled,”hesays.

“Weneedtobeinthemiddleofthat conversationandthenlinkingthattothe animalwelfaredebateandfromaconsumer standpoint,linkingenvironmentandanimal welfareinthesamesentenceisprobably wherethey’reat.

“AndsoIthinkoverthenextcoupleofyears, ournarrative,our roleinthatspaceisgoingto be reallyimportantto retain,atthebroadest level,chicken’s roleintermsofofferinggreat versatilityvalueandhelpforcustomersand consumers.

“That’s reallyimportant.Andthenalsothe role ofcontinuingtofocusonskilledpeople,the availabilityofskilledpeopletodoskilledjobsin inourorganisation.

“Soyoukindoftakeamacroviewaround the roleweplay,andwhat’sourrighttobe involvedinintensiveanimalagriculture,and couplingthatwith reallyskilledpeople,and howwegetpeopletodothat.”

Andonthegreenandenvironmentalfront, Justinsaysit’shard-wiredintotheﬁrm’stargets for2040.

“There’snotadaygoesbythatwedon’ttalk aboutit,”hesays.

“Ithinkwhat’smoreimportantishowwe remainalignedtothelegislativeagenda…and atabroaderlevel,howwe remainalignedtoa customeragenda.” ■

Justin Coleman

Glampingpodbusinesswhich ‘nevermadeaproft’left£3mindebt

FurtherSpacehadonce operated11sitesacross IrelandandtheUKbut enteredadministration earlierthisyear,writes JohnMulgrew

Abustglampingpodbusinesswas loss-makingthroughoutitsseven yearsoftrading – leavingbehind debtsofmore than£3m.

FurtherSpacehadoperated11sitesacross IrelandandtheUK,featuringso-called glampingpods,oftenatpicturesquelocations.

Setupin2017,itgrewinto a businesswith more than60luxurypods,withaspirationsof expandingtheoperationtowelcomemore than2.6millionvisitors.

ButadministratorInterpathAdvisorywas appointedtothefrminApril.

Before that,there wasanattempttosellthe frm,butitwasunsuccessful.

“Thecompanyhasbeenloss-makingsince incorporationin2017andstruggledto maintainpositivecashfow, particularly during2020and2021whenthecoronavirus pandemichit,”administratorshavesaidin a statementofadministrator’s proposalfledat CompaniesHouse.

“Inaccordancewithgovernmentguidelines, thecompanyhadtocloseitssitesanddelay expansionplansduringthisperiod.”

Followingthatitsecuredfundingfrom Triple Point – thesecuredcreditor – inJanuary2021 through a revolvingcreditfacility Thishadan expirydateofJanuary2025.

“Despitethisfunding,thecompanystill struggledtooperateproftablyandwasunable toservicecapitalandinterestpaymentsfrom

August2022onwards,”thelatestupdatefrom administratorssays.

Italsoowedunsecuredcreditorsjustshyof £300,000andit’s anticipatedthere willnotbe suffcientfundstopaythemback.

Around£2.8mwasowedtotwosecured creditorsatthetimeoftheadministration.That includes£2.3mto TriplePointAdvanceLeasing plcand£491,000toWhiterockFinance.

Thedirectorsofthefrmhadapproachedthe currentadministratorInterpathAdvisorytolook at restructuring.

Butfollowing a review, ithighlightedthefrm’s “inabilitytotradeproftablyandmaintain positivecashfow”.

ItwasthenputupforsaleinFebruarybut didn’t receiveanyoffersforthewholebusiness. Onepotentialbuyerwantedtotakeonsome ofthecompany’s assets,butthisofferwasnot accepted.

Sincetheadministration,themajorityofthe glampingpodshavebeensoldtolandowners andmanyare nowbeingrunasbusinesses withouttheinvolvementofFurtherSpace.

Around80podswere soldoff forjustover £232,000 –a fractionoftheiroriginalvalue.

Upontheappointmentofanadministrator, there wasaround£97,000cashinthebank.

OneofFurtherSpace’sglampingpods

Thefrm’s eightemployeeshavenowallbeen made redundant.

Thecurrentadministratorswillcontinueto managethebusiness“inordertoachievethe purposeoftheadministration”.

FurtherSpacegrewtooperatesitesacross Northern IrelandandScotland,withlocations includingGlenarmCastle,Ballycastle,Lough Erne,TheDarkHedgesandTheMourne Region.

Thebusinessalso receivedadditional investmentin2021,whichwasaimedat fundinggrowthplanstoexpandacrosstheUK andIreland.

Thatincluded£500,000offundingthrough WhiterockFinance’s GrowthFinanceFund.

Italso received£1.25mfromForesightGroup asitlookedtoexpandintotheScottish market.

Thefrmsaw a periodofgrowthand expansionduringthepandemicinthewakeof peoplewantingtoavoidcontactwithothers, thusstayinginself-catered‘pods’whichdidn’t require check-inoranyotherhumancontact.

Thecompanyhaspreviouslysaidthat“asthe globalglampingmarketisanticipatedtogrow 10.9% a yearto2023,thescalingbusiness hasambitionstodeploy500accommodation unitsacross85locationsbyMay2025”. ■

MusgraveNIinvesting£16min storenetworkthroughout2024

MusgraveNorthernIreland, whichoperatestheSuperValu, CentraandMACEbrands,has announceda£16mstoreinvestment programmeacrossitsnetworkforthe remainderof2024.

Thisincludestheopeningofnewstores, refreshingexistingstoresaswellasinvestment intheimplementationofenergysaving initiatives.

Theannouncementfollowstheopeningof

CentraFrossesRoad–the108thintheCentra NIestate–anew£3m3,400sqftstoreand petrolforecourtonFrossesRoad.

Operatedbyexperienced retailerOran McCloskey,thestoreislocatedoutside CloughmillsontheA26,themain road betweenColeraineandBallymena,which servesasabusyandpopular routefromthe northcoast.

TrevorMagill,managingdirectorforMusgrave inNorthernIrelandsaid:“CentraFrossesRoad isafantasticadditiontoourstorenetworkand IwishOranandhisteamalltheverybest.

“AtMusgrave,weareambitiouslyfocusedon growingourstorenetworkandcontinuingto innovatetoprovideourshopperswithwhat matterstothem–notjustexcellentcustomer serviceandvalueformoneybutanextensive rangeofqualityproductswithanemphasis onlocalalongsidenewtechnologiesfora seamlessshoppingexperience.

“Welookforwardtocontinuingtodevelop ourSuperValu,CentraandMacestoresand ensuringweoffercustomersaworld-class shoppingexperience.”

Alreadythisyear,Lusty’sCentra Townparkson theGlenarmRoadinLarneopeneditsdoors andisundergoinga refurbishmentwhile thenextfewmonthswillseenewstoresin Armagh,PortadownandMagherafelt.

Signifcant refreshesarealsoplanned forSuperValustoresinDungiven, Derry~Londonderry,Lurganand Newtownbutler,aswellasCentrastoresin Maguiresbridge, YorkRoadBelfast,Antrimand Carrickfergus.RevampsofSuperValustores inDownpatrick,FintonaandIrvinestown, andCentrastoresinAnnaclone,Bushmills, Draperstownand Tobermorehavealready beencompletedprovidingmoreinspiration andideasforshopperswithafocusonquality acrossfreshproduce,meat,andfood-to-go.

Theinvestmentinthestorenetworkisfurther supportedbya£14minvestmentinlocal producewiththelaunchofanewbrand,Good FoodLocallySourced,announcedearlierthis year.

Inaddition,the retailgroupcommitted£6m initsvalueofferingwithshoppersbeneftting fromover200specialofferitemseveryweek, competitiveEpicDealsonfourbigbrand productseverythreeweeksalongsideover 700ownbrandproductswhichareupto40% cheaperthanthebetter-knownbrands. ■

TrevorMagill,managingdirectorofMusgraveNIjoinsOranMcCloskey,ownerofthenewCentraFrossesRoadstore ontheA26atCloughmills

MusgraveNItradingdirectorJulieCherryandmarketing directorDesiDerbylaunchGoodFoodLocallySourced

SU STAI NA BI LITY

FearsDublintraffcwillget worseifwindfarmplanisratifed

There are fearsthatDublin’s already gridlockednorthsidecouldbe subjectedtotwoyearsoffurther traffcchaos – becauseofthebuildingof anoffshore windfarm19kmoff thecoast.

Traffcplannershaveraised“signifcant concerns”about roaddisruptioninthenorthof thecitybecauseofplanstolaytwo35km-long powercablesalong roadsfromBalbrigganto Belcamp,tobringpowerfromStatkraft’s North IrishSeaArray(Nisa)projecttothenational grid.

Major routessuchastheSwordsRoadandthe MalahideRoad – alreadytraffcblackspots –couldface rollingclosuresforweeksat a time, localauthoritytransportplannershavewarned in responseto a planningapplication.

Constructionworkonthecablelayingwould intotaltaketwoyears,withprogressratesof 80mperdaywhere roadsare fullyclosed.

The reportbythechiefofFingalCounty CounciltoAnBord Pleanálasaiditsoperations

departmenthadraisedconcernsoverthe durationofsomeoftheproposed road closures,includingan11-weekclosure ofthe R107MalahideRoad,and a seven-weekclosure oftheR106SwordsRoad.

Thetwo22kVcableswillrunfrom a new“grid facility” – closetowhere thecablescome ashore atBremore,northofBalbriggan – toan electricitysubstationatBelcamp.

Thewindfarmproposedbyenergygiant Statkraft – onan89sqkmareaoff thecoasts ofDublin,MeathandLouth – is a keyproject tohelpdecarboniseIreland’s energygeneration infrastructure,andwillprovideenough sustainableelectricitytopower500,000homes.

ButFingalCoCounciltransportationplanning sectionsaidinthe reportthatithad“signifcant concernswiththeproposedscaleofthe proposedpotential roadclosures,andthelevel ofdisruptionthatcouldbecausedtolocaland regionaltransport.”

Italsowarnedthattheconstructionofthe

cablewouldpotentiallyinteractwithother majorproposals,suchasMetrolink,alongparts ofthesame route.

A spokesmanforStatkraftsaidengagement withthelocalcommunitywas“vital”.

“Roadworksassociatedwiththegridworks willbe a temporarydisruption,buteveryeffort willbemadetomitigatetheimpact,”hesaid.

“Thiswillincludecollaborationwiththe communityonschedulingandsequencingto makesure itcanworkbesttosuit residentsand businesses.”

The reportbytheFingalchiefexecutiveforAn Bord Pleanálawasgenerallypositiveaboutthe windfarmplan.

Itacknowledgeditwasbeingdevelopedin thecontextof“itsessentialcontributionto Ireland’s committedoffshore windtarget, wider renewableenergytargets...,andIreland’s securityofenergysupply, atanaffordableprice totheconsumer.” ■

CharlesHurst

There’sawell-keptlittleminutes booksittinginJeffMcCartney’s offcewhichdatesbackwellovera century.

MotoringgiantCharlesHurstlookedlikeavery differentbusinessbackthen,comparedtoits positionasoneofNorthernIreland’sbiggest frms,boastingturnoverofmorethan£700m andcominginatthenumber11spotinthis year’s UlsterBusiness Top100NorthernIreland Companies,inassociationwithKPMG.

Andwiththemovetoelectric,therewillbe atimeinthenextfewyearswherethehuge sprawlingforecourtsatCharlesHurst’smain baseontheBoucherRoadinBelfastaredevoid ofanynewpetrolordieselcars.

“Absolutely.Fromanewcarpointofview? Yes.Ithink2030willbecomethedate (wherebyyoucannotsellanewtraditional internalcombustionenginecar),”Jefftells UlsterBusiness

ButhesaystheGovernmentmust reintroduce grantsorincentivestomakethemovepossible fortheindustry,andforcustomers.

CharlesHurst’sgroupoperationsdirectorhas 36yearsunderhisbeltinthemotoringtrade. Andit’sanindustrywhichisgoingthrough itsbiggestupheavalandchanges,arguably sincetheinventionoftheinternalcombustion engine.

“Weemployjustover800peoplebothhere andinDublin,”Jeffsays.

“Intermsofthebusinessitself,it’sgoing really well. We areaheadoflastyearforthefrstsix months.”

Newcarsalesareuparound8%,whilethe luxurybrandsareseeingtheirownsizeable resurgence.

“Ferrariisup35%,Bentleyisup31%and AstonMartinisup22%.”

Themarkethereisuparound8%,according

toJeff.Buttakingoutmotabilitythatfgure risesto11%.

JeffsaysCharlesHurstiscontinuingtosell moreofitsvehiclesintotheRepublic.

CharlesHurstoperatesavastrangeofbrands acrossitshugeBoucherRoadsite,including JaguarLandRover,Audi, Vauxhall,Nissan, Renault,Peugeot,andafreshbadgetotheUK –ChineseelectriccargiantBYD.

IntermsoftheluxuryenditalsosellsLexus, Ferrari,Maserati,AstonMartin,Bentleyand Lotus.

Butalleyesareonthefutureandtheelectric carmarket.Thecurrentcutofffortraditional petrolanddieselenginenewcarsaleshereis 2035,butthatcouldbebroughtforwardagain

bythecurrentLabourgovernment.

“Whileelectricisdoingthemixwhichitneeds toinNorthernIreland–about16%intheUK and14%here–itneedstobe22%,”Jeff says.

That’scentredaroundtheGovernment’sEV mandate.Itmeansmanufacturersmustnow uptheirEVproductionto22%oftheirfeet, otherwisetheyfaceheftyfnes.

“TheGovernmentneedstocometotheparty withgrants,”hesays.

“Iftheyare reallyseriousaboutit,theyneed to. We hadagrant[system]forthevehicle, whichwasupto£5,000,butwe’veseenthat erodeovertime.”

“[Productionofvehicles]willgoup.[They]

needtogoupin retail.Alotofthe[brands] arestartingto realigntheiroffersandofferings becauseofthelikesof[brandslike]BYD.”

Andcostsarecomingdown.Dacia’snew electriccarwillcomeinatlessthanthe £17,000markforanewvehicle.

“Fromacustomer’spointofview,theywantto see[price]paritywithpetrol,”hesays.“Until wegetclosetothat…thenIthinkthe retail marketforelectricwillstruggle.

“Nextyear20%ofvehiclessoldmustbe electric–that’sabigjumpfromwhereweare today.

“Weasanorganisationarespendingahuge amountofmoneyontrainingourtechnicians forthenewworld.It’soneofthebiggest

burdenswhichwehavefaced–ourcostshave rocketed.”

Hybridandplug-inmodelsareevennowbeing rolledoutacrossthetraditionalpower-heavy, large-enginedsportsandsupercars.

Andtherewillcomeadayintheverynear futurewheretheiconic roarofanewV12 Ferrariwillfallsilentasallbrands,includingthe topendluxurysupercars,willhavetomoveto electriccarproduction.

“WealreadyhavehybridFerraris,sotheyare alreadymovingthere,”Jeffsays. ■

JeffMcCartney

IvanRyan

“Singledigitmarketshareisa thingofthepast,”saysLidlNI’s chiefIvanRyan.

TheheadoftheGermansupermarketgiantin NorthernIrelandsayshe’saimingtohit20% marketshareintheyearsahead–upfromjust over9%currently.

Lidl remainsoneofthefastestgrowing businessesofitskindhere–marketsharejust ahandfulofyearsagowasinandaround6%.

ButIvan’sconfdentLidlcancontinueto muscleintheterritoryofthelargerplayers–Tescobeingoutinfrontwithmorethanathird ofmarketshare.

Lidlnowhas41storeshere–withtwodueto openthisyear–andemploysaround1,300 staff.It’salsoinvestingaround£150moverthe nextcoupleofyearsacrossitsstorenetwork.

Accordingtoitslatestflledaccountssales standat£434mwithpre-taxproftsofjust over£11m,fortheyearendingFebruary2023. Butthat’slikelytoapproachthe£500minthe nextaccountingperiod.

“It’sbeenastrongandchallengingmarketin termsofthecostoflivingcrisis,”hetold Ulster Business.“Weareandhavebeenthefastest growing retailerinthemarket.

“PeoplehavebeenturningtoLidlinthecost oflivingcrisis…wehave500,000[customers] aweekcomingintoourstores.Business performanceisgood,proftsaredown,driven byourownmarketstrategyofbeingthe cheapestand[best]value.

“Wenowhave41storestrading,andtwo storesopeningthisyear–Carryduffandthe BoucherRoad. We employ1,300people directly,withthatupto1,400attheendof thebusinessyear.”

Lidlsaysa recent reportitcommissioned showeditsupportedaround6,900jobs indirectlythroughitssourcingandsupply chain.

AndmarketshareissomethingwhichIvan isfrmlytargeting–ultimatelymorethan doublingits9.2%levelnowintheyears ahead.

“Wehaveamissionofupwardsof60stores,” hesays.“Singledigitmarketshareisthingof thepast,ouraimistobechoiceforeveryone–20%marketshare–that’swhereweshouldbe intermsofwhatweofferthecustomers.”

Whilefoodpriceinfation remains,Ivansaysit hasbeeneasingacrosstheboard.

“Icanseealevelofdefationinourpricing,” hesays.

“Over20%ofourrangehasbeendropping belowtherateofthemarketinthelastnine months.”

Expansion remainsonthecardsandIvansays thechain’s revampandbuildingofnew,more modernandeco-friendlystores,hashelpedto growthatcustomerbase.

TwonewstoresinCarryduffandonthe BoucherRoadaresettoopenthisyear,while planningapplicationsareongoingforanother fourstoresinBangor,Dungannon,Craigavon andColeraine.

The retailerannounceditpumpeda record £360mintotheNIeconomylastyearanda new reportitcommissionedandcarriedout byOxfordEconomicsfoundthecompany supportedalmost6,900jobsacrossNI.

ItalsofoundLidlNI’stotalgrossvalueadded (GVA)contributionfromstore-basedactivity boostedtheeconomyby£120m,up52% from2018, representinganaveragegrowthof 9%annually.

Lidlismarking25yearsofbusiness,having openeditsfrstNIstoreinCookstownin1999.

“Ournewstoresaredrivenbywhatcustomers arelookingfor,”Ivansays.“Wehaveinvested massivelyineco-friendlystores,intermsof electricityandthecarbonfootprint–there’sa huge returninESG(environmental,social,and governance).”

IvansaysthenewstoresarehelpingLidl expanditsrangebyaround10%ofthenext fewmonths. ■

SHS

HowhasSHSperformedoverthelast year?

Overthepast12months,SHSGrouphas benefttedfromtop-linegrowthacrossthe variousdivisions.

Foundedin1975,SHSGrouphasevolvedfrom a family-runsalesandmarketingcompanyinto a privatelyownedmultinationaloperationwith a turnoverofaround£665m.

Oursuccessis a testamenttooursustained investmentinourbrands,ourexpertise acrossvariouscategoriesandchannels,our manufacturingassets,andmostimportantly, ourpeople.Thesecore elementsare embodied inournewmissionstatement:‘GreatPeople GrowingGreatBrands.’

Whatproductsare withinthecompany portfolio?

SHSGroupoperatesprimarilyinthefastmovingconsumergoods(FMCG)sectoracross theUK,Irelandandinternationally

We own a numberofbrandsincluding WKD,Shloer, bottlegreen,MerrydownCider, Meridiannutbutters,Rockssquashdrinks, CrucialSauces,Zip & SunnyJimfrelighters andMaguire& Patersonmatches. We distribute a portfolioofover100brands,such asHighlandSpring,PotNoodle,Finish,Mars Drinks, Tunnocks,andColgateinvarioustrade channels.

TheGroupisalso a marketleaderinthesupply ofown-labelherbsandspicesinGreatBritain andmanufactures a rangeofbrandedand private-labelcondimentsandsauces.

Whichproductsare performingparticularly well?

Ourfocusonbrandinnovationhasbeenwell receivedbyconsumers.InourDrinksDivision, wesuccessfullylaunchedbottlegreen ready-todrink(RTD)cans,inpartnershipwithEdwards 1902PremiumEnglish Vodka,featuring a trio of refreshing5%ABV VodkaSpritzcans.

There isalsoWKD Vibe, a collectionofboth clearandcreamy15%ABVshots,whileWKD

X was relaunchedwithnewfavours andnew-lookcansand0.0%WKD, positionedas‘0%alcohol.And 100%WKD’,thenew250mlcan variantisthebrand’s frstventure into zero-ABVterritory

Thebottlegreenbrandcelebrated anotheroutstandingyearatthe Great Taste Awards,whileRockswas awardedtwostarsfortwofavours. Innovationis a fundamentaldriverof growthforthebusiness.

Ourcollaborationwithkeycustomersinour own-labelbusinessisalsoyieldingpositive results.Leveragingcustomerdataandinsights helpsuscreateproductsthat resonatewith consumers.

Theformationof a newfooddivisionis a strategicmovetodrivefurthergrowth opportunitiesandinnovation,whileoursales andmarketingdivisioncontinuedtooffer a fantastic,outsourcedsolutionformanygroup andexternalbrandowners.

Whatchangeshavethere beeninthe marketplace?

We havebeennavigatingvarioussocietal andmarketchallenges,fromsupplychain disruptionstoinfationarypressures,labour shortagesandpoliticalinstability

We havedevelopedmanysolutionstoaddress politicalandeconomicuncertaintiesintheUK andotherinternationalmarkets,ensuring a steadysupplyofmaterialsandsales.However, thesesolutions require constantvigilance andattentionfromourteams.Inaddition sustainabilityiskeyandweworktowards ournetzero commitmentsaspartofour responsiblebusinessstrategy

Agilityandcuriosityare importantqualitiesour teamsmustpossessasweplanforchanging markettrends.

Whichareashavebeenstrongestoverthe lastyear?

Ourtop-linegrowthhasbeendrivenby

innovation,newbusiness,brandinvestment andincreasedsalesincore groceryand conveniencechannels. We haveprioritised value-for-moneysolutionsfrombrandsand private-labelproducts,workingcloselywith ourbusinesspartnerstodevelopinnovative responsestoconsumerneeds.

We activelyencourageourteamstolookfor alternativesolutionsandinnovatetodeliver continuousimprovementsacrossthebusiness andare alsoseeingthebeneftsofengaging ourtalentedteamsintakingonnewtasks and responsibilities,advancingtheircareer developmentwithus.

Whatdoestheyearaheadhaveinstore forthecompany?

We continuetoinvestinourbrands,systems andsupplychain.Ourbusiness remains robust, andwehaveoutlinedkeypriorityareasinour businessstrategy:‘GrowingGreatBrands’, ‘DeliveringExcellence’,‘SecuringourFutures’ and‘Winningwith Teams’.

Overthenextthreeyears,wewillfocus ondrivingsustainablegrowth,fostering innovation,developingourtalentanddelivering onour responsiblebusinesscommitments,and aswelooktothefuture,ourprimaryfocuswill beon reinforcingthesecurityandstabilityof ourbusinessoperationswhileactivelyexploring avenuesforsustainablegrowthandexpansion.

Ourskilledworkforceis relentlessintheir pursuitofexcellence,consistentlydeliveringfor ourcustomers,consumersandBrandOwners. Theycontinuallysupporteachotherand embodyour‘SPIRIT’valuesineverythingthey do. ■

SHSGroupchief executiveArthur Richmond

EMPL OY ERS

LARGESTEMPL OY ERS

Employers focusedonnavigating challenges of skills, AI andculture

ByJohnMoore,managingdirector, HaysNI

Weareoftentoldthatthe NorthernIrelandeconomyisn’t diverseenoughandneedsto branchoutbeyondthesectorswhichhave traditionallyenjoyedsuccessinthepast,if theeconomyistogrowinfuture.

Whileitisundeniablytruethatincreasingthe region’scapabilitiesincertainareaswould strengthenoureconomy,supportingthis featureinthe UlsterBusiness Top100Northern IrelandCompanieseditionalwaysservesasa good remindertomethatforasmallcountry, NorthernIrelandhasanimpressivevarietyof employersoperatingacrossmultipleindustries.

Thisyear’slistofthe Top50Employersin NorthernIreland,publishedonthefollowing pages,includesorganisationswhichspan retail,aerospace,pharmaceuticals,telecoms, IT,banking,construction,manufacturing, engineering,carehomes,energy,universities, foodanddrink,medicaltesting,logistics, professionalservicesandcharities.

Theseorganisationsareeach responsiblefor employingbetween900and8,000peopleand shouldbecelebratedfortheessential rolethey playinkeepingNorthernIreland’seconomy moving.

AsNorthernIrelandmovesintothesecondhalf of2024,theoutlookforthelocaleconomy isstillamixedone. We havewelcomed the restorationoftheNIExecutiveandthe AssemblyatStormontandareintheearlydays ofanewUKgovernmentwhichispromising change,stabilityandgrowth.However, employersarealsocontinuingtoadaptamid theuncertaintyofglobalgeopoliticaltensions andhighinfationputtingasqueezeon businessandconsumerspending.

Intermsofwhatmightlieaheadforthe recruitmentmarketforthe restofthisyear, andinto2025,thereareafewchallenges likelytodominatetheconversation.

Skillsshortagesandnewtalent Thelabourmarkethas remainedstrong anddemandinmanyoftheindustriesHays servesishigh,sothereisnoshortageof jobopportunitiesforthosecomingintothe workforceorseekingtoadvanceintheir careers.

Wherethereishighdemand,itfollowsthat therewillalsobeskillsshortagesforcertain rolesinthrivingsectorssuchastechnology, fnanceandengineering.Theskillsgaphas persistedforseveralyearsandisonlynow beingaddressedbyemployers.

AccordingtoHays’annualSalaryand Recruiting Trendsguidewhichsurveyed almost15,000employersandprofessionals, over90%ofemployerscoveringarangeof industrysectorsfacedskillsshortageslast year.

But,continuingashiftwe’veseenover thepastfewyears,nearlythree-quarters ofemployerssurveyed(73%)nowbelieve anemployee’swillingnesstolearnismore importantthantheirexistingskillset,with nearlyhalf(45%)notconsideringadegreeto beanimportant requirement.

Whileindustrytenureandqualifcationsmay lookimpressiveonpaper,theycomeatacost anddon’tguaranteethebestftfora role.

Thetechnicalskillsthatanorganisationneeds canchangeeveryyear,soemployersare nowsayingthemostimportantskillanew employeecandemonstrateisawillingness andabilitytolearnnewthings.

Stillacandidatemarket?

Icouldn’thelpbut refectafterthe recentUK GeneralElectionthatthereareveryfew roles whereyoufndoutyouareoutofajoband thenextpersonisinplacethesameday,witha wholenewteam replacingyouroldone.

Notmanyofuswilleverfacethepublicglare ofa rolelikePrimeMinister,buttheprocessof applyingforajob,goingthroughinterviews, negotiatingterms,andsteppingintodayone ofa roleisoneweallgothrough.

Inacandidateledmarket,employersarestill havingtoworkhardtoattractprospective employeesbypresentingattractivesalary andbenefts,fexibility,cultureandcareer developmentopportunities.Interestingly,our 2024What Workers Want reportshowsthat theneedtoimpressthoseyouwanttohire startsduringthe recruitmentprocess.

The research,which received11,900 responses fromemployersandprofessionalsacross theUK,includingover360fromNorthern Ireland,foundover50%ofemployeeshave hadanegativeexperienceduringaninterview process,withpoorcommunicationandalack ofclarityoneofthemain reasons(40%overall and43%inNI).

Halfofallprofessionals(47%and52%inNI) saidtheyweredeterredfromaprospective employerduetoapoorexperienceduringthe interviewprocess.

Thepropensityto reviewprospectiveemployers likethisisparticularlyprevalentamong younger,GenerationZcandidates.

Aswelooktohirefromthenewgenerationof professionalsandtapintotheperspectivesand innovationtheybring,wemust rememberthey havedifferentmotivationsandexpectations

oftheworldofwork.Anengagingand supportiveteamcultureisanimportantfactor for62%ofpeopleinthisagebracket,and 38%sayaclearcommitmenttodiversity, equalityandinclusionisessential.

IsAItheanswer?

Onesubjectwehaven’tbeenabletogetaway frominthelastyearisartifcialintelligence(AI) andit’sclearthatAIisgoingtofactorintoalot ofhiringandskillsconversations,ifitdoesn’t alreadyinyourorganisation.

Ithasbeenheraldedasthetechnologywhich

cansolvecapacityissuesandfreeupskilled humanstofocusonhighervaluetasks,but alsoasapotentialkilleroflessspecialistjobs, withconcernspersistingaboutAI’s reliability andsecurityinitscurrentforms.

ResearchbyHaysthisyearfoundthat60% ofworkersdon’tfeelliketheiremployeris helpingthempreparefortheadoptionof AIintheworkplace,eventhoughovera quarteroforganisationsarealreadyusingAI tools.Thoughthemajorityofworkers(80%), surveyedhadstillnotusedAIforwork,itis likelythattheupwardtrendwillcontinue

–with25%sayingthatwillhaveapositive impactontheirjob,36%notexpectingany impactandonly12%seeingitasnegativefor their role.

Onetrickyareaforemployersisthatoneinfve peopleapplyingforanewjob–andalmost 30%ofthoseaged25-29–saytheyhaveused AItoolstohelptheirapplication,andmore intendtoinfuture.Ontheemployerside,only 4%oforganisationstoldustheyareusing AItoolstoevaluateapplicationsbyscanning orsortingCVs,which roseto11%inlarge organisations.

Howandwherewework IfweassumethatAIwon’tcompletely replace ourjobsinthenextfewyears,thenthetopic offexibleandhybridworkingwillcontinueto beahotone.

I’mawarethatmanyoftheorganisationswe workwithinNorthernIrelandhavesettledinto hybridpatternsandothershave reintroduced predominantlyoffceorsite-basedworkingto bringtheirpeopletogethermoreoften.

There’sstillanonusonemployerstomakethat anattractiveoptionforstaffwithaccessto amenities,servicesandperksinaworldwhere employeescanfndattractive rolesoffering appealing remoteworkingopportunities.

ThedebatewillcontinuebutIthinkitis importanttonotethatitgoesbeyondwhere youphysicallywork.Whilesalaryisstillthekey considerationasthecostoflivingkeepsrising, post-pandemicworkingandcareerchoicesare genuinelybeingdrivenbyculture,wellbeing, work/lifebalance,valuesandpurpose.

Hays’annualSalaryguidefoundwork-life balanceisnowthesecondmostimportant factortoprofessionalswhenthey’re consideringanew role,aftersalary.

Employerswhocandemonstratetheyhave thoughtaboutthisandareinvestedinwhat’s importanttotheirpeople,willbetheones thathavethemostsuccessinattractingand retainingtalentintheyearahead. ■

JohnMoore

NIproperty investment marketbuoyed byretailrevival

Atotaloffvemajorshoppingcentreshavesoldin thelast18monthsinNorthernIreland,makingup some40%ofthetotalinvestmentmarkethereduring thatperiod. DavidMcClure,managingdirectorof OsborneKing,saysretailisreturningtogrowthwith newfacesaroundthecornerinthemonthsahead

Throughexperience,one realises thatthereislittlenewinbusiness asindeedlifeandthatallthingsare cyclical.

Thisiscertainlytrueofthepropertymarket andwhilethecharacteristicsofthecycleare neveridenticalthesimilaritiesaregenerally sostrikingitiscleartheybelongtothesame fundamentalpattern.

Inthiscontextaquiettransformationofthe

localpropertylandscapehasoccurredoverthe past18monthsorso.Aswithanymarket, activity revolvesaroundtransactionsandwhen oneexaminesthe retailinvestmentmarketin particularaninterestingpatternisobserved.

Fivemajorshoppingcentreassets(Rushmere, Forestside,Foyleside,BloomfeldandThe Quays)havebeensoldovertheapproximate periodinquestionaccountingforaround £150minsaleswithallbutonehavingbeen snappedupbylocallybasedprivateinvestors.

Thelevelofactivityisstrikingandaccountsfor almost40%ofthetotalinvestmentactivity inthattime.Furthermore,severalothersuch assetscurrentlyheldbyUKbasedentitiesare expectedtobecomingtothemarketoverthe comingmonthsandonewouldanticipatethat localprivateswillcontinuetodominatethe buyerpool.

Thereisastrongperceptionthereforethat wehave reachedthebottomofthe retail market,anditisclearlookingatthewider UKeconomicdatathatconsumerconfdence isimproving,andwithinfationarypressures appearingtoeasethistrendshouldcontinueas wemoveintothesecondhalfoftheyear.

Withinthiscontext, retailersthemselvesare keentoexpandandinvestintheirportfolios andthishasalsoledtonewentrantsappearing inthelocalmarketsuchasDeichmann,White Company,Miniso,DylanOaks,andMarellato nameafew.TheFoodandbeveragemarket alsoappearsinrudehealthwithfreshfaces suchasPretAManger,Popeyes,andMary Brown’sallexpandingintotheNorthernIrish market,nottomentiontheexcitingprospect ofTheIvycomingsoontoDonegallPlace.

DavidMcClure

Suddenly,thesupplyanddemandequation hasalteredinmanyofourstrongest retail destinations.Thishas resultedinastabilisation of rents,presentingaclearplatformforgrowth forthefrsttimeinagenerationinmany retail locations.Ourhardyindigenousinvestors havespottedtheopportunity,seizedassetsat remarkablevalueandimportantlyareprepared

toinvestfurthertoimprovethetenantmixand generalcustomerexperience.

The resultanteffect,isamoresophisticated andattractive retailenvironment,generating increasedfootfallandencouraginggreater dwelltime.Oneonlyneedstolookatthe investmentinLesleyForestsideinthepastsix

monthstoseefantasticprogressiveexamples ofthisverystrategyinaction.

TheHerbertGroup’sthoughtful‘handson’ approachhasswiftlyledtoa‘fullylet’ retail mallandtheconstructionoffour restaurant unitsscheduledforhandovertotenantsthis month.Thenewunitsarelettohousehold namesandcomplementtheexistingoffer, greatlyincreasingtheattractivenessofthe schemefromacustomerfacingperspective.

Whisperitquietlybutthe retail revivalis wellunderway,andisgatheringquickening momentum–the realmanifestationofthis willbeclearforallbyChristmas2024aswe confdentlypredictafullyletDonegallPlace forfrsttimeinmorethan10years,araft of‘newfaces’anddramaticallymodernised andenhancedmajorshoppingcentreassets throughoutNorthernIreland. ■

CONTACT: DavidMcClureMRICS Managingdirector

Tele: 02890270000

E-Mail: david.mcclure@osborneking.com

Twitter: @OsborneKingNI

COMME

BloomfeldShoppingCentreinBangorwhich wasrecentlysoldtotheHerbertGroup

HendersonPrintsettinghigh standardsintheindustry

Inanerawheretechnologyis shapingthefutureofbusinesses, HendersonPrintcontinuestolead theprintindustryinNorthernIreland bymaintainingexceptionalprofessional highstandardsinthesupplyofprint services.

Whetheryou’reasmallbusinessowner,or partofalargecorporation,Malluskbased HendersonPrintcanmeetallyourneedswith itshighlyskilledteam.

Versatilesolutions

Onebusinessbeneftingfromtherange ofprintservicesavailableatHenderson Printis Tobermore,ahardlandscaping manufacturerwithahistorydatingbackto 1947. Tobermoreprovidespavingsolutions fordomesticandcommercialcustomers acrosstheUKandIreland,pridingthemselves onproductquality,excellentcustomerservice andapositive,‘cando’attitude.

Reliabilityyoucantrust

Whenlookingtofndtherightprintpartner, Graeme Wallace,contentmarketing executive,from Tobermorediscussesthe mostimportantfeaturesthatsetHenderson Printapartfromthecompetition.

“HendersonPrinthasnotjustmetbut exceededourexpectations,”hesays. “Communicationisexcellentwhichwas reallyimportanttous,emailsarenotignored, andquotes,ordersanddeliveriesarenever missedandalwaysaccurate.”

Specifcprintingservices

“WeuseHendersonPrintforprintingand deliveringpointofsaleandinparticularprinted CorrexpanelsandPVCbanners,whichoneof themainwayswedrivebrandawarenessand productpromotioninourstockingbranchesin theUKandIreland,”Graemesays.

“HendersonPrintalsosolvedahugeproblem forus. We neededoursampleboardstohave brickslipsonthemtoshowourcustomers. Whenothersupplierssaidno,HendersonPrint deliveredonitwithouthesitation.”

Qualityandspeed

HendersonPrinthasbeenattheforefrontof printtechnologyforover30years,investingin topqualityprintingandcuttingmachineryto ensuremaximumimpactandthewidestrange ofsolutions.Offeringacompetitive,value formoneyserviceforhighqualityproducts, weprovideafexibleapproach,meetingthe tightestofdeadlines.

TobermoreratesHendersonPrint10/10for customerserviceandthequalityofpointof sale.“WeenteredtheGBmarketin2008and sincethentheteamhashelpedusincreaseour marketingcapabilitiesandbrandawarenessin areaswherecustomersarelessfamiliarwith us,”Graemesays.“Ithelpusmaintaingood relationswithourstockingmerchants–that

addedvalueishugelyimpressive.”

Aboveandbeyond

“HendersonPrintisexcellentasitdeliversin allthatwelookforwithtimelydelivery,being reasonablypriced,havinggoodcommunication andproductquality.That’swhatwelook forandHendersonPrinttickalltheboxes,” Graemesays.

HendersonPrinthasbuilta reputationon offeringacompleteprintpackagefrom designthroughtofnish.Frommanufacturing magazines,leafets,instoremenus,POSpacks includingoverbagsandoutsidebannersfor the roadandforecourts,toallinstoresignage includingbunting,hangingsigns,shelfedge labelling,wobblers,andbus-stops,wetakes clientthroughtheentireprocessfromdesign rightthroughtoprint,productfnishand delivery. ■

FormoreinformationonhowHendersonPrint canhelpcaterforallyourprintingneeds, contacttheteamtoday. Tel:02890337826

Email:print@henderson-group.com Visit:www.hendersonprint.com

MillsSeligseniorpartnersEmmaHunt,JohnKearns,ChrisGuyand

MillsSeligrevealsnew revampofBelfastoffce

LawfrmMillsSelighasbeenbased atitshomeonArthurStreetforthe last25years,butit’sjustundergone amajor renovationprojecttohelpmeet clientdemandsanditsgrowthjourney overthelastsevendecades.

MillsSelighasunveiledasignifcant renovation toitsoffcesat21ArthurStreet,Belfastwhich havebeenhometothelocallawfrmsince 1999.

The renovationisamilestoneinthe developmentofthefrm,whichhasgrown fromaboutiquefrmwhenitfrstopenedin 1959,towhatitistoday,oneofNorthern Ireland’stopcommerciallawpractices,

representingclientsbothlocallyand internationally.

The renovation refectsthejourneyofthe frmoverthelast25years.

Theftoutattheheightoffashionin1999 for14lawyersservedthegrowingfrmwell butitwastimetosaygoodbyetoindividual offcestomake roomforaburgeoning businessofover60staffthathadrunoutof space.

Thenew,colourfulandsleekopenplan environmenthasbeendesignedbythe frmwithitsteamandclientserviceatthe forefrontofitsmind.

Carefulconsiderationoftheneedfor collaboration,learning,andquietworking have resultedinawelcoming,warmand modernspaceftforfuturegrowthofthefrm.

Facedwithadecisionpre-pandemicwhether tostayorgo,thePartnersdecidedthat21 ArthurStreetwaswheretheywantedto be!Thehigh-classcitycentrelocationhad becomesynonymouswithMillsSelig,with greataccesstothecentreofthecity.Andso, theinvestmentin renovatingawholebuilding allthewhilekeepingbusinessontrackand providingaseamlessservicetoclientsbegan.

ChrisGuy,managingpartneratMillsSelig,is oneofthemanylegalexpertswhohasbeen

withMillsSeligformorethantwodecades, havingstartedhislegalcareerwithMillsSelig asanapprenticelessthanayearafterthey movedto21ArthurStreet.

“Wehavewitnessedthearea’stransformation fromaslightlydowntroddenstreettoavibrant hubofshopsandeateries,”Chrissaid.

“Thisprogressmirrorsourownjourneyof growthandmodernisation.Ourinvestment inthis renovation refectsourdedicationto ourteamandclientswholovethearea,and alsosupportsthedevelopmentofBelfastcity centre.”

refurbishment,AnneSkeggs,headofproperty andpartneratMillsSeligsaid:“ArthurStreet ismorethanjustanaddressforus,itisour home,andwearepleasedto remaintrueto our roots.

“Wewerepassionateaboutcreating acomfortable,energisingspacewhich encouragesourpeopletodotheirverybestfor ourclients.Thesmilesoneveryone’sfacesas thenewoffcewas revealedwasanamazing experience.”

“Ouroffceisfoodedwithnaturallight fromfoortoceilingwindowswitheveryone workingtogether,sharingtheirexperience–thatcanonlybuildanevenstrongeroffering.”

Insidethenewlyrevamped

MillsSeligoffceinBelfast

The renovationoftheMillsSelig’shomeon ArthurStreetisaclearindicationofthefrm’s achievementtodateandplansforthefuture. Withmore roomavailable,thelocallawfrm willcontinuewitheaseonitsgrowthtrajectory withclientcareandfrmculturealwaysbeing frontandcentre.

ThenextchapterinMillsSelig’sdevelopmentis anexcitingonewithafocusonusingitsnew offcestodrivebestpracticeandworldclass clientexperiencetocementitspositionasthe go-tolegalfrminNorthernIrelandforhigh valueandcomplexlegalmatters. ■

To learnmoreaboutMillsSelig’slegaloffering, visitwww.millsselig.com

NE URODI VE RSIT Y

Howtostartcreatinga neuro-inclusiveworkplace

Asbusinessesstrivetofostermoreinclusiveworkplaces,theimportanceofneuroinclusionhassignifcantlyincreased,drivenlargelybyagreaterawarenessof neurodiversityandthegrowingprevalenceofneurodivergentconditionsinsociety –somethingwhich Calibro Workspace recentlydiscussedwithpartnerInspire Wellbeing

Current reportsindicateover 15%oftheUKpopulationare neurodivergenthoweverthisonly refectsthosewith a formaldiagnosis.

There is a hugepercentageofthepopulation thatare currentlyundiagnosedorselfdiagnosedwhichare notaccountedforinthese statistics.

Togetherwithpartner, Inspire Wellbeing, Calibro Workspacehosted a paneldiscussion onthetopicwithsubjectmatterexperts.

Itexamined a widerangeofareas,including thechallengesincreatinginclusiveworkplaces, thebeneftsofdoingso,andhowan organisationcancreate a trulyneuro-inclusive culture.

“Generatingawarenessofneurodivergent conditionsisessential,AlexBunting,directorof therapeuticservicesatInspire,said.“Agood waytodothisisthrough regularstaff training onthetopicwithanemphasisontraining managementto recogniseneurodivergent conditions.Thiswillempowerthemtosupport andmanagetheirteameffectivelyandgetthe bestoutofpeople.”

ChrissyMcDougall,seniorlearningspecialist andvolunteeratNeurodiversityinBusiness advocatedforleadingwithempathyand curiosity, stressingthattwo-waycommunication iskeytocreating a neuro-inclusiveculture. “Oneofthemostimportantthingswecan doistostarthavingconversations,”shesaid. “Makeit a normalpartofeverydaylifewithin yourorganisation,embeditintoyourculture. Createcuriosityandanenvironmentwhere

peopleare notafraidtoaskquestions.”

PaulFox,vice-presidentofinclusive technologiesat Texthelpfurthersupported this,encouragingbusinessestoimplementand supportstaff networksandemployee resource groups(ERGs)andstressedthat’s it’s anarea forongoingimprovement.“Conduct regular pulsechecksonwhatyou’re doingtocreate aninclusiveworkplace,evenifyouthinkyou’re gettingitright,askisitthebestyoucando,” hesaid.

Workplaceadjustmentsare alsoparamountto fosteringinclusionandwe recommendmaking themavailableforeveryone,notjustthosewho requestthemordisclose a condition.Paulalso notedthatadjustmentsdon’t just relatetothe physicalworkenvironment.Individualworking stylesandpatternsvaryforeveryoneand havingpoliciesinplacethatsupportindividuals suchasfexibleworkinghoursandhybrid workingarrangementswillempowerpeopleto

makechoicesforhowtheyworkbest.

In relationtothephysicalworkenvironment, JayneCrampton,experiencedinteriordesigner forCalibro advisedit’s criticaltoconsider thesensoryexperienceforneurodivergent individualsastheyhavesensoryprocessing challengeswhichaffecthowtheyexperience theenvironmentaroundthem.Providing peoplewith a choiceofwhere theyworkwithin theworkplaceis a greatwaytofosterinclusivity andmeetpeople’s needs.

Disclosure,mentorshipsandalliesare alsoconsideredimportanttocreate a psychologicallysafespace.Ifsomeoneonyour seniorleadershipteamhas a neurodivergent conditionandare comfortabledisclosingit, thiscanhelpcreate a safespaceforpeople todiscloseandfeelcomfortableaskingfor support.Havinggenuinealliescanalsogo a longwaytohelpingtheneurodivergent communityfeelliketheybelong. ■

AlexBunting,Inspire Wellbeing,ChrissyMcDougall,NeurodiversityinBusiness,RonnieCrawfordandJayne Crampton,Calibro Workspace,withPaulFox, Texthelp

InternationalSynergies: aglobal leaderinindustrialsymbiosis

JacquelineGibson,directorwith InternationalSynergiesNI,talksaboutthe scaleofeconomic,socialandenvironmentalimpactit’shavinginNIandbeyond

Sowhatisindustrialsymbiosis? Ifyougoogleit,itwillgiveyoudefnitionwith papersbackingthisupfromourveryown InternationalSynergiesteam.Inessence,itis aboutembracingthecircularEconomy, rather than a linearone.

IndustrialSymbiosisis a conceptofindustrial ecologythatdescribeshow a networkof diverseorganisationscanuseeachother’s wasteorby-productsasrawmaterials. Industrialsymbiosiscanfostereco-innovation, culture change,andmutualproftability, as wellassignifcantlyimproveenvironmentaland socialoutcomes.

A globaltrend

We havesupportedtheimplementation ofindustrialsymbiosisinover40countries acrosssixcontinents.Liveprojectsandclients rangefromdeveloping a regionalsymbiosis networkandmanagementmodelin Turkey, trainingfacilitatorsthe Western Cape,South Africa,developing a blueprintfor a European IntensiveIndustriesSkillsAgendaandStrategy, andleadingon a GlobalEco-IndustrialParks ProgrammeinEgypt.

“Usingourworldleadingexpertiseinindustrial symbiosisandproventechnology, wework

internationallywiththeprivateandpublic sectorstoadvancethetransitionto a more circulareconomy, andultimatelytowarda net zero worldby2030.”

A sustainablemodel

Knownasthetriplebottomline,sustainability considerspeople,planetandproft,orin otherwords,socialimprovement,economic developmentandenvironmentalprotection.

Embracingthecirculareconomymitigates againstthenegativeimpactsacrossglobal supplychains,whilealso reducing80%of carbonemissionsassociatedwithbusiness operations.

With a lotofunknownsofembodiedcarbon upstreamanddownstreamofthevaluechain, businessescanembraceIndustrialSymbiosis

as a meanstostimulatelocalsocioeconomic improvementacrossNI.

Ourfree resourcematchingservice,funded throughInvestNIalongwithfourworkshops heldthroughouttheyear, allowbusinessesto de-risktheirsupplychains, reducetheircarbon foot-print,cutcosts,andfndnewareasfor businessinnovationbysupportingthemto accessma-terialsclosetotheirpremises.

Someorganisationswehavehelpedin recent monthsinclude TitanicDenim, Wrightbus, CamdenGroup,ArmaghPlanetarium,Habitat forHumanity, UlsterUniversity, andMcAleer & Rushe.

Environmental,socialandeconomic impactstodate

Having a memberofstaff fullydedicatedtoone ofourclients,ledtothemsaving£2monotherwisewastedisposalcosts – justoneexample of reportedoutcomesfromonemonthinthe lastyear

We maximiseopportunitiesforbusinesses totakepracticalactiontocutcostsand carbonwithoursoftware platformSYNERGie. Providingdirectusebytheclient,oursoftware platformallowsorganisationstoaccess (sustainable)rawmaterialsdirectlyandfnd a homefortheirsurplusorwastematerials. Insimpletermsitwillactsomewhatlike a matchmakingappformaterialsand resources. We welcomeallbusinesses,fromstart-upsto thelargecorporates,togetintouch. You can visitourhomepagetobook a visitwithoneof ouradvisers.

OurendofSummer Workshopwillbeheld CraigavonCivicCentre onAugust29,from 9am-1pmwiththeopportunityforbusinesses tonetworkandfosternewpartnerships. ■

To fndoutmorevisit www.international-synergies.com

Jacqueline Gibson

Kainos

Forthefrsttimein25yearsIT servicesgiantKainoshas a newchief atthehelm.

BrendanMooneyjoinedthenowlistedKainos as a traineeengineeringbackin1989,and intheyearssincehelpedgrowtheBelfastheadquarteredbusinessinto a companywith trulyglobal reachandinternationalfootprint.

With a workforceapproaching3,000 – many basedhere butwithhugeemployment footprintsacrossEuropeandtheUS – it’s now headedbyRussellSloan.

It remainsoneofthestalwartsofourbooming ITandtechnologysector – helpingposition Northern Irelandontheworldstage.

“Ourlatest results, record our14thconsecutive yearofgrowthwithdisciplinedexecutioninthe currentmacro-economicclimate,”hesaid.

“We havebeenfocusedonouroperational performance,maintainingtheappropriate balancebetweengrowth,international expansion,investmentforthefuture and proftability.”

Kainosisnow a £382mcompany, placingit atthenumber29spotonthisyear’s Ulster Business Top 100Northern IrelandCompanies, inassociationwithKPMG.

Itpostedstatutorypre-taxproftsof£64.8m fortheyearendingMarch2024 – uponthe £52.9m a yearearlier

ItcountstheNHSintheUKamongits customersandhasspecialistdivisions,digital servicesand WorkdayPractice.Digitalservices developsandsupportsITserviceplatforms forpublicsector, commercialandhealthcare customers.

“Notwithstandingtheglobaleconomic uncertainty, webelievethatourlargest businessareas, WorkdayProducts, Workday Services,andthepublicsectorsegmentof DigitalServices(together, 80%of revenue)will continuetodelivergrowth,inboththenear termandmediumterm,”itsays

Kainos,whichiscurrentlybasedatUpper Crescentoff Botanic AvenueinsouthBelfast,is makingwaytodevelop a newfagshipoffceat thesiteoftheformerDublinRoadcinema.

Planswillseeitbreakgroundthisautumnwith theaimofmovingintothenewdevelopment by2027.

Breakingdownthekeynumbersitsaysoverall bookingsstoodat£424.5mfortheyear, with strongcontractedbackloggrowthof11%to £357.1mandyear-endcashof£126m

“We are gratefulforthesupportandtrustthat ourcustomerscontinuetoplaceinKainosto delivertheircriticalprojects,”MrSloansaid.

“Customersatisfactionlevelsare high,and oneofthebestmeasuresofthatsatisfaction isthehighlevelof repeatbusinesswhichwe receivefromourcustomers.Ourexcitement

isincreasingaboutour WorkdayProducts division.

“Thisyear’s excellentperformanceisanother signifcantsteptowardsourgoalof£100m annual recurring revenue(ARR)by2026. We are furtherdelightedthatourfourthandlatest product,EmployeeDocumentManagement, hasbeenourmostsuccessfulproductlaunch todate,with26internationalclientsalready signedup.

“We remainconfdentthere willbefurther opportunitiestodevelopnew, innovative productsaswecontinuetoengagecloselywith Workdayandwithourcustomers.”

Thefrmhasincreaseditsworkforcetoalmost 3,000basedacross14globaloffces.

MrSloansaidthefrm’s digitalservices divisionhas“seen a solidperformancewith consistentdemandfrompublicsectorclients, stronggrowthinourcore healthcare business (excludingpandemic related revenue)despite a reductioninourcommercialbusiness”.

“Meanwhile,there hasbeengoodgrowth inour WorkdayServicesdivisionwhere we continuetobetheleading Workdaypartnerin Europeandhavephaseonepartnerstatusin boththeUSandCanada.

“Despitetheongoingglobaleconomic uncertainty, webelievethatourlargestbusiness areas, WorkdayProducts, WorkdayServicesand thepublicsectorsegmentofDigitalServices,

willcontinuetobe resilientandwill offersubstantialgrowthopportunities inboththeneartermandmedium term.

“We are wellpositionedwithin thesemarkets,bothlocallyand, increasingly, internationally, andwe remainconfdentinourstrategy What underpinsthatconfdenceisthetalent andabilityofourpeople. We continueto investintheirdevelopmentandcan rely ontheirexpertiseandenergytodriveour success.”

Lookingtotheyearahead,itsaysitexpects“a return togrowthforourhealthcare business”.

“Thiswillbeoffsetintheneartermbyfurther modest reductionsin revenuesfromour commercialsectorcustomerswithindigital services,butweexpect a return togrowth forourcommercialsectorcustomersinthe mediumterm.” ■

RussellSloan

EconomyMinister

ConorMurphy

Conor Murphy: Top100 shows strength and dynamismoflocaleconomy

EconomyMinister ConorMurphy saysthisyear’s UlsterBusiness Top100NorthernIrelandCompanies,inassociationwith KPMG, showcasesthevibrancyandbreadthofourprivatesector

Thestrength,dynamismandvibrancy ofourlocaleconomyis refectedin thisyear’s UlsterBusiness Top 100.

I amdeterminedtodoall I cantoenable businesseslikethese,andmanymore right acrossthenorth,tocontinuetofourishand succeed.

When I tookoffce, I setoutmyaimtocreate a regionallybalancedeconomy, withgoodjobs, increasedproductivity, and a drivetowardsto netzero.

I recentlylaunched a seriesofactionplans, developedinpartnershipwithindustry, to harnessourmostinnovative,productiveand internationallyorientedsectors,includingagritech,lifeandhealthsciences,screenindustries, advancedmanufacturingandlowcarbon.

Theplanswilldrivegrowththrough collaborationandclustering, responding toindustry’s skillsneedsandputtinglocal companiesin a strongpositionintheglobal market.

I havealsosetoutmyplansforhowwecan ensure wehavepeoplewiththerightskillsfor theevolvingcurrentandfuture jobmarket,as sectorscontinuetodevelop.

A programmeofnewinitiativeswillbe rolled outinthecomingmonthsas a resultof a new £12mSkillsFund.Thiswillstrengthenourskills base,ensuringitwillbe a keydriverforfuture growth.

To furthersupportthevital roleofworkersin

oureconomy,I launched a consultationon proposalstointroduceanEmploymentBillwhich will reinforceemploymentrightslegislation.

Bytacklinginsecure workingpracticesand promotingfexibleworking,more peoplewill enter, stayin,or re-entertheworkforce – and thiscanonlybeneftourwholeeconomy

Dualmarketaccessprovidesuswithan internationalcompetitiveadvantagethat willboostexportsandoverallproductivity Recent researchhasshownthatmanysectors are alreadybeneftting,and I intendtohelp companiesbuildonthatsuccess.

All-islandcooperationandcollaboration – where expertise, resources,skillsandinnovationcanbe sharedformutualbeneft – iscentraltofuture growth.

Recently,I signedanagreementwithsouthern MinisterCatherineMartinthatwillseetourism, oneofourmostimportantsectors,become more economicallyandsociallysustainable.

WorkingwithInterTradeIrelandand Tourism Ireland,amongothers, I willcontinuetodevelop opportunitieslikethisthatwilldeliverclear commercialbeneftsforthenorth.

InvestNIwillstrengthenits regionalpresence, andworkwithcommunitiesontheirlocal economicpriorities.Theagencywillbetter targetitssupporttobalancetheneedsoflocal smallandmediumenterpriseswiththoseof foreigndirectinvestors.

Start-upsandsocialenterprises,bothvital

componentsofoureconomy, willalsobe supported.

Alongsidethis,mydepartmentis rollingout atpacethe£1.5bnCityandGrowthDeal programme,withschemesinsectorsincluding healthandlifesciences,screenindustriesand tourism.

Worldclassprojectssuchasthe£230m AdvancedManufacturingInnovationCentre withQueen’s UniversityBelfastwillstimulate newindustries,supportbusinessestoinnovate andexpand,andindoingso,createthousands ofjobsrightacrossthenorth.

Decarbonisationpresents a tremendous economicopportunity Localcompaniesthat haveinvestedinnetzero technologiesare performingstronglyandthiswillonlygrow furtherasmyactionplanforthelowcarbon sector, includinggreenhydrogen,takeseffect.

Myapproachfromdayonehasbeenone ofpartnershipandcollaboration – with businesses,tradeunions,community bodiesandwiderexpertise – toensure our stakeholders’voicesare listenedtoandtaken accountof.

Togetherwecanputinplacethemosteffective measuresandcreatetheconditionstounlock thefulleconomicpotentialofourbusinesses andourpeople.

I congratulateeverycompanyonthis Top 100 list.Theydemonstratewhatcanbeachieved andare theinspirationtodriveusallonto future success. ■

Major 600MW batter y energystorage systemplannedforCoAntrim

Ahugebatteryenergystorage system(BESS)couldbebuiltinCo Antrimamidfreshplans.

The600MWscheme,locatedoutsideLisburn, wouldbelinkedtothecity’s mainelectricity substation.

Itwouldcoveranareaofaroundeightacres, andsitbeside a nearbyhugesolardevelopment ontheMoneybroomRoad.

It’s beenclassedas a majorplanningapplication here,giventhesizeofthescheme.

TheapplicationhasbeenmadebyLisburn EnergyLtd,withLesRossPlanningactingas planningconsultants.

“TheproposedBESSisdesignedtostabilise supplyandcreate a more resilientnetwork. Thefacilitywillstore electricitywhenthere is a surplusofgenerationinthesystem,and dischargeelectricityontothegridwhenthere is a defcitofgeneration,”supportingdocuments say

“Thesystemwillprovide600MWhofbattery storagecapacityandisdesignedtooperateat 150MWforfourhours.

“TheproposedBESSisenclosedwithin a compoundlocatedtothewestoftheexisting NIEsubstation.

“Thebatteriesare enclosedincabinets arrangedin rowsonconcretepads.The eastern areaofthesiteisoccupiedbyelectrical switch roombuildings,electricitytransformers and a serviceyard with a permeablestoned surface.”

Speakingaboutaninitialcommunity consultation,plannerssaidnosignifcant changeswere madetoplansasidefrom includinganacousticbarrier, intheformof a gate.

Onthesizeofthedevelopment,planners saidthe“scaleoftheproposedfacilitywas basedonanassessmentoftheexistinggrid, with a relativelylarge-scalescheme(600MW) deemedtobeappropriatehere duetothe characteristicsoftheestablishedgrid”.

It’s thoughttheschemecouldtakearound eightmonthstobuild.

SeveralBESSfacilitieshavebeendeveloped inNorthern Irelandin recentyears,including largescalefacilitiesnear Tamnamore, Tandragee,KellsandCastlereagh.

Plansareunderwayto buildanew600MWbattery energystoragesystem

Meanwhile, a numberofsmallerschemes are alsobeingplannedfordifferentpartsof Northern Ireland.

Thatincludesdevelopmentsonbehalfof companieslinkedtoHeronBros.

HeronStoragewantstobuild a 50MW batteryenergystoragesystem(BESS)outside Plumbridge,whichwouldincludetransformers, switchhouse,lightingandwidersiteworks.

TheapplicationcomesasHeronEnergy, anotherlinkedcompany, isseekingplanning permissiontobuildthe50MWdevelopment, whichincludes a switchandcontrol room, closetotheMagherakeelsubstationoutside Castlederg.

Meanwhile,SSEhaspurchased a 100MW batterystorageprojectwithfullplanning permissioninCo TyronefromHeronEnergy

TheacquisitionoftheDerrymeenbattery energystoragesystemfromHeronEnergy, partofHeronGroup,wasmadethroughits renewableenergyarm,SSERenewables. ■

“Wearestrugglingtogrowup here,”ConorMulligantells me.

Hesaysalackoflandandasluggishplanning systemmeanLaganHomesisexpanding elsewhere–southoftheborderandelsewhere intheUK.

“We aren’t buildingenoughhouseshere [to meetthemarketdemand],”hesays.

As a result,theBelfast-based ﬁrmhas expandeditsbusinessintheRepublictoaround £70minthelastyear, more thanthe£50mit’s donehere.

To illustratetheplanningwoeshe’s facing, Conorsayshe’s beenwaitingonthegreen lightfor a changeofhousetypeapplication – withthesamenumberofpropertiesandno objections – forthelasttwoyears.

“I’mwaitingon a planningapplicationfor a

changeofhouse type – the samenumber ofhousesand noobjections It’s takentwo years.

“Whenyou’re intheboardroomandI’m tellingpeopleit’s takingtwoyearsfor a changeofhousetype,whentheguysdown southare gettingplanningapprovalsinsix months – where doyouputyourmoney?”

Aswestandatop a largemoundofearth onanunusuallyhotanddryday, thelast foundations,bricksandmortarare being laidonthe ﬁnalgreen-litphaseofthehuge Millmountdevelopmentontheoutskirtsof Dundonald,notfarfromBelfast.

“It’s alsotheavailabilityof land,”hesays.“Thissite here [Millmount]will have600-700houses. There willneverbe anothersitelike this.”

Lagan Homes

ConorMulligan

Thefrmpostedsalesof£132.6m,accordingto accountsforLaganHomesGroupLtd,forthe yearendingDecember2022.

Inthatperioditpublishedpre-taxproftsof £6.7m.

LaganHomesis a companywhichcounts constructionstalwartKevinLaganamongits directors,andisheadedbyConorMulligan.

It’s increaseditsstandingonthe Top 100 –shootingupfromthe88spotto75inthis year’s publication.

Conorsaysmarginsare “astightas I ever rememberthem”.

“We hopetodo£70m[intheRepublic]this year That’s from a standingstartfveyearsago, soincrediblegrowth.

“That’s downtothemarket,whichisstrong, buttheabilitytogetplanningpermissionand theavailabilityofland.

“We havetoexpand. We are doingasmuch workinGBasweare doinghere [Northern Ireland].

“We have a goodlandbankandthatis supportedwithplanning,andNorthern Ireland Watersupport,sohopefullythat remains.But replacingthat[work]isincredibly diffcult,sothat’s whyweare lookingat differentjurisdictions.”

Conorsayshousepricesare closetowhere theywere duringthepropertyboom,but constructioncostshavedoubled.

“Themarkettellsyouwhatyoucansellthem for, soyouhavetohopeforthebest,”he says.

Intermsoftheworkforce,hesayswagesand costshavegoneup.

Hesaysthere remainsstrongdemandfornew buildpropertieshere,withenergyeffciency beingoneoftheirstrengths.

“Everything refectsbacktotheboom,” hesays.“Whenwewere sellingthen,you wouldhave rentedonefor£400-500.It’s now £1,200.

“Peopleare gettingsqueezed,left,rightand centre. We justhaven’t beenbuildingenough houses.”

Lookingahead,Conorsayspropertypricesand rents“are goingtocontinuetogoup,because wehaven’t beensupplyingenough”homes.

“Idon’t see[acollapse],”hesays.“We have incrediblescarcity, rentsare threetimeswhat theywere,”hesaid.

“There justaren’t enoughpropertiesandthe rentsoftheexistingpropertiesare goingto gethigherandhigher.”

“We willprobablymovetowardsmore retirementliving,andthebeneftofthatis freeingupmore housesintothecommunity again.” ■

Optimistic realismis key to meeting challenges and building onpositivity

ClareGuinness,chiefexecutiveofBelfastChamber,saysthe cityremainskeytoourwidereconomywhilesustainabilityandis essentialtoasuccessfulandprosperousfuturefortheeconomy

The return oftheNorthern Ireland

Executivehascertainlyinjected a positivedynamicintotheeconomy – andthecelebrationofthe Top 100 companiesoffers a welcomeopportunity to refectonthestridesbeingmade.

ManymembersofBelfastChamberare amongthelisting – W&RBarnett,Allstate, PowerNI,Queen’s UniversityBelfast,Kainos, MRPtoname a few – andthis reallydoes giveme a senseofpridethattopbusinesses headquarteredortradinginthecityare engagedandcontributingtoourbusiness community

Indeed,around30%ofthe Top 100are based inBelfastwhich refectsthecity’s contribution tothe region – accountingforapproximately a third oftheGDP

There ismuchtobeoptimisticaboutandmany examplesofNIbeinginthespotlightforallthe right reasons. I hadthepleasure ofwitnessing theterrifcjointworkingofourFirstMinister anddeputyFirstMinisterin Washingtonback inMarch,andagaininJuneatourPresident’s Lunch,atwhichalmost400guestshearda numberofkeyinsights.Suchstrong,collective politicalleadershipgivesusallhopeforthe future.

The regionhasalsobenefttedfromthe InvestmentSummitlastyearandtheadvocacy ofUSSpecialEnvoyforEconomicAffairs,Joe Kennedy, whohasbroughtsuchtremendous energy, attentionandmadesomeexcellent connectionsforourbusinesses.

JoeopenedourConnectivityConferencein Juneandcontributedto a thoughtleadership eventonimprovingproductivitybackinApril.

Beingoptimisticisimportant.Optimistic realism,though,seesusacceptand recognise thechallenges,andtakestepstoprovidethe bestsolutions.There are,ofcourse,always challengesat a macro level – thecurrentbigticketitemsofpublicsectorbudgetconstraints, geopolitics,climatechange,andthecostsof borrowingcauseconcern.

Citylevelchallengesare refectedinourBelfast BusinessSurveywhichiscompletedbi-annually inconjunctionwithBelfastCityCouncil. Thelatest resultsforSpring2024,with452 responses,showedthecostsofdoingbusiness tobe a keyconcern alongwithHRissuesof recruitment, retentionandupskilling.

Businessesalsocitedmicro issueslikestreet cleanliness,antisocialbehaviourandthe conditionofbuildingsasbeingdetrimental.

BelfastChamber’s purposeistocreate a better environmentforourmemberstofourish,with allofsocietyprosperingas a result.However, withthehighesteconomicinactivityratesin the region,increasedderelictionandvacancy rates,coupledwith reducedcitycentre footfall anddwelltime,wehavemuchtodoacross thiscitytoensure theChamberdeliversonthat purpose.

Everyissuegivesrisetoopportunitiesandit iswithinourcollectivegifttofxmanyofthe barrierstoprogress.Thosederelictbuildings

andvacantunitsare the residentialmixedled schemesoftomorrowifwecreatetheright conditions. A radicaltransformationisneeded – solvingthecitycentre livingissuewillsolve manyothers.

Repurposingvacantunitsandinvestingin publicspaceswillmakeourcitymore attractive foralltypesofvisitors,anditiswelcome thatthere is a lotofactivitybetweentertiary academicinstitutions,theprivatesectorand governmenttoaddresstheskillsgaps.

WithBelfasthavingthelargestfurther educationcollegeintheUK,BelfastMet, alongwithQueen’s Universityandthemain UlsterUniversitycampus – weare themost denselypopulatedcityforstudentsintheUK andIreland. We needtokeepand retainthose studentsinourcityand region.Theyneed attractiveplacestoliveandgoodqualityjobs, suchastheonesbeingcreatedbyourgrowing knowledgeeconomybolsteredbyBelfast RegionCityDealinvestments.

Ifwecanaligngovernmentdepartments, councilandprivatesectordevelopers demonstratinganunderstandingofthecurrent issuesblocking residential regeneration,we couldattractexternalcapitalsumsneeded totransformourcityandcreatevibrancy improvingourcityforall.Thesamealignment, with a newapproach,woulddelivermuchneededinvestmentinpublic realm.

Collectively, wemuststriveforsimpler, faster frameworkstodeliver regenerationand stimulatedevelopment.Thetiredandcomplex

approacheswhichhaveevolvedhavenot serveduswelloverthepastdecadeormore. Nowisthetimethatplansandambitionsmust beconvertedintotangibleoutcomes.

Literallyeveryonewouldbeneftfroman improvedcity Citizenswouldhaveanattractive placetolive,businesseswouldbeneftfrom increasedtrade,employerswouldfnditeasier to retaingraduatesandattracttalent,andour city’s reputationwouldgrowas a destination tolive,learn,work,visitandinvest.

Finally, wemustbecome a sustainable cityand regiontoo. We simplywill notcompetewithotherlocationsfor investmentifwedonot.Againour structures require alignmenttoinvest ininfrastructure necessarytoincrease renewableenergysupplyandsupport retroftprogrammesto reduceour carbonasfuture capitalwillseek outplaceswithgreencredentials toinvest.Commercialitytellsus weneedprivatesectorfunds tosupport a myriadofcapital projects.Furthermore,morality compelsustoact.

Itisintheinterestofour vibrantandgrowingprivate sector, includingandfar beyondthe Top 100,to seeour regioncitygrow andthrive,encompassing allthatisexpectedof a modern,progressiveand inclusiveeconomy ■

ClareGuinness

KingsbridgeHealthcareGroup in£300mmajoritystakedeal

NorthernIreland’sbiggestprivate hospitalgrouphassoldamajority stakeinthebusiness£300m,ithas been revealed.

KingsbridgeHealthcareGroup,basedinsouth Belfast,saidithadsecuredmajorinvestment fromprivateequityfrmExponent.

Itsaidthedealwouldsupportitsexpansionin bothNorthernIrelandandtheRepublicand wasa“majorvoteofconfdenceinNorthern Ireland’seconomy”.

Accordingtoa reportonbusinessnews websiteTheCurrencyinMay,Exponenthad beeninexclusivetalkstoacquireKingsbridge foraround£300m.

It’sDublin-basedExponent’sfrstinvestment intoNorthernIrelandandoneofthebiggest privateequitydealsherein recentyears.

KingsbridgewasfoundedbydoctorsSuresh TharmaandAshokSongrainBelfastin2005.It nowhasfourhospitalsand11clinicsinBelfast, LondonderryandSligo.Itemploysmorethan 1,100staffandengagesover400consultants advancedmedicalservicesinsurgeryand diagnostics.

DrTharmaandMrSongrawill remain signifcantminorityinvestorsinKingsbridge, whichwillalso retainitsexistingsenior leadershipteam,ledbychiefexecutiveMark Regan.DrTharmawillbecomechairmanofthe board.

ExponentmanagingdirectorRichardLenane, whoisfromBelfast,andDavidMcGovern, partnerinitsDublinoffce,willjointheboard.

Kingsbridgecarriesoutmorethan25,000 surgicaltreatmentseachyear,including patientsundertheNorthernIrelandPlanned HealthcareSchemeandNational Treatment PurchaseFund(NTPF),contributingto reduced

waitinglisttimesforpatientsintheRepublic. IntheyeartoMarch2023,pre-taxprofts rose to£11.4m,from£9.1mtheyearbefore.

Exponenthasnowinvestedover€1bninIrishownedandbasedbusinesses,makingitoneof themostsignifcantprivateequityinvestorsin Ireland.

InFebruary,itannouncedaninvestmentin Galway-basedChanellePharma,acompany foundedbyMichaelBurke,thefather-in-lawof NorthernIrelandjockeyAPMcCoy.

MrRegansaid:“Wewelcomethissignifcant investmentandvoteofconfdenceinour business.TheteamatExponentiscommitted tosupportingourlocalhealthcaresectorand hasanimpressivetrack recordofbackinggreat businessesacrosstheisland.

“Ouraimfromtheveryoutsettwodecades agowastoimproveaccesstohealthcare,be thatthroughsupportingthepublicsectorvia

theNHS,HSEandNTPForthosewhowish toaccessoursurgeryanddiagnosticservices usingself-paymodelsorprivatemedical insurance.

“InNorthernIrelandwehavethelongest healthcarewaitinglistsinEurope.Byworking inpartnershipwithboththeNHSandtheHSE aswellastheburgeoningprivatehealthcare markethere,Istronglybelievethattogetherwe canmakea realandlastingdifferencetothe outcomesformanymorepatients.

“Oursingularaimgoingforwardisto continuetobuildonthelegacywe’vealready establishedandtoservethehealthcareneeds ofthepopulationofIreland,northandsouth.”

MrMcGovernpraisedthecompany’s“culture andpatientfocus”“Throughitshigh-tech facilitiesandthoughtfuloperatingmodel, Kingsbridgeisstrategicallywellpositioned toaddressdemandforhealthcareservicesin NorthernIrelandandacrosstheIreland.” ■

KingsbridgePrivateHospital ontheLisburnRoadinBelfast

StephenSurphlis

MRP Land Ltd

In thespaceofwhatseemslike a relativelyshortperiod,MRPhas expandeditsdevelopmentacross Belfastandbeyondintothe restoftheUK.

Itflesas a limitedcompanybutispartofthe overallMcAleer & Rushegroup – oneofour largestconstructionbusinesses.

McAleer & Rushe’s propertyarmfocuseson developmentandinvestmentandhasoffcesin London,BelfastandCookstown.

It’s headedbyMcAleer & Rushestalwart StephenSurphlis,asitsmanagingdirector

MRPLandLtdisoneofthefrm’s limited companies,whichis registeredinNorthern Ireland,andcomesinatthenumber92spot inthe UlsterBusiness Top 100Northern Ireland Companies2024,inassociationwithKPMG.

Itsaysitnowspecialisesinthedevelopmentof high-qualitybuildingswithintheoffce,hotel, residentialandstudentaccommodationsectors.

StephenSurphlis,managingdirector, told Ulster Business

“However, activityisexpectedtoimprove towardstheendof2024/early2025withthe beneftoflowerinfationandtheprospectof reducinginterestrates.”

TheEwartwas a sizeable restorationand modernisationdevelopment – bringingback theoriginal1870listedbuildingintouse,along withtheconstructionof a 17-storeytowerat the rear

Elsewhere inthecity, there were originallyplans todevelopthesiteoftheformerNorwichUnion Houseinto a 230,000sqftoffcescheme, including retail, restaurantsandcafes,which wouldseetheoriginalstructure knockeddown tomakewayfor a six-storeybuilding.

Butnow, ESNUHLtd – whichis a development companylinkedwithCo Tyrone’s McAleer andRushe – nowwantstoknocktheexisting buildingdowntomakewayforstudent accommodation.

“Thecompanyhasseveralactivesites,suchas a 409-unitPBSAschemeatQueensRoadin NottinghamwhichisontrackforanAugust 2024completionandthecommencement oftwofurtherPBSAschemesatGoughStin Birmingham(540-units)andBroadwayCentral inGlasgow(409studiobeds).

“Inadditiontothecompany’s strongpipeline ofactivedevelopmentprojectstocomplete, planningconsentsare beingadvancedon severalschemesincitiessuchasLondon, ManchesterandBristol,aswellasthesignifcant WeaversCrosstransport-led regeneration schemeintheheartofBelfast.”

MRP’s CitySquare House,thenew140,000sq ftoffcebuildingnexttoLeedsStation,isnow complete.

Thismajorlandmark,whichhasbeen speculativelydevelopedbyMRPandbuiltby McAleer & Rushe,issaidtobethe“most signifcantnewoffcebuildinginLeedsfor a generation”.

InBelfast,it’s beenbehindthefagshipEwart buildingonBedford Street – nowhometo Deloitte a soon a rangeofotherfrms.

“Thecompany reports occupierdemandhas remainedconstantwithin itscore focusareas ofcommercialoffce, purposebuiltstudent accommodation,hotel and residentialsectors, notwithstanding challengesinsecuring investorsupportfor newdevelopments against a backdropof higherconstruction andborrowingcosts andsofteningvalues,”

NorwichUnionHouse,locatedbetweenCastle StreetandFountainStreet,wasinitiallydue tobedevelopedtomakewayfor a mixed-use schemetoinclude a hotel.

Anapplicationtodevelopthesiteas a £60m offceschemewasapprovedin2020.

Thatcouldinclude retail,gymandcinema.The developmentwouldcoveraround376,000sq ft.

“The[MRP]portfoliocontinuesinkeycities acrosstheUK,with recentlycompletedschemes includingtheaward-winning VitaBruceSt PBSAdevelopmentinBelfastandthe140,000 sqftCitySquare Houseoffcedevelopmentin Leeds,where 85%ofspacehasbeenpre-let,” Stephensaid.

Justlastyear TranslinkselecteddeveloperMRP asitsprivatesectorpartnerforBelfast’s Weavers Crossdevelopment.

That’s thenextphaseandwidernearby development,whichisbeingfurtherdeveloped followingcompletionofthenewGrandCentral Station.

MRPwilldeliverthe WeaversCrossdevelopment withthepotentialfor1.3millionsqftofmixeduseoffce,lifesciences, residential,student housing,hotels, retailandleisure space.

“Thevisionfor WeaversCrossis a boldone, marryingworld-classurbandesignthat incorporatestheverylatestsustainablepractices tocreate a newneighbourhoodforBelfastthat willimpactpositivelyonallofNorthern Ireland,” StephenSurphlissaid. ■

PROF IL E

Nb1: 20yearsandcounting

Businessmanandentrepreneur NoelBrady ismarking20yearswithhiscompany Nb1,andcontinuestoworkwithmajorfrmsandFDIcomingintoNorthernIreland, aswellashisnon-executiveandchairmanshiprolesacrossthesectors

WhenNoelBradystartedhis careerinthe70sasacivil servant,NorthernIreland wasaverydifferentplacepolitically, economicallyandsocially.

ItwasattheheightofThe Troublesand NorthernIrelandwasnotconsideredtobe aplaceinvestorswantedtomoveintoamid violenceandpoliticalupheavalandsocial depravation.

Noel,thefounderofconsultancyfrmNb1 says:“TheNorthernIrelandmarketisoneI haveworkedinthroughoutmywholecareer, andIknowitintricately.

“I’maBelfastmantotallycommittedto growingtheeconomyhereanddeveloping employmentopportunities.I’veneverhadany interestinworkingelsewhere.Backthenitwas themiddleofThe Troubles,therewasverylittle happeningeconomically,politicallyorsocially.

“Butcuttonowandit’samazingjusthowthe Provincehaschanged.It’sanactivemarket –veryITdriven–withlotsofback-offce operationsandanever-expandingplacetodo businessofferingincreasingopportunitiesfor investmentandgrowth.”

Noelisthefounderandmanagingdirector ofNb1,aswellasbeinganexpertinpublic sectortendering,salesandmarketingandhe isahighlyexperiencedand respectedchairman andnon-executivedirectorinorganisationsin boththeprivateandpublicsectors.

Heismarkingthe20thanniversaryofNb1 thisAugust,andhasworkedwithcountless organisationsfromrightacrossthebusiness

sectors,offeringstrategicexpertadviceand guidance.

“NorthernIrelandisnowaveryattractive marketforthosecompaniesseeking investmentopportunitiesandgrowth.”

Noelcontinuestoworkwithawidevariety oforganisationsfromacrossthebusiness environment,includingforeigndirectinvestors eyeingsizeableworkhere–includingpublic sectorcontracts.

“ThereareanumberofcurrentmajorIT projectsinthepublicsector,withmanymore comingupfor renewal,”hesaid.

“Thiscreatesinterestfromlargeinternational playerswhoifsuccessful,goontoestablish newbaseshereandcreatehighvalue employment.”

Hehighlightsthathis rolehaschangedover theyears,intandemwiththedemandsofthe market,andthishasbeenkeytothesuccessof hisbusiness.

Healsocountsanumberofcurrent roleson hisCV,includingchairmanoftheConstruction Industry TrainingBoardNorthernIreland (CITBNI),chairmanofbatterystorageand UPSbusinessContinu,non-executivefnance directorwiththeSouthEasternHealthand SocialCare Trust,andisalsoaboardtrustee withtheHMSCaroline Trust.

Lookingbackoverthelast20years,hesays thathehaslearnedalotaboutwhat’sneeded tobuildastrongbusiness:

•Networkingismykeycomponentofbusiness

growth–youmustnetwork–that’sbeena majorsuccessfactorformyowncompany.

• Workingasanintricatepartoftheclient’s teamisessential–knowledgetransferisa two-waystreetanditsalwaysapleasuretosee ouryoung,brightpeoplecomingthroughinto theindustry.

•Flexible relationshipswithyourclients remainsatthecoreofsuccess–ahappyclient staysaclient.

Lookingaheadtothenext20yearshesaid AIisgoingtohaveamassiveimpacton everythingwedo.

“AIwillbeagamechangerwithinfveyearssomuchisbeinginvestedinit,itwillchange thefaceofhowwedoeverythinginbusiness, societyandlife.Fromabusinessperspective,if youaren’tonthistrain,forgetaboutarrivingat thenextstop.” ■

NoelBrady

Atatimewhenunemployment levelsinNIareatnear record lows,fndingemployeeswith therightskillsismorediffcultthan ever.Acompetitivelabourmarket alsoilluminatestheneedtoalsolook internallytoensurefrmscan retainthe stafftheycurrentlyhave,ensuringwork issecureandfulflling,andthatthey haveopportunitiesforadvancement.

Andtherearestrongexamplesinthisyear’s UlsterBusiness Top100NorthernIreland Companieslistshowcasingleadingjobdesign andcrafting.

Whereistheresparecapacityinthe NorthernIrelandLabourMarket?

Recent researchbytheUlsterUniversity EconomicPolicyCentreandEPICFuturesNI (2024)highlightsthatthereissparecapacity, beyondtheunemployed,intheNIlabour market.Theseadditionalformsofspare capacityare1)the‘hiddenunemployed’and 2)the‘underemployed’.

Thehiddenunemployedcompriseof individualswhoareeconomicallyinactive butcananddowishtoworkifadditional supportsareprovide,andindividualson governmenttrainingprogrammes.InNI, thelargesthiddenunemployedgroups arewomen,individualswithdisabilities andindividualswhoareover50.Thereare asmanyas50,000hiddenunemployed individualsinNI.

EPICFuturesNIisledbyUlsterUniversityand involvesaconsortiumofco-investigators acrosspolicy,communityandvoluntarysector andbusiness.

Therearealsoover47,000underemployed individuals,whoarepartandfulltime workerswhowouldliketoworkmorehours. Combinedwiththeunemployed,thereisthe potentialofover120,000ofavailablelabour intheNImarket.

Reaching the hiddenand underemployed: a fresh look at job design

Thisyearhasbeenoneofgrowthformany NorthernIrelandenterprises.However, labourmarketshortagesandskillsdefcits continuetobehottopicsacrossallaspects ofbusiness,writes KristelMiller,Professor ofEntrepreneurshipandSmallBusiness DevelopmentatUlsterUniversity

Theseindividualscanbe reachedifappropriate supportsareimplemented.However,itis notedthatsomeofthispotentiallabourmay notbeattheskillslevelswhichbusinesses currentlyneed, requiringinnovativemodels andcollaborationbetweenpolicy,education providersandbusinessestohelpthementer thelabourmarket.

Therehavebeeninnovativemodels demonstratedacrossNIthroughLabour MarketPartnerships,communityandvoluntary sectorconsortiumstodelivertheUKShared ProsperityFundingandPeacePlusFunding. Therehasalsobeenanincreasedemphasis

anduptakeonallageapprenticeshipswhich Ibelieveinstilsacultureoflifelonglearning alongsidework.

However,uncertaintyoffuturefundingto supportindividualstoenterthelabourmarket hasmadeitdiffculttocapture robustevidence ofthelonger-termholisticmultiplierimpacts ofprogrammes.Fundamentally,participating inthelabourmarketnotonlybeneftsthe economy,butcantransformcommunities, familylifeandhelpalleviatepressureonour healthandsocialcaresystems.Howeverfor thistobeachieved,itdoes requireacrossdepartmentalpolicyapproach.

Atatimewhenpublicfundingisbeingcut,NI businessesneedtobeproactivetoinnovate theirhuman resourcepracticestoensuretheir workplacesareinclusivetohiddenunemployed andunderemployedgroups.

Howcanjobdesignandjobcraftingcan aid recruitmentand retention?

Keytakeawaysfromourvastengagementwith stakeholdersoverthepastyearthroughour EPICFuturesNIprojectsuggeststhatantaking afreshlookatjobdesignandjobcraftingcan helpemployersfacinglabourchallenges.Job designinvolvesconsideringtheskillsetsneeded forthedifferentcomponentsofthejob.

Innovativejobdesignpracticesencapsulates allaspectsofajobfrom recruitmentto continuousdevelopment.It requiresemployers tonotfocusonformalqualifcationsbutto mapthe rolesand responsibilitieswhichthey needfromanemployee(includinghardand softskills),considerbespokedevelopmental trainingprogrammes,performance reviews andappropriatecompensation.

Jobdesignshouldalsoincludeconsiderations ofinterviewquestionswhichmaybefocused onidentifyingcompetencies,skillsand potentialfordevelopment.Furthermore, withanincreasingdigitalsociety,manyjobs

canbedesignedtoincludefexiblehours, compressedhours,jobsharingandhybrid working.Allowingforfexibleandinnovative formsofjobdesigncanhelptargethiddenand underemployedgroups,whentraditionalforms ofworkmaynotsuit.

To futureproofanorganisation,jobdesign shouldinvolveaprocessofcontinuous improvement,meetingthechangingneedsof theorganisationandtoensurethecontinuous developmentoftheemployee.Adaptingajob designtoalignwiththeneedsandpreferences ofanemployeemovesintotheterritoryof‘job crafting’.Jobcraftinghasbeenconsideredto aid retentionofemployeessinceiftheyare involvedindiscussionsaroundadaptationsto theirjob,itcanhelpcreatemoremeaningful workandoffersthemopportunitiestoshape theircareerandprogression.

Furthermore,jobcraftingcanhelp reduce thepotentialforwork-inducedstress,which isgrowingrapidly,andrunningtheriskofa burn-outepidemic.A recentpollby YouGovon behalfofMentalHealthUK(2024)identifed thatoneinfveadultshadtotaketimeoffdue topoormentalhealthorstressinthelastyear.

Participatorymanagementpracticescan increaseorganisationalbelonging Participatorymanagementpractices,which allowforinnovativejobdesignandcontinuous jobcraftingcanhelpemployeestresslevels, andinturnmayleadtoemployeesfeeling valuedanddevelopingasenseofbelongingin anorganisation.Allthishasbeenassociated withincreasedjobsatisfaction,performance and retention.Itcanalsoleadtomore innovativeorganisations.

Therearelotsofgoodexamplesfromthe UlsterBusiness Top100whichhaveled thewaywithinnovativejobdesignandjob crafting.Itisimportanttoshowcasesuccesses andsharebestpracticestohelpcollectively improvetheNIlabourmarketconditionsand outcomes. ■

ProfessorKristelMiller

ConstructiongiantGraham hitsmorethan£1bninsales

NorthernIrelandconstructiongiant Grahamhasachievedturnoverof £1bnforthesecondyearina row, thecompanyhassaid.

TheHillsborough-basedgroupsaid revenuefor theyeartoMarch312024hadhit£1.125bn, a2.8%jumpontheyearbefore.

Thecontractoranddeveloper,whichcarries outworkacrosstheUK,also recordedproft beforetaxof£14.8m,downslightlyfrom £15.1mtheyearearlier.

Speakingaheadofthepublicationofits accountsatCompaniesHouse,Grahamsaidit hadalsomaintainedits“robust”balancesheet positionovertheyearwithcashatbankandin handof£151m.

Itsaidits“strong”performancefortheyear wasachievedamonginfationarypressures and“signifcanteconomicandgeopolitical headwinds”.Ithaddeliveredbigprojects initscoremarketsectorsofbuilding, civilengineering,interiorft-out,facilities managementanddevelopmentmanagement.

Butthecompanysaidthathigherborrowing costsand regulatoryandlegislativechanges hadledtodelaysinstartdatesforbigprojects, whichwasimpactingonproftabilityfor contractors.

To offsetchallenges,thegrouphadfocusedon sustainablegrowththroughstrategicsupply chainmanagementandaselectiveapproachto winningwork.Thathadgivenitapipelineof securedworkofover£2bn.

AndrewBill,GrahamGroupchiefexecutive, said:“Thelatestpublishedaccountsforthe grouparepleasingandunderlinethestrong performanceofeachourdivisionswithinour coremarketsectors.

“Weprioritise robustgovernanceand

commercialmanagementwhicharethe backboneofoursustainablegrowthmodel. Signifcantly,thecontinuedsuccessofthe grouphasbeenachieveddespiteglobal economicuncertaintyandinfationary pressures.

“Themarkethasbeenchallengingbutour consistentfocusonqualitydeliveryand commitmenttosecuring repeatbusiness throughthedevelopmentofcollaborative client relationshipshaveallowedustogrow sustainablyoverthepastyear.

“Lookingforward,wehavedevelopeda signifcantpipelineofopportunitytoallowus topositivelyapproachthenext12months,and beyond,withenergyandoptimism.”

Grahamsaidithadsecuredawiderangeof jobs,includingCandleriggs,abuildto rent

developmentinGlasgow,theft-outofBT’s offcesinDundeeand restoredahistoriclisted libraryforCardiffCouncil.

Andithadalsobeennamedpreferredbidder fora redevelopmentofthe TavernandAllen StandsattheLord’sCricketGround.

MrBillsaidthesuccessofthefrmwasdown toitsworkforceofover2,500people.

Attributingthecontinuedsuccessofthe businesstotheconcertedeffortsofthe 2,500-strongworkforce,MrBillsaid.

“Onadailybasistheycontinuetobuildlasting relationshipswithclients,innovateinour approachtodelivery,andstriveforexcellence, which,asapackage,isthebedrockbehindthe strongfnancialfgurespublishedwithinthese latestaccounts.” ■

Graham’schief executive AndrewBill

Top100 remains a celebrationof Northern Ireland’s largestemployers

AngelaMcGowan,director ofCBINorthernIreland,says thereremainsoptimismin themarket,thecreationof ‘goodjobs’remainskeys andthisyear’s Top100 NorthernIrelandCompanies, inassociationwithKPMG, showcasesthescaleand breadthofourbiggestfrms

Angela McGowan

Theconnectionbetween a thriving economyandrisinglivingstandards cannotbeignored.

Whentheeconomygrows,wehavemore tax revenueforourpublicservicesandinvestment incriticalinfrastructure.Thrivingcompanies createjobs,contributetolocalcommunities andofcourseprovidethegoodsandservices thathouseholdsdemand.That’s whyit’s importanttotaketimeeachyeartopauseand recognisethe Top 100companiesinNorthern Irelandandhowtheyare creatingsigniﬁcant employmentopportunitiesandinvestinginthe region’s humancapital.

Thislatest2024list reﬂects a healthylevelof diversityintermsofbothsectorsandlocation. Fromfoodmanufacturingandconstruction tostateofthearttechnologycompanies, these ﬁrmsofferemploymentacrossBelfast, MidUlster, Newry, Londonderryandbeyond. Togethertheseemployersgiveworktoover 100,000employeesandhave a combined turnoverof£29.3bn.

MartinLutherKingis reportedtohavesaid: “Noworkisinsigniﬁcant…alllabourthat upliftshumanityhasdignity”.Theimportance oftheprivatesectorinjobcreationcannot betakenforgrantedbyanygovernmentand likewiseemployersmusttake responsibility forcreating‘goodjobs’,whichentailssetting highstandardsintermsofhealthandsafety, fair remuneration,workingconditions,training opportunitiesetc – allofwhichbringwider economicandsocial rewardsfortheindividual andsociety

AttheCBI’s PeopleandSkills WorkingGroup, I hear regularlyfromHRdirectorsthatare focusedoncontinuallyevolvingtheirofferto employees. Withmany firmsworriedabout thelocalskillsdeficit,theshrinkingworkingagepopulationandstrictmigrationand labourmobilityissues,today’s employers are clearlyfocusedonattracting, retaining andup-skillingtheirworkforce. A recentdiscussionwithchiefexecutives oneconomic resiliencesaw firmsrank

“employee retention”asoneofthetopthree risksontheirradar

Butofcourse,jobcreationisverymuch dependentonthemacro-economicclimate andthere isnodoubtthatthepastfewyears haveseensignificantuncertaintyintermsof inflation,supply-chainshocksandgeo-political insecurity Firmsontoday’s Top 100listare still contendingwithanarrayofchallengesbut are nonethelesshopefulthat a more stable economicbackdropinthemediumtermwill givethem afirmfoundationtoinvest,gain marketshare andcreatemore andbetterjobs inthelocaleconomy

TheUKeconomydisappointedlastyear, with GDPgrowingbyonly0.1%.Dualheadwinds ofhighinﬂationandincreasedinterestrates weighedonconsumerspendingthroughout theyear, withsectorslike retailandhospitality mostimpacted.Encouragingly, economic activitybegantogradually recoveratthestart of2024,withsurveys reportingunderlying economicmomentumimprovingduringquarter two.

AlthoughCBI’s latestforecastexpectsgrowth topickupinthesecondpartofthisyear, economicgrowthisunlikelytobeover1% year-on-year Butonthebrightside,2025looks muchmore promisingwithgrowthpotentially reaching1.9%duetoimprovedconsumer spendingcomingonthebackoffalling inﬂation,lowerinterestratesandimproved householdincomes.

Businessinvestment,soimportanttodriving employment,hassofarbeenweakin2024. Higherinterestratesandcostshavegiven manychiefexecutives reasonstothinktwice aboutcriticalinvestments,withsometellingme thatacquisitionshavebecomeaneasierand cheaperwaytoexpandtheirbusinesses,while othershavechosento‘waitandsee’ – holding off untilthoseborrowingcostscomedown.For thosecompanieswithhighercash reservesand lessborrowing requirements;ploughingahead isthepreferredoptionastheydon’t expect materialcoststodeclineanytimesoon.

Intermsofwhere investmentishappening, greenenergyistheclearleader – with companiesabsolutelydeterminedthatthey willbeless reliantonglobalenergysupplies inthelongterm.Investmentinelectrification, solar, wind,batterystorage,hydrogenand biofuelsare allinthemix.However, uncertainty continuestobe a barrierand firmswant a post-electiongovernmenttonotjust remain committedtothegreenagendabutsupport thetransitionthroughtaxbreaks,incentives and a planningsystembetteralignedtonet zero ambitions. Withcyber-attacksontherise, increasedinvestmentinensuringsystemsand staff are uptodatewithsecurityprocedures remainsanotherimportantinvestmentpriority for firms.

There isoptimismthatinvestmentlevels andjobcreationwillrisenextyearaslower inﬂationandinterestratecutssupportgrowth. Predictingtheeconomicfuture isonething,but deliveryisanother Forthat reason,theCBI’s BusinessManifesto,createdtogetherwithover 400businessleadersand70tradeassociations, outlinesthemeasuresthatbusinessesare lookingforfromthenextGovernmentto redeﬁnetheeconomy’s growthjourney

Ourproposalsincludethedeliveryof a Net Zero InvestmentPlanandimplementationof a targetedgreensuper-deduction. We alsocall foractiontotackleourproductivityproblem –throughsupportforinvestmentintechnology andinnovation,andwithmeasurestoboost ourlabourmarketthroughtheexpansionof tax-freeoccupationalhealthsupport.Thoseare just a fewofmanypossiblestepstoimprove oureconomicprospects.

Nogovernmentcansolvethechallenges facingtheeconomyalone,andtheCBIisclear thatharnessingtheinsightsandinnovation businessesbringtothetablewillbekeyto deliveringlastingchange.TheCBI remains committedtohavingthoseconversationswith partiesofallstripestoplaytheirpartin realising theambitionsharedbythecompanieslistedin our Top 100celebrationandthewiderbusiness community ■

Orangeorderchief buysiconicBelfast courthouse

TheCrumlinRoadCourthousehas satemptyfordecades,withseveral plansearmarkedtodevelopit.Now, OrangemanDavidMahonhasbought thebuildingamidplanstopreserveit, writes

MargaretCanning

ProminentOrangemanDavidMahonhasboughtBelfast’s CrumlinRoadCourthouse,itcanbe revealed.

MrMahon,apropertyinvestoraswellasDonegalCountyGrandMaster oftheOrangeLodge,sealedthedealforthelistedpropertyearlierthis year.

Andhesaidhe’dpreservesomeofitshistoricfeatureswhileproceeding withaprojectfrstlaunchedbyapreviousownerturnitintoahotel.

“We’rehopingto redevelopit,butkeepingCourtroom1and Courtroom2. We’dturnitintoahotelorapart-hotel,maybe.”

MrMahon,who’sfromDonegalbutlivesinCoFermanagh,declinedto sayhowmuchhe’dpaidforthebuilding,andhowmuchmightneedto bespenttotransformit.

“There’salargespendandwe’retryingtoworkonitatthemoment, throughafeasibilitystudy.

“Ithinkit’sveryimportanttopreserveit,andwe’llbedoingourbest withit.”

Hesaidhisbusinesswillsoonbeginapre-applicationconsultation processbeforeflingaplanningapplicationforthesite.

“Itwillallbeslowerthanusualasit’salistedbuildingandwe’llbe keepingthelistedbuildingpeoplehappy.

“’We’retalkingtotheDepartmentforCommunities,toseeit developed,andthey’regivingusallthehelptheycan.”

HislimitedcompanyDavidMahonPropertiesownspropertiessuchas theLinenGreenShopping VillageinDungannon,whichitboughtearlier thisyear;DeCourcyCentreinCarrickfergus;KingsSquareShopping MallineastBelfastandMurrayfeldShoppingCentreinLarne.

MrMahonsaidthebusinesswasalsoproceedingwithbuilding1,200 housesinLancaster.

CrumlinRoadCourthouse,builtin1849,waspreviouslyownedby LiverpooldeveloperLawrenceKenwright.Hewasalsobehindthebidto turntheScottishMutualBuildingintotheGeorgeBestHotel.

ButcompaniessetupbyMrKenwrightwentintoadministration, resultinginpropertiesincludingthecourthousegoingonthemarket.

Planningpermissionforachangeofuseanddevelopmentofthe propertyasahotelhadbeengrantedtoMrKenwright’sbusinessin 2018.

Permissionwasgivenfora receptionwithaloungebar, restaurant, functionsuite, rooftopbar,swimmingpool,treatment roomsand55 ensuitebedrooms.

ButthesalesbrochurepublishedbysellingagentsColliersin2019 stressedthatitneededmajor refurbishmentduetofredamagein2009 and2020.

Thebuildinghasbeenemptysinceitstoppedoperatingasacourthouse in1998.Itwastransferredintoprivateownershipaspartofthedealto developthenewLagansideCourthouse.

ItisdirectlyoppositeCrumlinRoadGaol VisitorCentre,alsothesiteof adistillery.

CiaránFox,directoroftheRoyalSocietyofUlsterArchitects,said: “Thebuildingisofsignifcantarchitecturalandculturalimportancebut throughneglectitisnowinaterriblestate.

“Anewownerbringsfreshenergy,enthusiasmandhopefullyfnancial frepower. We lookforwardtoseeingthiswonderfulbuildingbackin usebeforetoolong.” ■

TheCrumlinRoadCourthouse innorthBelfast

With some fresh political stability it’s time toget serious about what businessneeds

The UlsterBusiness Top100NorthernIreland Companies2024,inassociationwith KPMG, onceagainpaintsaclearpictureofthe strengthofoureconomyhere,the sectorswhichareleadingtheway,the industrystalwartscontinuingtogrow andthenewcomersmusclingin.But JohnMulgrew saysit’snowtime forStormont,and Westminster,to takesomeoftheongoingbusiness concernsmoreseriouslyinorder forustocontinuetoprosper

Whenthedustﬁnallysettledin theearlyhoursofachillysunny morning,NorthernIreland,and the restoftheUK’spoliticalmake-up lookedconsiderablydifferentthanjusta fewhoursbeforehand.

WithastrongLabourvictoryataUKlevel,to politicalstalwartslosingtheirseatsherelocally afterafamily reignofmorethanﬁvedecades, therewereplentyofheadlinesandsplashes toperuseandinterpretinthedayswhich followed.

Butwhilethepoliticalsituation remains somethinglargelyﬂuid–achangingofthe guardatanationalandlocallevel–Northern Ireland’sprivatesector remainsa robust, steadfastandcorepartofourwidersociety.

John Mulgrew

Thisyear’s UlsterBusiness Top100Northern IrelandCompanies,inassociationwith KPMG,onceagainhighlightsthesheerlevel ofdiversity,longevity,andingenuityofthe companieswhichemploytenofthousands ofpeoplebasedrightacrossthe regionand beyond.

Saleswereonceagainverystrong– reaching recordhighs–butpre-taxproﬁtsfellfor theﬁrsttimeinseveralyearsoftheleading businesslist,droppingbyaround8%.

Butofthose100companies,justnine postedaloss.

There’sbeensomechoppingandchanging atthetop,withMoyPark retainingthe numberonespotanddirectorJustin Colemansayingtheﬁrmiscertainlyeyeing crackingthat£2bnceilingatsomestagein thenearfuture.

thankstoturnoverof£104.6mandpre-tax proﬁtsof£11.4m.

It’sabusinesswhichiscontinuingtoexpand hereandelsewhere,includingopeninganew diagnosticandtreatmentcentreaswellas sellingoffamajoritystakeinthebusinessfora reported£300m.

Irelandwillnothititskeygreenpowertargets.

Thelocal renewablessectoriscallingfor “urgentaction”toexpediteplanning applicationsandappealstogetenoughwind, solarandbatterydevelopmentsoperating tomeettheambitious80%greenelectricity generationtargetby2030.

It remainstobeseenwhatpotentialimpact thewiderpoliticalchangeswillhaveforus hereinNorthernIreland,andwhethersome ofthethingsbusinesseshavebeencallingout for,atadevolvedlevel,orat Westminster,will beexaminedcloserwithseeminglyabitmore stability–atleastforthetimebeing.

RenewableNIsaysaround2.5GWofextra capacityisneededinorderforNorthernIreland togenerateenoughpowerto reachthetarget setbytheStormontExecutive.

Therewasalsoastarkchangeforwhatwas formerlyNorthernIreland’smostproﬁtable company,Randox.

Itpostedacoupleofyearsofstunningand heftypre-taxproﬁts,including£189min itsprevioussetofaccounts,buoyedbya signiﬁcantworkloadandinvolvementamid Covid-19testing.

Planning is the bigone Planning reform and the reform of the appeals processissomething which thiscurrent Executive mustaddress.

Butthoseschemes,whetheritswind,solar orbatterystorage,needtobeexpeditedand gettingintothegroundwellbeforewehead towardsthat2030deadline,whichisnowless thansixyearsaway.

NorthernIrelandisalsofacingastruggleacross differentsectorsingettingtherightpeople. Onpaper,almostfullemploymentlooks likewe’reinastrongplace.Butspeakingto manufacturers,constructionﬁrms,andothers, it’sclearthatcompaniesherearestrugglingto ﬁll roles.

Butinits recentlypublishedaccounts, endingJune2023,thecompanyﬂippedtoa £39mloss.

However,itsaidthe resultswere“entirely expectedand,operatingwithastrong balancesheet,isapositionwithinwhichthe directorsareentirelycomfortable”.

We alsohavenewcompaniesmakingthelist thisyear,followingstrongperformances.

ThatincludesCharlesBrand–aconstruction companypartoftheoverallLaganSpecialist ContractingGroup.Itmadethisyear’sNext 200butthankstosurgingturnovercamein atthenumber75spot.

Meanwhile,KingsbridgeHealthcareGroup hasalsolandedonthelistfortheﬁrsttime,

Butbusinessesoutthereallknowaboutthe swathesofchallengeswhichfacethem–some ofwhicharelargelyoutoftheirhands,such asarisinginputcosts,andothers,suchas planning reformorfocusingonﬁllingtheskills voidinsomesectors,whichcanbedealtwith.

Planningisthebigone.Planning reformand the reformoftheappealsprocessissomething whichthiscurrentExecutivemustaddress.

It’skeytoprivateandpublicsector developmentrightacrossNorthernIreland, andmostimportantlyinthecurrentlandscape, isanessentialpartofgettingustowardsan almosttotalabilitytogeneratepowerthrough renewablesandeventuallyheadtonetzero.

We hearthebuzzwordsemanatingfromour politiciansin regardstotheimportanceofus hittingour80% renewabletargetby2030, butveryinfrequentlyabouttheactualabilityof feasibilityofthishappening.

Inthisedition,I reportthataround50new renewableenergyschemesmustbe readyto breakgroundby2026,otherwiseNorthern

We’realsoinaprecariouspositionwhenit comestohousing–somethingwhichisbeing feltinotherjurisdictions,also.

We aren’tbuildingenoughhomes–both privateandsocial.Houseprices remainstrong andthere’scurrentlynoindicationtheywill fallinthenearfuture.But rentalpriceshave doubledortripledinsomecasesin recentyears –you’lllikelybeeyeing£1,200amonthfora two-bedroomapartmentinBelfastcitycentre.

Andwe’rebackatplanning,onceagain.I spokewithConorMulliganofLaganHomes, forthisedition.It’saﬁrmwhichisexpanding outsideofNorthernIreland,inpart,duetothe lackofopportunitieshereandthespeedofour planningprocess.It’ssomethingweallneedto paycloserattentionto.

“Whenyou’reintheboardroomandI’mtelling peopleit’stakingtwoyearsforachangeof housetype,whentheguysdownsouthare gettingplanningapprovalsinsixmonths–wheredoyouputyourmoney?”hesays. ■

BelfastMetonhuntfornewchief asex-headstepsdownfrompost

TheheadofBelfastMetropolitan Collegeisleavingherpostasthe searchforanewchiefgetsunder way.

Louise WardeHunter,chiefexecutiveand principalofthefurthereducationcollege,will leavehertop rolethissummer,afterfouryears inthe role.

“IamwritingtoletyouknowthatIwillbe leavingBelfastMetsoontotakeupanother publicsectorleadership rolelaterthis summer,”shetoldstaffina recentemail.

She’llbe replacedbyDamianDuffy,deputy chiefexecutive,asinterimprincipalandchief executive,intheshortterm,whilethesearch forhersuccessorbegins.

“DamianDuffy,deputychiefexecutivewill becometheinterimprincipalandchief executiveuponmydeparturewhichshould coincidewiththestartofthenewacademic year,”theemailsaid.

“Iamsureyou’lljoinmeinwishingDamian everysuccessinthenew role.Iwillmissthe wonderfulteamatBelfastMet–it’sbeena privilegetoworkforouroutstandingcollege andlearningcommunity.

“IknowthatDamianwillleadtheorganisation brilliantlyintoitsnextchapter,withyour support,doingwhatwedobest–servingour learners.”

AstatementfromBelfastMetconfrmedMs WardeHunterwouldbeleavingthe roleaftera fouryearstint.

“Duringhertimehere,shehasmadea signifcantcontributiontothecollegeandto raisingtheprofleofthefurthereducation sectorinNorthernIreland,whichshehas describedasthe‘skillsengine’ofourlocal economy,”itsaid.

Metprincipaland chiefexecutive

“Deputychiefexecutive,DamianDuffy,will leadthecollegeintheinterimtoensurea smoothtransitionandaformal recruitment processwillsoonbelaunchedbythegoverning bodytoappointLouise’ssuccessor.”

Earlierthisyearmorethan300staffappliedfor voluntary redundancyatBelfastMetropolitan Collegeasitlookedto reduceitsheadcount amidtightenedbudgets.

Thecollegesaiditwas“oversubscribed”for thenumberofpostsaffected.Itwasseeking around120full-timeequivalent rolesaspartof its redundancyscheme.

The redundancyprocesswasfrst revealedby theBelfast TelegraphinNovember.

Thelettersenttostafffromchiefexecutive Louise WardeHunter,atthetime,said:“I amwritingtoconfrmthat…BelfastMet hascommencedformalconsultationwith tradeunionsonaproposedprogrammeof redundancies.

“Thisisthestartofaprocesswhichwill includebothcollectiveconsultationwithour recognisedtradeunionsand,induecourse, individualconsultationwiththosestaff affectedbytheproposed redundancies.”

BelfastMetropolitanCollegeisalsoproposing tocloseoneofitsmaincampusesamid tightenedbudgetsandadeteriorating building.

Andlastyearitunderwentaconsultationto proposetheclosureofitsCastlereaghcampus ineastBelfast.

Thefurthereducationcollege,whichhas around37,000studentsacrossfveseparate campuses,hadwrittentostafftooutlinethe proposals.

However,thelatestproposed redundancies are relatedtowiderbudgetcutsapplyingto furthereducationcollegesandarenotdirectly toplanstoclosethecollege’sCastlereagh campus. ■

OutgoingBelfast

Louise WardeHunter

Inanuncertainclimate,thelatest UlsterBusiness Top100NorthernIreland Companieslistisencouragingfortheconstructionindustry,showcasingsomeofthe giantsoftheindustryhere,writes MarkSpence,chiefexecutiveoftheConstruction Employers Federation(CEF)

Atatimewhenthemanywellpublicisedissuescurrentlyfacing NorthernIrelandwouldleaveeven someofthemostoptimisticobservers feelingalittledespondent,itisheartening to readthe recently released Ulster Business Top100Companies2024list, inassociationwithKPMG,andfndthat despitethesechallengestheperformance ofourlocalconstructionindustryoverthe past12monthsprovidesuswithplentyof reasonstobecheerful.

Indeed,ofthe100companiesfeaturedin thisyear’slist,20ofthemareoperatingin theconstructionsector.CEFmembers,subcontractorsandmanufacturerscontinueto punchwellabovetheirweight,delivering world-classprojectsandwinning renownfor thequalityoffnishandprideinthejobwhich hasfoundthemsuperiortomostconstruction workcompletedontheseislands.Itislittle wonderthenwhysomanyofthe Top100 constructioncompanieshaveconsciously soughtgrowthbeyondtheseshoresandnow accountformuchoftheirturnoverthrough workinGBandIreland,acleardemonstration ofhowlocalexpertiseandknow-howcan deliver resultsfarbeyondourshores.

Ofcourse,familiarchallenges remainand mustbeaddressedifthesectoristocontinue tothriveandplayakey roleinthis region’s economicdevelopment.Whilethepast12 monthshasseenawelcomeeasingofthe infationaryandmaterialsshortagesthat blightedthesectorin recenttimes,thereisstill worktobedone.

WiththeNIExecutiveandAssemblybackin place,wemustnowtacklelongstandingissues suchastheneedforfundamental reformto ourcurrentplanningsystemtoaddressareasof constraintwithinourexistingprocess–notably

theneedforstatutorytimeframeswithinwhich statutoryconsulteesmust respondtomajor and regionallysignifcantapplicationsandthe introductionofdeemedconsentwherethis doesn’thappen.

Similarly,thechronicunderfundingofour wastewatersystemshasledto roughly8,500 homestotallingalmost£1bnofinvestment currentlysittinginastateoflimbodueto wastewaterconstraints.Whenthisfgureis takentogetherwithproposedprojectsby housingassociationsandotherdevelopers,the numberrisesto19,000homes.

Againstabackdropofa60-yearlowof housingcompletionsin2023andanevergrowingsocialhousingwaitinglist,itis undeniablethatweareinthemiddleofa housingcrisisinNorthernIrelandwhichmust beaddressedlestanentiregenerationfaces theprospectofneverhavingahometocall theirown.

Inour roleasthevoiceoftheconstruction industryinNorthernIreland,theConstruction EmployersFederation(CEF)willcontinueto pressforsolutionstothesechallengessothat theindustrycancontinuetogrowasamajor economicdriverofjobcreationandlong-term productivity.

Aspartofthiswork,weareproudofthe role ConstructionFutures–acompanyestablished andjointlyownedbytheCEFandthetrade unionsUniteandGMB–willplayinaddressing thefutureskillsneedsoftheindustry.

Atpresent,theindustryfacesanimmediate shortageincoretradesskills.A recentinternal surveyamongCEFmembers revealedthat 80%of respondentshadexperienceda shortageofskilledlabourinthepast12 months.Contributingissuessuchasthe

competitivenessof rewardpackagesin NIvstheUKandRepublicofIreland,the perceptionofconstructionasanattractive careerpathandtheongoinggender imbalancewhichsees50%ofthepopulation comprisingonly15%oftheworkforcemeans itisvitalweaddresstheskillsgapnowifwe aretogrowtheconstructionsectorandthe NorthernIrelandeconomyatlarge.

Byfocusingoninforming,attracting, developing,and retainingtalent, ConstructionFuturesaimstopushthe constructionsectorforwardinNorthern Ireland.Alreadythecompanyhasbegunwork toincreaseawarenessofbuiltenvironment careers,facilitatebettercollaboration betweenindustryandeducationandenhance workforceskillsandtrainingdata.

Inthecomingmonths,ConstructionFutures will releaseitsNIBuiltEnvironmentCareers prospectusandthelaunchofa‘gateway’ website.Thissiteaimstobeaone-stop-shop forindividualsinNorthernIreland,seeking todevelopacareerinconstructionandthe builtenvironment,andforemployersin theindustrytocommunicatewith,andget insightson,thelabourmarket.

Refectingonthelatest Top100list,itis clearthatthroughmany recentphasesof economicandpoliticalinstability,thelocal constructionindustryhasdemonstrated remarkable resilienceandtheabilityto thriveeveninthemostchallengingof circumstances.

Lookingtothefuture,wemustbuildonthis resiliencebyempoweringouryoungpeople withinvestmentsintalentandskillssothat constructionwillcontinuetodeliverworldclassprojects,sustainablejobs,andpositive economicimpactforgenerationstocome. ■

PPaddyMcKillenJr’s Oakmounthopes for€20minsales

addyMcKillenJr’sOakmountis currentlysellingassetsinDublinthat couldbeworthasmuchas€20mto thegroup–ifitachievesitsaskingprices.

Thepropertydevelopmentbusiness,ledby thesonofwestBelfast-borndeveloperPaddy McKillen, recentlyagreedthesaleoftheLucky DuckonAungierStreetforlessthanthe€2m askingprice.

ThevenuewillnolongerbeoperatedbyMr McKillen’sseparatehospitalityfrm,PressUp, whichoperatesarangeofvenuesonbehalfof Oakmount,aspokeswomansaid.

In recentmonths,Oakmounthasputfour othervenuesupforsale.

TheFoxhunterpubinLucan,CoDublinison themarketguidingat€5.25m.ThomasRody Mahers–theextensively refurbishedformer LarryMurphy’spubonBaggotStreet–is guidingat€3.5m.

OakmountalsoplacedAshton’sofClonskeagh onthemarketearlierthisyearwithaguide priceof€4.75m.

Anditwas reported recentlythatitisalso sellingtheformerUnionCafesiteinMount

Merrionwithaguidepriceof€5.75m.

Thecompanyspokeswomandeclinedto commentonwhatinteresttherehadbeenin theseassets.

Salesofpubsareonaveragetakinglonger in recentyearsduetothehigherinterest rateenvironment,saidanindustrysource.

“Thefoodandbeveragemarketisatough business,”theysaid.

Highercosts,labouravailabilityandpricesensitiveconsumershadincreasedpressures totheindustry,saidasecondsource.Thiswas amajorfactorimpactingpotentialbuyersof assetsinthesector,hesaid.

“Inthisindustry,youneedtobeextremely cautiousandconservativewhenitcomesto structuringanybusinessmodelintheformof theamountofdebtyouhaveinthebusiness,” hesaid.

WithinthewiderMcKillengroupofbusinesses, Oakmounthaslongfocusedonbuyingand developingpropertyassetsit refurbishestoa veryhighspecifcation.

PressUphasoperatedmanyofthevenues developedbyOakmount.Asourceclosetothe

companysaiditwascompletelydependenton thebuyerwhetherPressUpwouldcontinueto operatethevariouspubscurrentlyforsale.

“TheFoxhunter,forexample,hasalargesite withdevelopmentpotential.Soifadeveloper buysittobuildapartments,thenobviously PressUpmightnotcontinuethere.Butif somebodyboughtitasafreeholdinvestment thenPressUpmaycontinuetooperateit.There arevariousoptionsforwhoeverisgoingto buyit.”

Withincreasinglytoughtradingconditions,the businessmodelofbothcompanieshascome undersomescrutinyin recenttimes.PressUp announceditwasmakingalmostathirdof itshead-offcestaff redundantlastyearciting “toughtradingconditions”and,separately, therewere reportsthatOakmountwaspaying asmuchas15%interestonmezzaninedebt linkedtoitshotelportfolio.

Oakmountlatersuccessfullycompletedthe saleofalargestakeinaportfolioofitshighendhotelsincludingtheDeanDublin,the Mayson,theDevlin,theClarenceHoteland theLeinsterHotel,toBritishpropertygroup LifestyleHospitalityCapital.Theportfolioalso includesitsproposedDeanHotelonBelfast’s BedfordStreet. ■

Why celebrity endorsements can domore harm than good for tech

Therehavebeenafew dampsquibsinthetech worldintermsofcelebrity endorsements,andthey cansometimesdomore harmthangood,writes

Adrian Weckler

IcouldfeelmytoescurlingasIwatched SydneySweeney’sface.Paidtobeat Samsung’sUnpackedproductlaunch lastweek,theHollywoodactressdidn’t knowwhattosayasthecompany’snew AI“drew”asketchofher.

”Amazing,”shefnallymumbled,looking bored.

Thensilenceforafewseconds,beforethe cameracutbacktothepresenterforthenext segment.

Celebrityassociationshavelongbeentrickyfor techbrands.I remembermycheeks reddening asIsatintheFlintCentre,inCupertino, watchingBonoand TimCookonstageinform theworldthatU2’slatestalbumwouldbe forciblyinsertedontoeveryone’siTunesdevice. Inhis recentautobiography,Surrender,Bono admittedithadbeenamistake.

InfairnesstoApple,someofthebiggestfubs havecomefromcelebritiespaidtoendorse Androidphonesbutwhosepromotionalposts clearlycomefromtheirbelovediPhones.

Wonder WomanactressGalGadotwasgiven dollopsofcashtopromoteHuawei’sMate10 Prophone,butwhenshetweeted“sayhello tomynewMate”,thepost remindedeveryone itwasdone“via TwitterforiPhone”.(Shelater blamedtheiPhoneusageonhersocialmedia team.)

Indeed,appointingcreativedirectorswho apparentlyhavenopreviousassociation,

GalGadotattendsthe Canadianlaunchforthenew HuaweiP30Seriesin2019

expertiseorinterestinatechnologyhasbeen athing.Themostcringeworthyexamplewas when Will.i.amwasappointedas“directorof creativeinnovation”atthechipmanufacturing companyIntelin2011.Appearingonstage toannouncethemove,thesingerwasunable tosayexactlywhathewoulddo,orwhatthat jobentailed,otherthanturningupforpress photos.

Whatever Will.i.amcontributedinthe interveningyears,itdidn’tstopIntel’smarket positioncollapsing relativetorivalssuchas Nvidia,SamsungandTSMC.

NordidLadyGaga’sappointmentascreative directorofPolaroidin2012helpmuch. OrJessicaAlba’screativedirectorgigfor Microsoft’s WindowsPhone,anappointment thathappenedsoonbeforethatwholephone ecosystemcollapsed.

Thereisn’t reallyabettersignatechcompany isoutofinnovationideasthanwhenacelebrity creativedirectorisannounced.

Andsomecelebritiesarejusttemperamental andmoody.

In2014,Samsungbookedmoviedirector MichaelBaytolaunchaTVsetliveonstage. Hecameon,lookedbored,fubbedhislines andwalkedoff.Everyonewatchingfeltalittle embarrassed.

Sportsscandalsappeartobemorelayered. When Tiger Woodswentthroughhisannus horribilis–includinghisinfamouscaraccident outsidehishomeandtheadmissionhe’d cheatedonhisthenwife–helostdealswith thelikesofAccenture,Gilletteand TagHeuer. ButNike,hisbiggestsinglesponsor,stayed loyal,asdidgamescompanyElectronicArts.

Ona(much)lesserscale,Sparfounditselfwith adiffcultchoicewhenitsbrandambassador, IrishOlympianboxerKellieHarrington, becameinvolvedina rowoveranti-immigrant sentiment.

Harringtonmadeitworsebytryingto dismissattemptsbyNewstalksports reporter ShaneHansontodiscussit.Afterwhatwas presumablyasterntalking-tofromsomeone, theboxerlaterapologisedandSparstuckwith herdespitethelingeringuglyfeelingoverher onlinebehaviour. ■

Manufacturing makes up 40% of Top100… but we remainin a delicate position

StephenKelly,chiefexecutiveof ManufacturingNI,saysthesectorremains oneofthecorepillarsoftheeconomyhere, butwithhighercostsanddecarbonisationon thewaymoremustbedonetohelpsupportit

We’re goodatmakingthingsandselling themexternally. It’s why, whentakingin thewidestdefnitionofmanufacturing, halfthetop20andmore than40%ofthe Ulster Business Top 100are ourmakers.

Oursector representsaround14%oflocalGDP (40%higherthantheUK)anddirectly11%oftotal employment. Witharound70%ofmanufacturing takingplaceoutsideofBelfast,it’s impactonlocal economiesismore pronouncedwith,forinstance,half ofjobsinMidUlsterandfourin10jobsinMidand EastAntrimandArmagh,BanbridgeandCraigavon Councilareasdependonthesector

The regionaleconomy, particularly outsideofBelfast,is a manufacturing economy

Thelargestemployersinour smallercities,largertownsandmost councilareasare ourmanufacturers. Homegrown,innovativeled businessesoperatingandsucceeding worldwidesuchasAlmac,Randox, Norbrook,CDEandKeystonecontinue togrowandare examplestoothers thatwehavethetalent,leadershipand ambitiontobuildglobalbusinessesfrom where theywere born.

StephenKelly

Theyprovethatthisisandcancontinuetobe a greatplacetoinvestandit’s whyFDIinvestors suchas Terex,Seagate,Schrader, Encirc and othersare inthe Top 100.

EngineeringisinourDNAandstrongly represented.Notjustmachinerymanufacturers butlifesciencesfrmsandincreasingly constructionmaterials. We area population of1.9millionpeoplebutwefeed10million acrosstheseislandswhichiswhyourfood producerssuchasFoyleFoods,MoyPark and Tayto.Thesuccessissharedwith a farreachingsupplychainandinthecaseofour co-operatives,DaleFarm,LacpatrickandFane Valley, directlywiththeagriculturalcommunity

Theaimsofournew(ish)Executivefor goodjobswhichare regionallybalancedare alreadybeingdeliveredbythesector Ifwe are tosecure theambitionstoalsobemore productiveanddecarbonised,thentheright environmentneedstobesecured.

Northern Irelandhasoneofthelargestshares ofmanufacturingenterprisesinitsbusiness baseacrosstheUK regions.Whileitaccounts forjust6%ofthetotalprivatesectorbusiness population,itcontributes21%ofturnoverand accountedforalmost100,000jobs.Itis thesecondlargestprivatesector employerandsecondlargestin termsofitsshare ofturnover

thesectorgenerates, a further£700,000is indirectlygeneratedelsewhere intheeconomy risingto£1.7mofadditionalvaluesupported inthewidereconomythroughindirectand inducedeffects.

Includingallthreechannelsofeconomicimpact – direct,indirect,andinduced – thetotal contributionofmanufacturingtotheNorthern Irelandeconomyisover£16bn.

Intotal,itisestimatedthatthesectorsustains around250,000jobs,putanotherwaymore than a quarterofalljobsare whollydependent onthesector

We directlycontributemore than£2.9bnin wagestoitsownstaff,and a further£3.2bn throughoursupplychainandinducedeffects.

Around96%are SMEs,almostexclusively homegrown,withtheirshare ofturnoverrising from19%in2015to23%toin2023.The sectorisoverwhelminglymadeupoflocal entrepreneurs,whoneednurturedtocontinue tosupport a wageto‘hard workingfamilies’,in everyurbanandruralarea.

jobs,acrossthe regionandcandomore.

Butweare in a delicateposition.

Some250,000hardworkingfamilies dependonthesectorbeingsuccessful. Ourhomegrownfrmsdominatethe manufacturingpopulationbut a smallnumber globallymobileprimarieswhohavebuiltup a localSMEsupplychaindominateourturnover andheadcount.

Bothare incrediblysensitivetocosts.Investors are incrediblysensitivetocosts.

We endure additionalcostsbeingatthe beginningandendofeverysupplychain andsuffersomeofthehighestenergyprices inEurope(itisnosurprisethatlogisticsand energyfrmsare alsoveryprominentinthe Top 100).

OneinfveofNorthern Ireland’s largestenterprises (250+employees)are manufacturerswiththe manufacturersinthe Top 100listdirectly employingsome 55,000people.

Estimates suggestthat every£1m GVA that

We are responsibleforaroundhalfofall externalsales(£13.7bn)andhalfofexports (£6.8bn). Two-thirdsofNorthern Ireland’s goodsexportsand10%ofourserviceexports are fromourproducersandprovidingthe largesttradebalance(at£3bnin2022)across localindustriesby a considerablemargin.

The WindsorFrameworkonlyprovides a uniqueopportunityforthosewhomakeand distributefromhere totheEUandGB.Ifwe are tocapture ourdualmarketopportunity, thencreatingandmaintaining a competitive businessenvironmentiscritical.

We share thenewExecutive’s ambitions,and thesectoristheonlyonewhichcancapitalise onouruniquepost-Brexitpositionofunique, dualmarketaccess. We are deliveringwellpaid

TheExecutivehaveset a decarbonisation target.Thecostformanufacturerswillbe huge.Itiswhygovernmentselsewhere are steppingintosupportthisjourney, including theIrishGovernment(ourcompetitors)who havesetasidesome€300malonetogrant funddecarbonisationintheirmanufacturing community

Here,nothingisbeingdonetocurbthe excessesofenergyfrmsandweriskadding newcostsand removingtheabilityofourfrms tosecure thecapitalitneedstobeginandend theirdecarbonisationjourney Forinstance,it isourviewthatanyproposaltomeddlewith ratingpolicy relatingtoindustrialspacewould becompletelycountertotheambitionofthe Executive.

Theworld’s strongest,more enduring economiesare thosethatcontinuetomake thingswiththeirhands.Ifweare tosucceed in a more productive,decarbonisedglobal market,weneedourExecutivetoleaninand support. ■

BelfastHarbourinvests record£65mincapital projectsoverlastyear

BelfastHarboursaysithasinvestedcloseto£400mincapitalinfrastructureprojects overthelastdecade,whileproﬁtsandturnoverremainstrong.However,itsaysit’s beinghamperedbyaninabilitytoborrowwhichwouldcurtailitsabilitytoexpand andgrow,writes JohnMulgrew

BelfastHarboursaysitplougheda record£65mindevelopmentand investmentintotheareainthelast year.

Italsosawturnoverrisingto£82.9mfor2023 –uparound7%.

However,pre-taxproﬁtsdroppedslightlyto £24.3m,whileunderlyingproﬁtsbeforetax increasedto£36.7m.

It’sinvestedsigniﬁcantlyinarangeofmajor constructionprojectsinthelastcoupleof years,includingCityQuays3–whichnowhas ﬁvetenants–whileCityQuays4and5arein development,andworkisnowwellunderway onCityQuaysGardens.

However,theharboursaysitsambitionsto developanddrivefurthergrowth“arebeing curtailed”.

Writinginitslatest report,chiefexecutive JoeO’Neillsaidit’sconstrainedandunableto “sufﬁcientlyborrow”duetoitsclassiﬁcationas apubliccorporation,despitenopublicmoney beinginvolved.

“Thisconstraintdoesnotsupportthescaleand scopeofthe regenerationprojectsweenvisage fortheportandestate,”hesaid.

“Ourambitionstocontinuetodrive sustainableeconomicgrowthandcreate opportunitiesforallareunfortunatelybeing curtailedbyourinabilitytosufﬁcientlyborrow.

“Wearegoingtoneedtoborrowifweareto continueourtransformationalofferingtothe cityand region.

“Iwouldliketoplaceon recordmythanks tothoseofﬁcialsfromtheDepartmentfor Infrastructure,whohaveengagedsopositively withusonthisissuethroughouttheyear.I lookforwardtocontinueddiscussionwith themand,ofcourse,withtheInfrastructure Minister.Asthismatteris restrictingthe positivesocio-economicimpactofall TrustPortsinNI,wehavebeen,andwill continuetoworktogethertoseek routesto resolution.”

Overthepast10years,theharbourhas investmentsome£374mincapitalprojects,

fundedentirelyfromtheorganisation’spost-tax profts

BelfastHarbourhandledjustunder24million tonnesofgoodsduring2023.

Italsowelcomeda record158cruiseshipvisits tothecity.

Anew£11mautomatedshuttleservice–The Harlander–isalsobeinglaunchedsoon.

DeliveredwithInnovateUK,BTandanumber ofotherpartners,itwillconnect TitanicQuarter railwaystationtoCatalystonQueen’sRoad.

Turningtoitsflmstudios,theharboursaid theimpactofthewriters’andactors’strikes throughoutalargepartof2023“hada worldwideimpactonthemediaindustry, effectivelybringingproductionstoastandstill”.

Thatsawaproposedtelevisionseries‘Blade Runner2099’beingshelved.Itwasduetobe flmedatBelfastHarbourStudios.

“Thequalityofthestudiosandtheproduction capabilitywithinNorthernIreland,however,was instrumentalinsecuringanotherproduction whichtookupoccupationimmediatelypostthe endingofbothstrikes,”theharboursaid.

“Thisnewproductionwillbeinoccupationuntil mid-2024.Thisstrongandcontinuedattraction ofBelfastHarbourStudiosandNorthernIreland asaworld-classflmlocation,coupledwiththe

developmentofthelocalcrewbase,provided acompellingnarrativeforextendingthe existingstudiofacilities.

“OurstrategytocreatealeadingEuropean creativeandmediahubsawconstruction continuethroughtheyearondeveloping furthersound-proofedflmstageswith supportingproductionoffcesandworkshops.

“Thedevelopmentalsoincludesthefrst BelfastRegionalCityDealfundedproject aimedatcreatinganon-campusleadingedgevirtualproductionfacilitywhich willbeoperatedbyStudioUlsterLtd.On completion,scheduledforquarterthree2024, theenhancedfacility,whichisdesignedto achieveaBREEAM‘Excellent’sustainability accreditation,willprovide107,000sqft ofsoundstagestudios,52,000sqftof workshopsand68,000sqftofancillary productionoffceslocatedona19-acre campus.”

DrTheresaDonaldson,chairofBelfast Harbour,said:“Iamconfdentthatwe can refecton2023asayearinwhichthis organisationstronglyevidenceditsdedication totheeconomyandwidersociety.

“Ourlandmarkcapitalinvestmentof£65m demonstratesourethosasa TrustPort. We strivetomakethisorganisationthesuccess itis,andwesharethatsuccess,investing ourproftsinprojectsandpartnershipsthat

enableeconomicgrowthandcreatetangible socialvalue.

“Lookingahead,wearedeterminedto accelerateourcontributiontotheeconomy andlocalcommunitiesbybuildingonour achievementsandwideningthepositive impactwehaveonthosewholive,workand visitwithinBelfastHarbour,thecity,andthe wider region.”

JoeO’Neill,chiefexecutiveofBelfastHarbour, said:“Despiteachallengingeconomic backdrop,BelfastHarbourdeliveredanother solidfnancialperformancein2023.This refectedthediversityofthebusiness,the qualityofourcustomers’activitiesandthe hardworkoftheBelfastHarbourteam.

“Wedeliveredonourpromisesbymaintaining anessentialservicetoeveryoneinthe region, throughthesafe,effcientandeffective operationoftheport. We completedthe2023 aspectsofourextensiverangeofinvestment projectsontimeandwemadea realdifference toourneighboursthroughcommunity partnershipsandfunding.

“Crucially,wegainedmomentuminterms ofourdiversifcationintomarine renewable technologies,ourpropertyportfolioexpansion, ourdrivetobecomeoneofthesafestports intheworldandour roleasaleaderinESG. Thesewillcontinuetobekeyareasoffocusfor usinthefuture.” ■

Belfast Harbourchief JoeO’Neill

BelfastHarbourandthe surroundingarea

Bombardier‘strong interest’inSpirit AeroSystems’ NIoperations

CanadianfrmBombardieriseyeingthebuy-back offactoriessoldtoSpiritAeroSystemsbackin2020, writes MargaretCanning

CanadianaircraftgiantBombardieris eyeing a movetobuybackalmost allitsformeroperationsinNorthern Ireland,itcanbe revealed.

In a moveaffectingabout2,500jobs,the companywouldpurchasemostofwhatitsold toUSfrmSpiritAeroSystemsin2020,people withknowledgeofthematterhavesaid.

Bombardierwouldbuybackthemainfactory atQueen’s IslandinBelfast,aswellas a factory inNewtownabbey,a siteinNewtownardsand a chemicaltreatmentfactoryknownasCentre 04.

Partsofthesitestillcarryoutworkfor Bombardier, includingthemanufacturer’s businessjets.

ABombardierQ400Dash8aircraftwhich waspartmadeattheBelfastplant

Whilenoguaranteesare beinggivenbysources aboutthefuture ofjobs,it’s understoodthat a dealisattractivetoBombardierbecauseof its relationshipwithandknowledgeofthe workforce.

ThesizeoftheworkforcemakesSpirit AeroSystemsNI’s biggestheavy-manufacturing employer

WithBombardier’s eyeontheentiretyofthe site – minus a factorythatmakeswingsforthe AirbusA220 – it’s understoodtheworkforceis regardedasanintrinsicpart.

ThesaleoftheoperationsinNorthern Irelandhasbeenforcedafteraerospacegiant Boeingannounced a $4bntakeoverofSpirit AeroSystems.

USfrmBoeingbelievesacquiringSpirit,which startedoutas a manufacturingdivisionowned byBoeing,willhelpitgetsafetyissuesaffecting productionofits737Maxundercontrol.

PartoftheSpiritAeroSystemsoperation,which makeswingsfortheAirbusA220,isbeingsold toAirbus.

Ifthedealgoesahead,itwouldmeanthe return ofoneofthebiggestevernamesin theindustrytoNorthern Ireland;Bombardier ownedtheaerospacefactorybetween1989 and2020.

Sources,whowantedto remainanonymous, said:“Bombardierisstronglyinterested inpurchasingthe remainingpartofSpirit AeroSystemsinBelfast,excludingthewing productionoftheA220units.”

Thesitesemployaround3,300people,with 2,500employedonoperationsotherthanthe

manufacture ofthewingsfortheAirbusA220.

ThesourcessaidthatBombardier’s involvement isatthe“interestphase”,ratherthaninactive negotiations.Anydiscussionswillbewith Spirit,in a sidedeal,before Spiritisitselfsold toBoeing.

AnydealbetweenSpiritandBombardieris expectedtobecomplex,andnovaluesare yet attached.

A spokespersonforSpiritAeroSystemsin Belfastsaid:“SpiritandAirbuscontinueto negotiateingoodfaithforAirbustoacquire ourA220programmesinBelfast. We are evaluatingoptionsforourotherBelfast operations.

“Meanwhile,wecontinuetooperatebusiness asusualacrossoursitesand remainfocusedon providingthebest-qualityproductstoallour customers.”

Askedforcomment,BombardiersaidM&A conversationswere coveredbystrictNDAs, “whethertheconversationsare actively happeningornot”.

WhennewsbrokeofBoeing’s dealwithSpirit, itsaid:“Bombardierexpectsitssupplycontracts tobemaintainedtothehigheststandardsof qualityandperformance.

“Thecompany remainsactivelyengagedwith Spiritaspartofordinarycourseofbusiness underexistingcontracts.”

StephenKellyofManufacturingNIsaid:“The Spiritbusinesswouldbeanincredibleassetfor anyaerospaceprimaryortop-tiersupplier

“Ithas a uniqueengineeringcapability, an expertiseinlightweightstructuresand a fully tooledmanufacturingfootprintwhichwould behard,andcostly, totryto replicateanywhere else.”

Thedealwouldsolve a headacheforAirbus, whichwouldnotwishtobeoperatingin Belfastin a largersiteownedbyarch-rival Boeing.

InApril,SpiritUKchairmanMichael Ryan wrotetounionsandpoliticalleaderssaying a break-upofthesitewouldbe“extremely detrimental”toNI’s economy

Speakingabouttheimpactoftheoverall SpiritAeroSystemsbeingsoldoff toBoeing, GeneralSecretarySharonGrahamsaid:“The livelihoodsofworkersmustnotbeputat riskascorporategiantscarveupthefuture ofthiscompany Itisvitalthatallworkersare quicklygivencastironguaranteesovertheir futures.

“Unitewillleavenostoneunturnedin ensuringthatthefuture ofthishighlyskilled anddedicatedworkforceatSpiritisfully protected.” ■

TheformerBombardier-branded Belfastbasewhichisnow ownedbySpiritAeroSystems

Openreach£100minvestment offers97%ofNIproperties

UltrafastFullFibre

GarretKavanagh,directorat Openreach inNorthernIreland,talksabout theorganisation’smajorinvestmentannouncementwhichwillconnect97%of communitiesacrossNorthernIreland

Openreach,NorthernIreland’s largestbroadbandnetwork provider,hasannouncedits commitmenttoinvestover£100mto expandandmaintainitsUltrafastFull Fibrenetworkconnectingmorethan 100,000additionalhomesandbusinesses, includingextendingits reachintothemost ruralpartsofNorthernIreland.

“WekeepNorthernIrelandconnectedand we’rebuildingthenextgenerationofdigital infrastructure,alreadyprovidingover87% ofpropertiesacrossNorthernIrelandwith theabilitytoupgradetoUltrafastFullFibre,” GarretKavanagh,directoratOpenreachin NorthernIreland,says.

“Thisfurther£100minvestmentprogramme willsignifcantlyextendtheOpenreach footprintinNorthernIrelandto97%without theneedforanyadditionalgovernment funding,takingoverallFullFibrecoverage acrossthe regiontoaround99%.”

AsdirectorofOpenreach,GarretKavanagh overseesthisambitiousextensiontotheFull Fibre rollout.

“Thisyearwe’vecontinuedtobuildournew networkandourpurposeandstrategyat Openreach remainthesame,”Garretsays.

“WekeepNorthernIrelandconnectedand we’rebuildingthenextgenerationofdigital infrastructure,alreadyprovidingover87%of propertiesacrossNorthernIrelandwiththe abilitytoupgradetoUltrafastFullFibre.This further£100minvestmentprogrammewill

NorthernIrelandChamberchiefexecutiveSuzanne WyliewithOpenreachwithGarretKavanagh,directorat OpenreachinNorthernIreland

signifcantlyextendtheOpenreachfootprint inNorthernIrelandto97%withouttheneed foranyadditionalgovernmentfunding,taking overallFullFibrecoverageacrossthe regionto circa99%.”

CoretothisinvestmentisOpenreach’s commitmenttoensuringNorthernIrelandhas afuture-proofbroadbandnetworkcapableof meetingeverincreasingdemands.

Garretsaid:“We’reveryfocusedonour goal,becauseweknowitwilldeliverthebest possibleoutcomeforourcustomersandhelp powerNorthernIreland’sgrowthandambition forthedecadesahead.Thedigitalfutureof NorthernIrelandisextremelypositive. We remainthemostconnected regioninthe UK,supportinginwardinvestment,andthis

expansionprogrammewillallowforafocus onprovidingaccesstoanincreasednumber ofhard-to-reachruralareasthattraditionally havemorelimitedaccesstoafastand reliable broadbandconnection.”

Openreach’sambitiousplanextensionis centraltoNorthernIreland’sdigitalfutureand economicgrowth.

Garretsaid:“We’redelightedtobe announcingthissignifcantinvestmenttoour commercialbuildprogramme.Thisfnalpush willcontinuetohaveatransformativeimpact seenrightacrossNorthernIreland,withsome very remoteruralareasbeingabletoaccess FullFibretechnologyforthefrsttime.

“Thistechnologyopensupendless

opportunities.Bysupportingbusiness anddomesticaccesstotherightlevelof connectivity regardlessoflocation,peoplehave improvedchoicesonwheretoliveandwork, whichwillinturnacceleratea rebalancing ofgrowthacrossoururbanandlocalrural communities.

“Itwillalsosupportasustainablefuturewith moreandmorepeopleabletoworkﬂexibly leadingtolesscongestionandlesseningthe otherassociatedimpactsofmasscommuting onourenvironment.

“We’reseriousaboutbeingamore responsible business,andhereinNorthernIrelandwe alreadyhave100electricvehiclesonthe road,withmanymoretojointheﬂeetthis year. We’re reducingourenergyconsumption andwastebyusinggoodsthatarefrom recycledsourcesandbypartneringwithour keysupplierstocutpackagingandsingleuse plasticsfromoursupplychain. We’veeven begunourﬁrstsolarpanelspilotatoneofour exchangesandareproudthatweuse100% renewablepower.”

TheaddedinvestmenttotheOpenreachbuild programmewillmeanthatOpenreachcan continuetoinvestintheirpeople.

Garretsaid:“Asever,our1,000peopleare attheheartofourbusiness. We continueto

ABOUTOPENREACH

We’rethepeoplethatmakethenetwork. Ourwholesalebroadbandnetwork–the UK’slargest–supportsmorethan690 retailserviceproviderslikeBT,SKY, TalkTalk, VodafoneandZentoprovidebroadband, TV,phone,dataandmobileservicestotheir customers.

Anycompanycanaccessournetwork throughequalpricing,termsandconditions, andour37,000peopledeliverservicesto everycommunityintheUK.

Rightnow,we’reinvesting£15bnto buildanewultrafast,ultra-reliableFullFibre broadbandnetworkto25millionhomes andbusinessesbytheendof2026. We’ve already reachedmorethantenmillion premisesandwe’repassingthousandsmore

investheavilyintraininganddevelopingour existingworkforce,we’vealready retrained hundredsofcopper-skilledengineerstowork onournewFullFibrenetworkandwe’ve madesubstantialprogressonbecomingmore inclusiveanddiverse. We knowthisisalong journeyforabusinessandindustrylikeours, butwe’recommittedtobuildingaworkplace thatfully representsthecommunitiesweserve acrossNorthernIreland.”

Openreachisdeterminedandleadingthe

everyweek. We’vecreated10,000new jobsandwe’re retrainingthousandsofour existingengineerstohelpbuild,connect andmaintainthenewnetwork.

OurnewnetworkwillhelpOpenreach anditscustomerstodramaticallycut emissions,with researchsuggesting nationwideFullFibrebroadbandcouldsave 300millioncommutertripseveryyear. We’re alsoswitchingourown29,000dieselvans toelectricby2030.

We’reawhollyownedandindependent subsidiaryoftheBTGroupandforthesix monthsuptotheendofSeptember2022, we reported revenuesof£2.836bn.

Findoutmoreatwww.openreach.com

waytobuildingabetter,faster,andmore connectedfutureforeveryoneinNorthern Ireland.Alreadywellestablishedasacore utilitywithincommunities,UltrafastFullFibre isenjoyedbymorethan50%ofpeopleon ournetworkhereandtheinfrastructureisin placeformanymoreendcustomerstospeak totheirserviceprovidersaboutupgradingtheir broadbandconnection.

To ﬁndoutifyoucanupgradetoUltrafast FullFibre,visitwww.openreach.co.uk

GarretKavanagh, directoratOpenreach inNorthernIreland

Revealed: Fifty renewable schemes neededinNI to avert greenenergy ‘crisispoint’

Therenewablessectorhaswarnedthatslowplanning andappealscouldmeannotgettingenoughnew developmentsunderwaytohitour80%generation targetby2030,writes JohnMulgrew

Around50new renewableenergy schemesmustbe readytobreak groundby2026,otherwise NorthernIrelandwillnothititskeygreen powertargetsasitfacesa“crisispoint”, UlsterBusiness can reveal.

Theindustryhasbeenhitwithslowplanning

decisionsanddelaysintheappealsprocess.

Renewablepowergenerationactuallyfellby 3%inthelastyear.

Thesectoriscallingforsuchschemestobe prioritised.

RenewableNIsaysaround2.5GWofextra capacityisneededinorderforNorthernIreland togenerateenoughpowerto reachthetarget setbytheStormontExecutive.

Thatequatestoaround50solarorwind schemes,basedonsomeoftheproposed

developmentsandthosewhicharealready up-and-running.

Itcomesasplanningdecisionsherearetaking longeronaverageacrossourcouncils,while theappealsprocessisslowingamidwhatit claimsare“signifcant resourcingpressures”.

Andwehavenowmovedfrom“leaders tolaggards”ingreenenergy,accordingto RenewableNIdirectorStevenAgnew.

He’scallingfor“urgentaction”onplanning andsaysthesystemis“reachingacrisispoint”.

Morethan600 renewableenergyschemesof varyingsizesarecurrentlyintheworks–from thoseunderconsiderationtothoseinpreplanning,andothersintheplanningstage.

Developerswhohaveaskedfortheirappeals

tobespeededuphavebeentoldbythe PlanningAppealsCommission(PAC)thatitis experiencingsignifcant resourcingpressures and“operatingatapproximately75%of capacity”.

Thesectorwants“greenlanes”toprioritise carbon-reducingdevelopments.

MrAgnewsaid:“RenewableNIiscallingfor urgentactiononplanningtogiveNorthern Irelandachanceofachievingitslegallybinding targetof80% renewableelectricityby2030.

“Ourplanningsystemis reachingacrisispoint withdevelopersfacinggreatuncertaintyasto whetherapplications,alreadyinthesystem, willbeprocessedontime.

“Wehavetherighttargetandthereare enoughwindandsolarprojectsinthepipeline toachieveit.Unfortunately,whatwedon’t haveiseffcientandfacilitativeprocessesto developtheseprojectsatthepaceneeded.

“NorthernIrelandhasgonefromleadersto laggardsin respectof renewables.Projects arespendingsolongintheplanningsystem thatitiscreatingaviciouscircle,whereby thetechnologyeffectivelybecomesobsolete beforeadecisionismade.Amendmentsto applicationsarethentreatedlikewhollynew

applicationsandtheprocessbeginsagain.

“Asa result,wehavethelongestplanning timelinesofany regionacrosstheseislandsfor renewabledevelopments. Withnocertaintyof howlongaprojectwillwaitfora response,itis makingNorthernIrelandanunattractiveplace forinvestors.

“Theindustryis readytodeliverclean,green electricity,tobegintodecarbonisetheheat andtransportsystem,toadd£5bntotheNI economyandtoprovidestablecoststothe consumers.

“RenewableNIhasbeenengagingwithpolicy makersonthepolicyinterventionsneededto realisethesebenefts,andwillcontinuetodo so.NorthernIrelandcanstillachieveit’s80% by2030 renewablestarget,butwemustact now.”

JohnBoyce,developmentdirectoratRES,one oftheUK’slargestgreenenergydevelopers, said:“TheplanningsysteminNorthernIreland iscurrentlyholdingbackourabilitytobuild aproductive,innovative,andsustainable economyforfuturegenerationsatthepace we require.REShasatotalofthreeprojects, thatcouldpower140,000homeswithcheap electricity,stuckwith PACthatcouldsupport our2030 renewablestarget.

“Unfortunatelythesluggishplanningsystemis notonlyfailingtosupportNorthernIrelandto achieveitsnetzerogoals,butitisalsofailing todeliverforcustomersandcommunities too–leavingusexposedtovolatilegasprices andstoppingdevelopersfromdeliveringsocial valuesuchasjobs,millionsofpoundsoflocal economicinvestment,andcommunityfacility improvements.

“We’reinaglobalracetonetzeroandthe beneftsitcandeliverforoursociety.Thisis amassiveopportunitythatwesimplycannot affordtomiss. To avoidthisweneedtargeted actionnowtospeedupplanning,thiswill helptofreeupmuchneededinvestmentin NorthernIrelandthatissitting readytobe deployed.”

Morethan600greenand renewableenergy schemesofvaryingsizesarecurrentlyinthe works–frombeingunderconsideration tothoseinpre-planningandothersinthe planningstage.

The PAChascontinuedtoclaimtodevelopers whichhaveaskedfortheirappealstobe expeditedthatitis“experiencingsignifcant resourcingpressures”andsaysitis“operating atapproximately75%ofoperational capacity”.

It’sblamedthaton“commissionervacancies, longtermabsence,andongoingtraining”.

Developers,plannersandthewider renewables sectorhavebeencallingforamuchimproved planningsystemhere.

TheNorthernIrelandChamberofCommerce andIndustry(NIChamber) recentlyoutlined plansincludeafar-reachingcombination ofsystemimprovements,legislativeand regulatorychangesandproposalswhichwould ensurethatinfuture,theplanningsystemis heldtoaccountforitsperformance.

In2022,two reportscriticisedelementsofthe systemwhichwerenotworking.ANorthern IrelandAuditOffce(NIAO) reportsaid NorthernIreland’splanningsystemisnotftfor purposeandriskscausingeconomicdamage, whiletheNorthernIrelandAssembly’sPublic AccountsCommittee(PAC)saidthesystemis “notworking”. ■

StevenAgnew, directorof RenewableNI

GE NE RAL EL ECTION

SirKeirStarmerhassaidheaimstobring aboutanendtoinstabilityin relations betweentheUKandIrelandandclaimed hecanget a betterdealwiththeEU thanthe“botched”dealagreedbyBoris Johnson.

FollowingthePrimeMinister’s meetingwith StormontFirstMinisterMichelleO’Neilland deputyFirstMinisterEmmaLittle-Pengellyat StormontCastleonhis ﬁrstvisittoNorthern IrelandasPrimeMinister, SirKeir refusedto bedrawninto a discussionaboutIrishunity, emphasisinghewantedto“reafﬁrmthe importanceoftheprinciplesoftheGoodFriday Agreement”.

AfterhismeetingwithStormont’s leaders, thenewPrimeMinistermovedontoParliament Buildings,where hewasgreetedatthefootof thelandmarkstepsbyAssemblySpeakerEdwin Poots.

MrStarmersaidhewasseekingan “immediate reset”ofthe relationshipbetween the WestminsterGovernmentanddevolved nations.

Healsosaidhisgovernmentwouldbring aboutanendtoinstabilityin relationsbetween theUKandIreland.

Hesaid:“Ihavealreadyhaddiscussions withthe Taoiseach(SimonHarris)andothers, againtomakeitcleartheapproach I willtake

Starmeraims toget better Brexitdeal

to resetandmakesure those relationshipsare collaborative,thattheyare respectful.

“Ofcoursethere are issues,includingin relationto(legacy)litigation.Butthemost importantthingisthewayinwhichwewill approachthis.

“Itreatthemandatethat I wasgivenin

theGeneralElectionas a mandatefordoing politicsdifferently,a mandateforstability, much neededstability

“Ithinkoneofthebigproblemsofthelast 14years,butparticularlythelastsixtoeight yearshasbeeninstability,a lotofchoppingand changing.”

AllisterbringsPaisley dynasty to anend

NorthAntrimhasexperienceda“politicalearthquakeof seismicproportions”,TUVleaderJimAllistersaidafterhe madehistorybytakingthe Westminsterseat.

TheformerMLAhasended54yearsofDUPruleinthe constituency,withIanPaisleyandhisfatherbeforehimholdingthe seatsince1970.

OutgoingMPMrPaisleyheldtheseatfrom2010,whenhesawoff MrAllister’schallengewithmorethan12,000votestospare.

ItwasaverydifferentpicturewhentheTUV representativetook theseatby450votes.

Apartial recounthadtakenplacefollowingtheinitialcountbefore the resultwasdeclared.

MrAllisterledacrowdofhissupportersfromthecountareatothe podium,hand-in-handwithhiswifeasanumberofpartymembers heldaUnionﬂagaloftbehindtheTUVleader.

IanPaisleycutadejectedﬁgureonthestage,standingbetween MrAllisterandSinnFéinMLAPhilipMcGuigan.

Followingthedeclaration,MrAllistersaidtheconstituencyhad changedcourse.

FormerMPIanPaisleyleavesthecountcentreinMagherafeltafterlosinghisNorth AntrimseattotheTUV’sJimAllister

“Todaywemarkanoccasionwhenafter54yearsofDUPandIan Paisleydynasty,NorthAntrimhastakenanalternativecourse,”he said.

“Thatisanalternativecoursewhichsignalsanumberofthings; amongstthoseisaveryclearindicationthattheunionistpeopleof NorthAntrimwillnotbetakenforgranted,andcertainlywillnotbe takenforfools.”

PrimeMinisterSirKeir Starmerpicturedin ParliamentBuildingsduring hisﬁrstvisitinhisnewpost

SorchaEastwood speakstoherhusband Daleafterwinningthe seatforAlliance

Eastwood takes seat away from DUP inLagan Valley

“It’struebabe,”aeuphoricSorchaEastwoodtoldherhusband DaleonthephonejustmomentsafterunseatingtheDUPin Lagan Valley–aseatformerlyheldbyJeffreyDonaldsonfor morethan20years.

JonathanBuckleysteppedinto replaceDonaldson,whoisnowfacing trialforhistoricalsexoffenceallegations,whichhedenies,butcameup almost3,000votesshortofMsEastwood’s18,618votespolled.

AsthefrontpagessplashedwithphotographsofDonaldson’scourt appearanceon Wednesday,thousandstooktothepollstodecide whetheritwastheDUP’s replacementcandidate,MrBuckley,orSorcha Eastwoodwhowouldpullinfront.AnditwastheAllianceMLAwho emergedvictorious.

“Wehaveshownthatchangeispossible–andchangecanhappen,” MsEastwoodsaid.

“I’mdelightedattheworkmyteamhasputin…letthisbethestart ofanewdawninLagan Valley.Letthisbethestartofanewchapter whichwewillallwritetogetherasaunitedcommunity.

“…I’mabitemotionaltonightasthismeanssomuchtome,butnot justmepersonally,thepeopleofLagan Valley–fromallwalksoflife–peoplewhoareunionist,nationalist,orlikeme,andneitherofthose things.”

GE NE RAL EL ECTION

Alex Easton ‘gobsmacked’ following North Downwin

AlexEastonbrokedownandweptafterheunseatedthe deputyleaderoftheAlliancePartyinNorthDown.

Theindependentunionistsaidhewas“gobsmacked”after securinga7,300majority.

“Itmeanstheabsoluteworldtome,”hesaidthroughtears afterthe resultwasdeclared.

“I’mjustgobsmackedatthemoment...thishasbeena diffcultelection.”

Thecontestquicklyturnedintoatwo-horseracebetween MrEastonandStephenFarryafterUUPcandidateColonel Tim Collinsconcededdefeatshortlyaftercountingbegan.

InitiallyMrEaston,whoquittheDUPaftermorethantwo decadesinthepartyin2021followingtheinternal revoltagainst ArleneFoster,expressedcautiousoptimism.

Inanemotionalspeech,MrEastonsaidhisfatherhadalways believedinhim.

MrEaston’smotherandfather,bothagedintheir80s,died followingafreatapropertyinBangorinJanuary2023.

“Obviouslyit’sadisappointingsituationformeonapersonal levelbutIlookbackatthelastfveyearswithalotofpride,we haveachievedalotofthingsandIthinkitwasveryimportant thatIstoodbymyvisionandmyvaluesforNorthDownand indeedforNorthernIrelandandfurtherafeld,”outgoingAlliance MPDrStephenFarrysaid.

Lagan ValleyMP

QuaysShoppingCentresale topofreportonNIinvestments

Aslowfrsthalfforpropertydealscontrastswithstronghotel occupancyinmixedeconomicpicture,writes JamesMcNaney

ThesaleoftheQuaysShopping Centre inNewryand a former RandoxsiteinMalluskwere the standoutdealsin a “subdued”frsthalfof 2024forcommercialpropertyinvestment, accordingto a new report.

LambertSmithHampton’s (LSH) reporton investmentinNorthern Irelandfoundthatlast quartersaw£30.5mofinvestment,whichis 55%belowthefve-yearquarterlyaverage.

Bycontrast, a separate reportshowshotels enjoyedhighlevelsofoccupancyacrossNI in2023,andlevelsofincomeper roomhave reachedall-timehighs.

The reportfromLSHfoundthatinvestment haddecreased47%inthesecondquarter comparedtothefrstthreemonthsoftheyear

Sofarthisyear, investmentinNorthern Ireland hasbeendrivenbypropertycompanies.They accountfor71%oftotalinvestmentthusfar

TheQuaysShoppingCentre sitewassoldfor a reported€20m(£17m)toCorkbusinessman Tom Coughlan’s UrbanGreenPrivate(UGP), whostruck a dealwith receiversaftertheytook controlofthe375,000sqftdevelopmentin 2022.

Thebiggestdealofthelastquarterwas Randox’s saleoftheCentralParksiteinMallusk toMJMGroupforanundisclosedsum.Thesite hadbeenboughtbyRandoxin2022for£17m.

LSHsaythatthe“depletionofstock”and “squeezeonsupply”were keyfactorsin explainingthefallinlevelsofinvestment. However, theyexpecttwolargedealstobe completeinthethird quarter, “whichwill

provide a boosttovolumeinthesupplyhalfof theyear.”

Claire Shaw, senior researchanalystatLambert SmithHampton,said:“Thesecondquarter was relativelysubduedintheNorthern Ireland commercialpropertyinvestmentmarket,but investorsentimenthasnotshiftedsignifcantly andpurchasers remainfocusedongoodquality assets,whichattractstronglevelsofinterest andare stillbeingsnappedupquicklywhen broughttomarket.

“WiththemoodmusicsuggestingtheBank ofEnglandmayconsider a cutininterestrates inAugust,infationhittingtheBank’s target forthefrsttimeinthreeyearsand a general easingofinfationarypressures,there are groundsforoptimism.

“ThecompletionoftheUKGeneralelection willaddanotherlayerofstabilityandcertainty tothecommercial realestatemarketsandthis shouldinturn translateintoincreasedinvestor confdence.”

JonathanMartin,directoratLambertSmith Hampton,said:“Theimpactofthesqueezeon supplyoverthepast18monthswasevidentin thismost recentquarter

“Butwhileweexpectactivityto remainat below-averagelevelsthroughoutthe rest of2024,there are encouragingsignsof improvement.There hasbeenanuptickin assetscomingtomarketinthesecondquarter, particularlyinthesub-£5mbracketthatappeals tolocalinvestors.

“Investorconfdenceanddemand remains relatively robust,butthere’s nodoubtthat increasingsupplyofopportunitiesand

improvingmacro-economicfactorswillfurther enhanceinvestorappetiteandactivity.”

Whileinvestmentislow, thehoteltradeinNI isperformingstrongly, experiencinghighlevels of roomoccupancyand record incomesfrom rooms,accordingtotheAnnualHotelIndustry SurveyNI,conductedbyaccountancyfrm SumerNorthern Ireland.

Itsaidthat2.31million roomswere occupied in2023, a 10.5%jumpfromtheyearbefore, whilebedroomletting reachedanall-timehigh of£134.32,upfrom£127.98in2022.

AdrianPatton,directoratSumerNorthern Ireland – formerlyknownasASM – said:“The industrycontinuestomakestrongprogress.

“Demandforaccommodationisonanupward trajectoryandwhileoverallbedroombookings stilllagbehindthehighwatermarkof2019, improved roomratesmeanthatincomefrom thesaleofbedroomsisthehigheston record.

“So,tooisincomefromotherhotelservicesso whenlookingatoverall revenues,theindustry hasperformedverywell.

“Asweknow, thehospitalityindustryhasfaced hugeadversitiesoflatewithrisingoverhead costsalongsidetheattractionand retentionof staff. Withthisinmind,whenwelookatthe levelsofearnings – before interest,depreciation andtax – as a percentageof revenues,theratio of20.4%for2023isonparwiththe21% recordedin2022and18.9%in2019.

“Itisalsoworthnotingthattheimprovement in revenueswasnotuniformacrossNi.Demand for roomsinruralhotelsdidnotimprove materiallywhencomparedto2022,whereas

inBelfastandDerry/Londonderry, there was a signifcantincreaseinthenumberofbedrooms occupied.

“Onbalance,the reportshows a verygood yearforhotelsinNIbutongoingchallenges aroundoperationalcosts,staffng,the removal ofsupportforbusinessratesand a highrate of VAT meansthathotelmanagerscontinueto faceobstacles.”

JohnMcGrillen,chiefexecutiveat TourismNI, said:“Thepastfewyearshavebeenextremely diffcultforthoseinthehospitalityandtourism industry, andtherefore,it’s hearteningtosee

hotelbedroomoccupancyrates continuingtorise.

“Risinginfationandsupplychain issueshaveculminatedinincreased pricesforthecustomerbutthishas been a necessarysteptoensure thatourworld-renownedindustry cansurviveandthrive.Although challengesstill remain,the results ofthehotelindustrysurvey showstrongsignsofstability andgrowthwhichthesector cancontinuetobuilduponin thenearfuture. ■

COMME RC IAL PROP ERTY

‘There aren’t many independent traders like usleft in Belfast’

TimNoblett speaksto JamesMcNaney about beingthefourthgenerationtorunthefamily wallpaperbusinessintheheartofBelfast

Foreightand a halfdecades,Noblett’s WallpaperandPainthasbeen a familybusinessonNorthStreetin Belfast.

TheSecond World War, the Troublesand a pandemichaveallfailedtostopmanaging director Tim Noblett’s familybusinessfrom keepinggoing.

Born inLisburn, Tim isthefourthgenerationto takeontheshop.Nowonder, then,thathesays thebusinessisinthefamily’s genes.

Hehasbeenpreparingtoworkatthestore his

wholelife,helpingouthisdadHaroldwhen Tim wasstillinschoolatLisnagarveyHighinLisburn.

“Anyschoolholidaysandintheevenings, wewoulddownintheshophelpingorinthe warehousepickingordersandstuff.

“Anysortofspare timewasdevotedtohelping thebusinessand,youknow, sharingthattime withmydad.”

Tim studiedbusinessatUlsterUniversity, butwas stillspendingmuchofhisfreetimeatthefamily store,“stockingshelves,cleaning ﬂoors,trying nottospillpaint”.

Hisprofessionallifeattheshopbegansoon afterthat,starting a full-time roleatNoblett’s in NorthStreetover20yearsago.

Theshop’s storybegan85yearsagoacrossthe IrishSeainDarwin,Lancashire,withtheyoung sales representativeRichard Noblettbeingasked tohelp a colleaguein1939.

“Mygreat-grandfathercameoverfromEngland as a sales rep for a wallpapercompanyandhe settledinontheLisburn Road.

“Hecameoveron a temporarybasistocover for a colleaguewhowasoff sick.Hestayedas helovedit.Theylivedabovetheshop,likethe properoldstyle.”

Richard’s sonHarry, Tim’s grandfather, would

growtobecome a core partofthefamily businessformanydecades.

“Mygranddadtookitonandbuiltitinto13 more stores.Andthenhepasseditontomy fatherandmyuncle.Andmyfathertookthe onestore onNorthStreethere andmyuncle tooktheother13stores.”

Sadly, theother13storeswentinto administrationin1996.ButtheNorthStreet store continuedtothrive.

Tim hasgreatmemoriesofhisgrandfather’s contributiontothebusiness,describinghimas “auniquecharacter”.

“Hewouldhavedonedeliveriesonthebike. Duringthewar, hevolunteeredas a freman

duringtheBlitz.Heworkedinthestore inNorth Streetwithusuntilhewasinhislate70s. We misshim.

“Hewouldjustcomeinatabout10am,sit downatthefrontandhave a cupofteaand a sconeandjustchattocustomers.Thatwas where hewashappiest.”

Thelessons Tim learnedfromhisgrandfather stillshapehisownapproachtothebusiness.

“Whatwasimportanttohimwasspendingthat timewithcustomers,andgivingthemthatoneto-oneservice,which I thinkisstillsoimportant, particularlynowwhenit’s notsousual.

“Whatwesellisveryindividual.Whatsomeone likes,someoneelsemightnot.It’s importantto listentothecustomerandfndoutandthen offeroptions.”

Tim alsolearned a greatdealfromhisfather, Harold,whohad a differentstyleofrunning a businesstohisownfatherbefore him.

“Myfatherwasveryfocusedonthebusiness side,andtryingtomaximise returnsandmaking sure wehavethisstuff forpeople.Whenmy fatherwashere,and I wasintheshop,wewere constantlysteppingoneachother’s toes.

“Itriedtogetmyownnicheandfocusedon tryingtobuildtheonlinesiteandtryingto modernisethebackoffce.

“Mydad’s prioritywasgettingourcustomers throughthedoor.I sortoftriedtomodernise andlookatotheropportunitiesratherthanjust whatwasdirectlyinfrontofus.”

Thisattitudehascarriedovertohowthe companyusessocialmedia.Noblett’s has a strongsocialmediafollowingonplatforms TikTokandInstagram.

Heattributesthissuccesstothenature ofthe productstheysell,aswellastheuniqueskillsof someoftheemployees.

Thefamilynature ofthebusinesslookssetto continueintothefuture,as Tim’s familyalltake part,withhiswifeLeonieCooke,thecompany’s operationsmanager, vitaltotherunningofthe store.

“She’s soimportanttothebusiness.She’s here everydayandkeepingusallonour toes,keepingusfocusedonwhat’s important becausesometimes I cangooff.

“When I losethatfocus,shekeepsusallright. We wanttokeepthatsortofatmosphere where ourcustomerscomeinandknowthat we’rea familybusiness.

“MyeldestsonIsaacjustgothisNational Insurancenumber Hissummerplanisthathe’s goingtocomeonandworkhere.”

Tim’s othersonNoahalsoworksatthestore, andhisdadsaysitis“scary”howsimilarheis tohisgregariousgrandfather

“MysecondsonNoah,themiddlechild,we couldn’t keepthemoutoftheshop.Hestarted lastsummer, justdoing a fewdaysandhe’sa natural.Helovespeople.

“Helovestobearoundthetillandmakingsure allthecustomersare cominginandout.”

Tim wantsthebusinesstokeepbuilding,until they’re sendingproducts“allovertheworld”.

Noblett’s isonly15yearsawayfromcelebrating a centenary, sowhatdoes Tim dreamofforthe store hisgrandfatherstarted?

“Aftereverythingthatmydadandgrandad wentthrough, I wouldlovetohandthisonto thenextgeneration,andon a secure fnancial footing.”

Tim isambitiousforthefuture,butoverand overagainhestresseshisgratitudeforthe shopasitisnow, andinparticularthestaff thatworkthere,bothfamilyandothers.

“Howmanyfamilybusinessesdon’t lastpast onegeneration? We’re atfour It’s hard,it’s diffcult.Belfastwasbuiltonindependent tradersandunfortunatelythere’s notmany smallindependentsleft.

“Ithink85yearsisexceptional,andwhatwe havehere isexceptional. We havesomuch tobegratefulforhere. We haveamazing customers. We havesuchanamazingteam ofstaff.Itmakesmeveryexcitedforthe future.” ■

Nobletts Wallpaperowner TimNoblett

Constructiongiant McAleer & Rushe to grow sales to more than £500m

Constructiongiant McAleer& Rushe isoncoursetocrackthe£500msalesmark next year amid anincreasing pipelineofwork,writes John Mulgrew

McAleer & Rushelookssettohit more than £500minsalesby next year.

TheCo Tyroneconstructionfrm,whichcarries outalotofitsworkelsewhereintheUK, sawsales reach£436mfortheyearending December2023,accordingtoaccountsfor McAleer&RusheContractsUKLtd.

Butthefrmsaidduetocontractsintheworks, salesarelikelytoriseto£450min2024before increasingtoinexcessof£500mby2025.

Thefrmsawitspre-taxproftsfallslightlyto justshyof£11m–downfrom£12.1mayear previous.

“Buildingoncontractssecuredin2023, turnoverwillincreaseto reach£450m.The companyhasalsosecuredsitestartsonover £350mofcontractstodatein2024,”the frm’slatestaccountssaid.

“Thesenewcontractsaremajority residential andofaboveaveragesize,andwillcontribute tofurthergrowthinturnoverto£500m+in 2025.”

MartinMagee,managingdirector,McAleer &Rushe,told UlsterBusiness:“Thebusiness continuedtoperformwellthroughout 2023andtheoutlookisverypositivewitha projectedincreaseinproftsin2024,2025and beyond.

“Ourturnover roseto£436m,an8% increase, refectingthecompletionofwork thatcommencedinpreviousyears.While proftbeforetaxisdownslightlyfrom£12.1m to£11m,asa resultoftheimpactofprice infationwithinthelatterstagesofcontracts, we’veseenacashpositionimprovementup from£45mto£53m,inlinewithnetproft. Thisindicatesnochangeinoursupplychain paymentpattern.

“Aswelooktothefuture,contractssecured andexpectedcontractsigningsthissummer, willsee2024delivercontinuedcontrolled growthinturnoverof[around]£460min 2024andnotlessthan[around]£525min 2025.Givenamorestablemarginoutlook,we anticipateimprovedproftsforthoseyearsand beyond.

“Thecontractssecuredthisyearthatwill contributetoourincreasedturnoverinclude, A£105mstudentaccommodationscheme atCrutchedFriars(CityOfLondon),a£73m residentialschemeinGreenwich,a£74mlater livingschemeinRoyal Tunbridge Wells,anda £62mPBSAschemeinBirmingham.

“Wealsohaveanumberofcompletedand nearlycompletedprojectsthatwilladdto our2024fguresincludinga£45moffce schemeinLeeds,a36-storey residentialblock inBirminghamand£185m residentialscheme forLegalandGeneralin Wandsworthwhichis scheduledtohandover[thissummer].”

Someoftheprojectscompletedinthetrading

ExchangeSquareinBirmingham whichwasrecentlycompleted byMcAleer&Rushe

SeamusMcAleerof McAleer&Rushe, KateNichollMLA, whowasBelfast

Laverty,group chiefexecutive

periodincludeExchangeSquarePremierInn, Birminghamandthe Vitastudentdevelopment inBelfast.

“Thecompanyisfocusedoncontinuingto expanditssupplychainonanongoingbasis butnotitsnumberofsites,”itsaid.

“Thecompany’scontinuedﬁnancialstrength seesitwellpositionedtoconsidersuch contractopportunitiesasthemarketmay presentgoingforward.”

EarlierthisyearMcAleer&Rushewas appointedbyRetirement VillagesGroup (RVG)astheconstructionpartnerforitslatest integrated retirementcommunityinRoyal Tunbridge Wells.

Thenewdevelopmentwillcreate167oneand two-bedroomlaterlivingapartmentsarranged aroundacentralcourtyardwithninelower groundﬂoor retailunits.

“Partof RVG’sThriveLivingcollectionof moreconnected,urbancommunitiesfor anactiveandsociableoldergeneration, therewillbegenuineconnectionbetween thenewdevelopmentandthesurrounding towncentrewithstreetfacing retailunits,a publiclyaccessiblecourtyardandintegrated

thoroughfareslinkingdifferentpartsofthe town,”thosebehindtheschemesaid.

Speakingatthetime,ShaneMcCullagh, directoratMcAleer&Rushesaid:“McAleer &Rushehasalongandestablishedhistoryof deliveringhomes, rootedinouroriginswithin socialhousinginNorthernIrelandandour expansionintothelaterlivingsector reﬂectsa naturalevolutionofourcapability.

“Withdecadesofexperienceinbothhoteland residentialprojects,includingbuildto rent, coliving,andaffordablehousing,wearewell positionedwithanenviableskillsetandproven track recordtoenhancebuildabilityforour industrypartners.

“Weseethelaterlivingsectorincreasinginthe market,tomeettheneedsoftoday’ssociety formodern retirementhousingthatcentres oncommunityandsocialconnection. We look forwardtoworkingcloselywith RVGtobring theirvisiontolife,tocreateandintegratean enhanced retirementcommunitywiththe widerurbantownsetting,beneﬁtingallinthe transformationofthisbrownﬁeldsite.”

Meanwhile,CitySquareHouse,anew140,000 sqftofﬁcebuildingnexttoLeedsStation,is nowcomplete.

Thismajorlandmarkwasspeculatively developedbyMRPandbuiltbyMcAleer& Rushe.

McAleer&RusheisalsopartneringwithUlster Universitytolaunchthenew2024Degree ApprenticeshipProgramme,intimeforthe 2024/25academicyear.

Theprogrammeoffersanalternativetothe traditionaldegree route,providingstudents aged18andolderwiththeopportunityto gainfullypaidemploymentintheconstruction industrywhilestudyingforafullyfunded universityaccrediteddegree.

Thepartnershipsigniﬁesanentranceintothe apprenticeshipspaceforMcAleer&Rushe, whichtheCookstown-basedcompanyhas strategicallytargetedtoprovidestudentswith thebestpossibleopportunitytopavetheirway intotheconstructionindustry.

Thenewapprenticeswilltakeupa role withinMcAleer&Rushe’scommercialand engineeringteams,workingcloselywith amentorwhowillprovidesupportand guidance,whileundertakingapart-time,fully funded,ﬁve-yearBScHonoursdegreeinUlster University’sSchoolofArchitectureandtheBuilt Environment. ■

Thecolumnwithan earforexperience...

Howdidyoustartoutinyourbusiness?

IstartedoutinStenaLineasawork experiencestudentaged19afterleaving college–workinginthepassengerandfreight department.MyfatherwasaMasterMariner, soIcomefromaseafaringbackgroundand alwayshadaninterestinshipsandthesea. Whenitcametimetochooseacareer,working intheportseemedlikeanaturalft.

I’veworkedinanumberofdifferent departmentswithinthebusiness,whichhas helpedmedevelopadetailedunderstanding ofhowthevariouspartsoftheorganisation worktogetherandfeedintoeachother.Asa manager,thatis reallyvaluable,asyouhave beeninyouremployees’shoesand recognise thechallengesandhurdlesthattheyare facing.

Whathaveyoufoundthemost challengingduringyouryearsofbusiness sofar?

Boththemostchallengingandthemost fulfllingpartofworkinghereistheconsistent andongoinggrowth,developmentand investmentoftheStenaLinebusiness.Since Istartedin1990,theorganisationhasbeen attheforefrontofinnovationandkeepingup withtherapiddevelopmentswithinshipping, healthandsafetyandleadershiphasbeen intense.

Inthisindustry,youneedtobeveryadaptable andfexible.Notwodaysarethesameand itcanbeunpredictable,sowehavetobe preparedtodealwitheverythingandanything. Brexitandthepandemichavebeenparticularly challengingperiods.DuringCovid-19,a majorsectionofourbusinesswashalted overnight,andwehadtoscramblejustto keepthebusinessafoat.Thenasthesituation developedandtravelwas reintroduced,we seizedtheopportunityandwentfromhaving oneofourworstperiodstohavinga recordbreakingyear.

Name: AndrewKane Position: Regionalport operationsmanager, StenaLine

Howwouldyoudescribeyour managementstyle?

I’mapproachableanddedicated–toboth thebusinessandtomyteam. Youcannot underestimatetheimportanceofteamwork andtrust–especiallyinoperationswhere safetyanddependabilityareparamount. Youneedtohavefaithinyourteamand theirabilitytodeliver.Iaimtoempower myemployees,encouragingthemtotake responsibility.Ialsoinstilthemwiththevalues ofthebusiness,whicharetobewelcoming, caringand reliable.

Whatwouldyouchangeifyoucouldgo backanddoitallagain?

Iwouldchangeverylittletobehonest.I wouldhavelikedtotravelmore–I’vealways workedwithintheUKanditwouldhavebeen valuabletoexperienceworkingindifferent environmentsanddifferentcultures. We are learningeverydayandthemoreexposurewe gettonewexperiences,themorewelearn.

Haveyoudoneitallonyourown?

No,ofcoursenot.I’vealwaysbeenpartofa strongteam,andI’vebeenluckytohavehad manymanagerswhohaveencouragedmeto developovertheyears,alongwithcolleagues whohavesupportedme. Withoutthese people,Iwouldn’thavemadeitthisfar.

Howwouldyoulikeyourbusinesstobe remembered?

IwouldlikeStenaLinetobe rememberedas aleaderinthemaritimeindustry.WhenIsay leader,Idon’tjustmeanintermsof revenue orheadcount.Imeanleadingthewayforthe sectortobeaninclusive,diverse,ethicaland sustainableindustry.Ourbusinesschampions thesequalitiesandismakingaconcentrated efforttoimproveanddevelop,therefore leadingthewayforothers.

Whatpieceofadvicewouldyougivetoa 20-year-oldyou?

Sticktothegoodvaluesthatyou’vebeen broughtupwith.Iwasluckyenoughtohave asolidfoundationfrommyparents.Iwas instilledwithastrongworkethic,taughttobe honestandfexibleandIbelievethishasgiven methetoolsandthedrivetodevelopinmy career.Iwouldalsosaytohavefunandtolook forwardandnotback. ■

Deloitte appoints new partner to Belfast team

ProfessionalservicesfrmDeloittehas appointed a newpartnertoitsteamin Belfast.

Cartin,whoispartofDeloitte’s Auditand Assuranceteam,joinedDeloitteas a graduate trainee.

Shenowhasmore than12years’experience workingwith a rangeoflargeprivateand multinationalcompanies,providingaudit andadvisoryservicesacross a widerangeof businesssectors,with a focusonbanking,

energy, technology, manufacturingand pharmaceuticals.

“As a partner I amlookingforward to continuingtoworkwith a widenetworkof localandglobalcompanies,andaswelookto realiseourambitionofgrowingtheauditteam here inBelfast, I ampassionateabouthelpingto buildand retaintheamazingtalentwehavein Deloitte,”GraceCartin,partneratDeloitte,said.

“Sincejoiningasanauditassociatealmost 13yearsago I have receivedhugesupport

Top NI foodfrms landnew Lidldeal

ThirteenNorthernIrelandfoodfrmshavebeenhandpicked byGermandiscounterLidltogoonsaleatthesupermarket giant’sstoresacrossIreland.

Thecompaniessecuredtheirplaceonthechain’sKickstartSupplier DevelopmentProgramme.

It’sseenmorethan£2minvestedinhelpingsupportagri-foodfrms here.

Thosesuccessfulproducerswillnowseetheirofferings,spanning 33newproducts,onsaleonLidl’sshelvesacrossits220storesacross Ireland.

Thelatestfrmswerechosenthrougha‘Dragon’sDen-stylepitch processtofndthisyear’smostinnovativeproducts.

SomeofthosefrmsselectedincludeArmaghCiderCompany, StrangfordCoffeeRoasteryandClougbhaneFarmFoods.

LidlNorthernIreland’sKickstartprogrammeisbackedbythe NorthernIrelandFood&DrinkAssociation(NIFDA).

frombothexperiencedmanagersandpeers andhavebeengivenfantasticopportunitiesto developmyownexpertise,including18months workingintheUSwithinDeloitte’s globalaudit innovationteam.”

More than 400 new homes planned for Co Antrim

Morethan400homescouldbebuiltinCoAntrimamidnew plans,itcanbe revealed.

Oakland(Holdings)Ltd,acompanywhichcountsBelfast businessmananddeveloperGarethGrahamasadirector,wants tobuild406propertiesoutsideCarrickfergus.

Theplansincludeamixtureofhousesandapartmentsaswell asassociatedlandscaping,highwaysandancillarywork.

Fullplanshavenowbeensubmittedfortheschemewith planningconsultancyTSAPlanningandLikeArchitects.

Theproposeddevelopedwillbebasedat VictoriaRoad, Dunluskin,Carrickfergus.

Thesitecoverjustover40acres,andiscurrentlymadeupof feldswhichsitbetweenexistinghousingdevelopmentsincluding BashfordParkand VictoriaRisetotheeast,DunluskinGardens andOakfeldDrivetothewestandGlenburnManorandOld Grangetothesouthofthesite.

Vietnamese noodle chain opening two new

restaurants

AVietnamesenoodlechainlookssetto open a new restaurantinsouthBelfastand anotherinthecitycentre.

MadamePhocurrentlyhasseverallocations inthecity, includingitsoriginal restaurantin Botanic,alongwithoneontheLisburn Road andanotherinLisburn.

Butit’s nowteasingopeningitslatestlocation ontheOrmeauRoadinthesouthofthecity Freshsignageshowsit’s settotakeonthe formerGreensPizza restaurant,whichshutits doorsearlierthisyear

Similarsignagehasalsobeenerectedonthe

formerBuba restaurantatStAnne’s Square. Itwilljoin a hostofother restaurantsonthe road,includingStove,ShedandLittle Wing.

FormerlistedCo Armagh church to becomenew restaurantandcafe

A formerCoArmaghchurchcould beturnedinto a sandwichbarand restaurantamidfreshplans,itcanbe revealed.

ThedisusedJonesboroghonChurchHillin Newrywasbuiltin1866andis a category B listedbuilding.

TheformerChurchofIrelandbuildingwas shutinthe1990sandhasbeenemptyinthe earssince.

However, itwasplacedonthemarketand soldforaround£80,000,marketedbyBest PropertyServices.

Plansnowshowthatthebuildingcouldbe turnedinto a tosandwichbar/coffeeshop/ restaurant.

ThechurchbuildingsitswithintheRing ofGullion.It’sa geologicallandform(aring dyke)notfoundanywhereelseintheUKor Ireland.

Meanwhile,MadamePhoisalso recruiting foritsnew restaurantinGlengormley It’s movinginto a unitontheAntrimRoad.

UK menswearbrandopening

frst

Northern Irelandstores

A UKmenswearbrandisopeningitsfrst Northern Irelandstore thissummer, itcan be revealed.

Charles Tyrwhitt,whichsellseverythingfrom suitstoshirtsandshoes,lookssettoopen a newstore atthegroundfoorofErskineHouse inBelfast.

Thefrmsellsformalshirtsandsuits,butalso more casualwear, includingpoloshirtsand knitwear, alongwithcoatsandjackets. It’s taking a groundunitatErskineHouse

onChichesterStreet – thebulkofthebuilding comprisingofpublicsectoroffces,including HMRCandtheNorthern IrelandOffce.

Thecompanyisnowonthehuntfor a store managerforthesiteatArthurStreet.It’s understoodit’s duetoopeninAugustthisyear Charles Tyrwhittwasformedin19886by NicholasWheelerwhilehewas a student.

Itthenopeneditsfrstbricksandmortarstore – startingoff lifeas a mailorderbusiness – in theheartofLondon’s prestigiousJermynStreet.

Arerobotscomingafter yourjob? Tr yanAI-proof careeroption

ChatGPTandotherAItoolsbeingpushedbytech billionaireswillhitsomejobsmorethanothers.So howcanyouavoidthelatesthammeroftechnology?

By GabrielleMonaghan

Ifyouwerestuckforafewbobinthe late1800s/early20thcentury,oneway youcouldearnamodestlivingwasas aknocker-up.

Alsoknownasaknocker-upper,youwere essentiallyahumanalarmclock–goingfrom

housetohousewithabigstickorlongpole totaponyourclients’bedroomwindows,so they’dwakeupontimetogettowork.

Theoccupationdiedoutinthe1940sand 1950s,thejob renderedobsoletebyactual alarmclocks.

Indeed,technologyhasbeeneliminatingjobs forcenturies–oftencreatingmorejobsthan itdisplaced.Forinstance,60%ofcurrent jobsintheUSdidnotexistinthe1940s. Manufacturinghasbeendominatedby roboticsformuchofthe20thcentury,bank tellersandsupermarketsarebeing replaced bysoftwareandself-servicetills,automated phonesystemserodedtheneedforsecretaries, andchatbotsareposingathreattocustomer serviceagents.

We’velongbeenprimedbysciencefction toexpect robotstocomeforourjobs–with flms,animationandbookspaintingdoomsday propheciesthatartifcialintelligencewill destroylivelihoodsandevenhumanityitself.

Buttherapidadvanceofgenerative AIsincethepubliclaunchof ChatGPTinNovember2022has causedalarmamongworkers inindustriesrangingfromlaw andfnancetojournalismand accountancy.ChatGPTandrival AItoolscanchurnoutprose, imagesandsoundsthatloosely resemblethatofhumans–evenifmuchofthatoutputis currentlymediocre.

Expertsaredividedonwhat theadventofgenerativeAI willmeanforthefutureof jobs.Italldependsonyour outlook.

Techno-optimistspredicta utopianfuture,withAIand

ARTI FICI AL IN TE LL IGENCE

robotsperformingagrowingnumberof tasksandimprovingproductivitysohumans canspendlesstimeatwork.Pessimists envisionafuturewhereAIisusedto replace labour,destroyingjobs, reducingwagesand destroyingasenseofachievement.

“Industriessuchasbankingandtechareall champingatthebit,becausethey’reseeing thepotentialtogetridofhugenumbers ofworkers,”RowanManahan,acareer management, recruitmentselectionand communicationsconsultant,says.

“It’sverydystopianbutthat’swherewe’reat. That’swhyyournumberonejobrightnow istobecomeacrystalball-gazerandinsulate yourself.”

About30%ofIrishemploymentisin occupationsthatarenegativelyexposedto theimpactofAI,includinginfnanceand insurance,accordingto reportspublished bytheDepartmentofFinanceandthe DepartmentofEnterprise, Tradeand EmploymentintheRepublic.

AthirdofjobsarepositivelyexposedtoAI,as thetechnologywillboosttheirproductivity.

Historically,automationlargelyaffected blue-collarworkersdoingmanuallabour or repetitive, routinetaskssuchasfactory work.GenerativeAIwillhaveagreateraffect onskilledandhighlyeducatedwhite-collar workers,theIrishgovernment reportsfound.

About95%ofpeoplewithadoctoratework inoccupationsthatarehighlyexposedtoAI, comparedtojust26%ofpeoplewhohave primaryorlowersecondaryeducation.

Virtuallyeveryjobwillfacesomelevelof exposuretothenewwaveofAI,accordingto onlinejobssiteIndeed.Butherearesomeof thecareersthatexpertssayaretheleastlikely tobefully replacedbythetechnology:

1Tradesandconstruction

Ifyouroccupationinvolvesspending timedoingphysicallabourorworking outdoors,you’relessatriskfromAI.The manualworkcarriedoutbyplumbers, plasterers,electricians,pipeftters,carpenters, stonemasons,landscapersand rooferscan’t beautomatedwell.Skilledtradespeopleare thesafestfrom replacementbyAI,according toasurveyof17,000peoplein11countries publishedbyonlinejobssiteIndeedinApril.

AnAIchatbotmightbeabletotellyouhowto installapipeorbuildawall–butitcan’tbuild, renovate,maintain,extendor repairahouse. AI-powered robotscan replacehazardous manuallabouronsomelargeconstruction sites,includingbrick-layingand remotecontrolleddemolition,buttheydon’tyethave thecreativeproblem-solvingskillsandintuition thattradespeoplepossess.

EvenifanAI-driven robotwasasdextrousasa human,itwillbeawhilebeforehouseholds–orinsurersand regulators–embraceit.

“Whetherit’satimberfenceoragranitewall oracapstoneonapillarinahousingestate, weattachvaluetothoseandarewillingto payovertheoddstothepeoplewhodoit,” Rowansays.

AIcanhelptradesandconstruction professionalssendinvoices,managetheir calendars,andoverseecustomeraccounts,but peoplewillstillbedoingthehands-onwork.

Doctorsandnurses

AIcansupportclinicianswithscreening, diagnosis,prognosis,triaging,and administration,theoreticallyfreeingupmore timetofocusonpatients. Yethealthcareand socialcarearesectorsthat requireempathy, complexdecision-making,one-on-one humaninteraction,manualdexterity.and compassionatecare,ensuringmanyofits professions remainindispensabletohumans.

WhilegenerativeAIcanhelpdiagnosea illness,itcan’tinsertanIVlikeanurse, treatamentaldisorderlikeapsychologist orpsychiatrist, relievemusclepainlikea physiotherapist,orgentlyencouragea reluctantpatienttodisclosetheirsymptoms likeaGP.

3Police,frefghtersandparamedics

Jobsthat requirecloseinteractionwith thecommunityandareattheforefront ofsavingliveswillcontinueto requirea humanpresence.Respondingtoemergencies demandsphysicalability,emotional intelligenceandsplit-seconddecision-making tonavigateunpredictablesituations.

Chiefsandseniorexecutives

AIsoftwareishelpingbusinesses innovate,butitcan’t replacethe nuancedleadershipandemotional intelligence requiredbychiefexecutives,HR managers,andbusinessstrategists.Indeed, peopleintheseoccupationscouldbeneft mostfromhighlevelsofcomplementarity withAI,thegovernment reportsfound.

5Farmers

AIchatbotsmaybeabletohelp farmersmonitorcrops,analyseyields andmanagelivestockhealthbuttheywon’t replacethehands-onworkcarriedoutby farmers.Theagricultural,forestryandfshing sectoristheleast“atrisk”fromincreasedAI adoption,saidDepartmentofFinanceand theDepartmentofEnterprise.

Hairstylists

Hairdressers,make-upartists, manicurists,massagetherapists,and tattooistsoftenuseAIor relatedtechnologies toplanschedulesorcreatemarketing materials.Intheend,though,allofthese jobswillstill requireface-to-faceinteraction andexperience,nottomentionempathy. “Doyou reallywanta robottocutyourhair ordoyournails?”Rowansays. ■

ARTI FICI AL IN

Rents‘risingthreetimes fasterthanhouseprices’

Averagemonthly rentsinNorthern Irelandare goingupatmore than threetimestherateofhouse prices, a reporthassaid.

PropertyplatformPropertyPalsaidtheaverage monthly rentinthesecondquarteroftheyear was£871,up10%onthesameperiodin 2023.

Incomparison,housepricegrowth,excluding new-buildhomes,ismuchslowerat3%toan averageof£206,600.

ItsaidArds & NorthDownisthemostexpensive placeinwhichtobuy a house,at£248,700.

MidUlsterofferedthecheapesthouses,at £168,000,whichwasup2.7% a year

Theaveragenewhomepropertypriceis £240,300,with a 2.7%annualincreaseand a 1.9%quarterlyincrease.Thequarterlyrateof increaseinthepriceof resoldhomeswas2.4%.

“TheNorthern Irelandhousingmarket

demonstratedstabilityinthesecondquarterof theyear,”JordanBuchanan,chiefexecutiveof PropertyPal,said.

“Overallpriceshavestabilisedatanannual growthrateof3%,withsupplyofnewlistings increasingby1%.”

Andwhilesalesinthesecondquarterofthe yearhadfallenby4%,“thetypicaltimeto ﬁnd a buyerisapproximatelyoneweekfaster thanthelong-termaverage,indicatingstrong underlyingbuyerdemand”.

Hesaideconomicuncertaintyandpolitical uncertaintyintherun-uptotheGeneral ElectiononJuly 4 hadheldupactivity

Buthesaid a cutininterestratesfromtheir presentlevelof5.25%wasbecomingmore likelyafterinﬂation remainedatitstargetlevel of2%.

“Highmortgageratesandtheuncertainty surroundingtheUKgeneralelectionsomewhat restrainedmarketactivity

“However, withUKinﬂationnowbacktothe BankofEngland’s target,itappearsmorea questionofwhen,ratherthanif,interestrates willfall.Markettradersare currentlydividedon thelikelihoodofthe ﬁrstratecutoccurring[in August].”

PropertyPalsaidtheMid & EastAntrimarea hadexperiencedthelargestannualincreasein rentat16.1%,withtheaveragenow£742 a month.

Rentswere lowestinFermanaghandSouth Tyrone,at a costof£621 a month.

Buttheywere highestinBelfast,nowcosting £1,006 a monthonaverage,up10.8%over theyearand2.8%overthequarter

Theaveragedaysonmarketfor a houseto reach‘saleagreed’is42days,accordingto PropertyPal,comparedto43days a yearago.

There were 6,343propertiesagreedforsalein Q22024,withsalesvolumesdown4%onthe sameperiodin2023,itsaid. ■

Recipe: two simple ways to enliven salmonon the barbecue thissummer

JohnMulgrew showsthatitdoesn’tallhavetobesteaksandburgerscomingoff thecoals,andthatmoregentlecookingcanshowoffthebestsalmonhastooffer

Abigchunkof redmeatonthebone orfattychickenthighsarenatural bedfellowswiththehumble charcoalbarbecue.

Butthattrulyanaloguepieceofkitsitting inyourbackyardorshedcanalsowork

wonderfullywithmuchmoregentleandsubtle cooking.

Youcanobviouslycooklargepiecesofprotein lowandslow,butyoucanequallylightly smokeandgentlyprepareeverythingfrom vegetablestoﬁsh.Andsalmonisonewhich

worksparticularlywell.

Withalittlehelpofalightcureandgetting yourgrilllow,cookingitoffset(sothereareno coalsdirectlyunderyourﬁsh),youcanproduce someofthejuiciestsalmonyou’veeverhad –withalittlelickofsmokeandsomesubtle

seasoningtoenhanceit,ratherthanmasking itsinherentlyfnetextureandfavour.

Bothofthese recipes requireasbigapieceof salmonasyoucanfnd,basedonhowmany peopleyou’reserving. Youcanpickupahalf sideofsalmoninmostsupermarketsfora tenner,whichwillfeedtwohungrypeopleor threeorfouralongsidesomeaccoutrements.

Theyarealsoperfectfortheoddglimmer ofsunshine,lightand refreshing,withjusta handfulofingredients.

Thecookingprocessisthesameforboth.Get yourcoalsoninadvance,andifyou’reusing abasketthenoneshoulddoit.Placeyourhot coalsinthebasket,orwellofftooneside. Putyourgrillbackonandcloseyourventsto aroundthree-quartersshut(onthebottomand topifyouhavethem).

Getthelidonandbringuptoalow temperature.Itshouldbebetween120°Cand 140°C. Youcanalsocookintheoven,ifyou wish.

 Salmon,charredredpeppersauceand grilledromainelettucewithmiso Thekeytoboostingthefavourofyoursalmon andkickinguptheseasoningtothenextlevel isaquickandlightcure.

Startbymixingacoupleoftablespoonsof Maldonsaltandcrushslightlybeforeadding thesamemeasurementofcastersugar.Adda heavygrindofblackpepperandanythingelse youwanttomakeitpop.Iusealittlebitofa decentbarbecueseasoning–justapinch.

Now,coatyoursalmonwellwiththemixture, thencoverandleaveinthefridgeforanhour. Removebeforecooking,andlightly remove someofthe remainingcure.Addalittlelemon zestontop.

Grabthree redpeppersandlightlyoilbefore seasoningwithsaltandlotsofblackpepper.

Now,withyourbarbecueatthecorrect temperature,placeyoursalmonon,doubleor triplefoldedtinfoil,lightlyoiled,andplaceat thefarendawayfromthecoals.

Stickyourpeppersoverthehotterendof

thegrillandstickthelidon.Thisshouldtake about30minutes,butitwillvarybasedonthe imprecisenessofyourbarbecue.Checkinon thingsandturnthepepperstogetacharon allsides.

Now,mixsomefull-fatmayonnaise(low fatwon’tworkforthis)withacoupleof teaspoonsofmisoandadashofdarksoy sauce.Sliceyourlettuceintwodownthe middleandpasteorbrushyourmayonnaise mixtureontothehalves,gettingintoallthe cracksandcrevices.

Removethesalmonandpeppersandgrillthe lettuceonthebarbecue,towardsthehotter end.Keepacloseeye,andwhenitstartsto getalittlebitofcharandcolour, remove.

Takeyourpeppersandblitzinafoodprocessor withalittlecidervinegarandlemonzest, addingatouchofoliveoiltohelpitemulsify. Seasontotaste.Pouralittleoveryoursalmon andserveupwiththelettuce,andmoresauce ontheside.

 Salmonwithcrispyudonnoodlesand chicory

Thecookingofyoursalmonwillbeessentially thesameasbefore,aswillthepreparationof yourcoalsandbarbecue.

Thisisequallyassimpleandbringsinsome Asianfavours.Thistimeforyourcure,add salt,sugarandblackpepperbutalsoadda touchoffvespice(andMSGifit’syourthing). Preparethesalmoninthesamewayasbefore.

Takesomechicoryandbreakofftheleaves. Now,lightlydresswithalittleoil,salt,pepper andMSG.

Whenyoursalmonisdone, removeandcover. Now,grillyourchicoryoverthehotterpartof thebarbecue.Thiswon’ttakelongandyou’ll starttogetsomelightcharring,colouranda littlecrispnessaroundtheedges.Removefrom thegrill.

Finally,boilsomeudonnoodles(orusea packetofthepreparedvariety)andthenadd toawokorpanwithalittlesesameoil. Tryand getalittlecrispandlightcolouronthemfor addedtexture.

Garlicandgingerwilltendtooverpower things,soItendtoaddjustatouchoffve spice,mirinandlightsoysauce.Sliceyour chicorythinlyandcombinewiththenoodles.

Servethesalmonontopandfnishthingsoff withafewsesameseedsandadashofdark soysauce. ■

Salmonwith crispyudon noodlesand chicory

Left:Salmon,charredred peppersauceandgrilled romainelettucewithmiso

Constructionchiefsfear‘rushed’law ondefectivebuildingsmayhur t sector

Constructionindustrybodieshaveraisedconcernsthatnewlegislationaimingto provideprotectionfortheownersofdefectivepropertieswas“rushed”through Stormontwithoutproperscrutiny,writes

JamesMcNaney

Thewiderconstructionsectorhas saidit’s “extremelytroubled”that newlegislation – broughttothe Assemblyafterownersof VictoriaSquare apartmentsinBelfastwere forcedtomove outwithoutcompensation – isbeing “rushed”throughStormont.

Severalbodies representingconstructionand architecture here haveraisedseriousconcerns thatthenewlaw, givenacceleratedpassage throughtheAssemblybyCommunitiesMinister Gordon Lyons,isbeingpassedwithoutscrutiny andhavecalledfor a reviewtobecarriedout.

TheDefectivePremisesBillwouldextendthe timewhichpeoplecanclaimforcompensation iftheirbuildingsare defectivefromjustsixyears to30yearsforpastincidents,and15yearsin thefuture.

ItpassedthroughtheFurtherConsideration stage,meaningthatthere isonlyonemore opportunityforMLAstodebatetheBillbefore itisputto a vote.

ItwasbroughttotheAssemblyfollowingan unsuccessfulattemptbyownersofthe Victoria Square apartmentstosecure compensation, aftertheyhadtoleavetheircitycentre homes duetosafetyfearsaboutthebuilding’s structure.

Theirbidforcompensationwasstruckoutby theHighCourtinMarch.

Theywere toldtheircasecouldnotadvance because,underthecurrentlaw, claims mustbemadewithinsixyearsof a building beingcompleted.InEnglandand Wales,the timeframeis30years.

Mr LyonssaidthatthenewBillwouldprovide the“sameprotections”topeopleinNorthern Ireland.

ButtheConstructionProfessionals’Council forNorthern Ireland(CPCNI) – representing 21differentdesignprofessionswithinthe industry – haswrittentotheministerwarning thatthelawhas“effectively reducedthe amountofscrutinyandrigourthatis required fortheproposedlegislationto a levelthatis unacceptable”.

In a letter, italsochallengesclaimsthat offcialsengagedproperlywith“practitioners andindustryprofessionals”.Thecouncil saidthat“todatewehavenoevidencethat thisoccurredwithanyofour21member organisations”.

CPCNIclaimedthenewlegislationdoesnot takeaccountof“issuesandpotentialproblems thatmayarisefollowingthepassingofthe proposedBill”,amongthemthepotentialto “confuseliabilityforworkmanship”.

“Thecurrentproposalhastheunintended consequenceofcreating a signifcantdisparity inNorthern IrelandthatdisadvantagestheNI constructionindustryin a mannerthattheGB industryhasneverbeenexposedto,”itsaid.

CPCNIalsoraisedconcernsthatdesigners wouldbeunabletosecure insurancecoverfor the30-yearterms requiredunderthenewlaw thuscreating a “realrisk”thatevensuccessful claimsundertheproposedactwillfnd“there isnomoneytopayanyaward”.

A spokespersonfortheDepartmentfor Communitiessaid:“Thepurposeofthis legislationisnottotargetanindustry, butto protecthomeowners.

“Fundamentally, theMinisterandhisExecutive colleaguesbelievethatourcitizensshouldbe affordedthesamerightsandprivilegesasthose enjoyedelsewhere intheUK.Thislegislation willhelpensure citizensinNorthern Ireland are affordedthesameprotectionsasthosein Englandand WalesundertheBuildingSafety Act2022.

“...thisamendmenttotheDefectivePremises Orderdoesnotchangethepremiseofliability orhowitmaybeapplied,ratheritsimply extendsthatperiodforliabilitysothatcitizens here are affordedthesamerightsandprivileges asenjoyedinEnglandand Wales. ■

The VictoriaSquare apartmentsin Belfastcitycentre

Review: Newbarbecuespothits manyrightnotesbutstill needsacoupleoftweaks

JohnMulgrew paysavisittoSmokeBBQ, oneofNorthernIreland’slatestbarbecue spots,toseewhetheritcutsthemustard

Acurious,nosy,smallman,whois inourcompanyonthisslightly humidSundayevening, remains largelyunawareofsocietalnorms.

He’scraninghisneck,spyingandgawkingat acoupleofdinersjustafewinchesaway.But onthisoccasion,this11-month-old’slackof airsandgracesdoesn’tfeelaninfractionin thisparticularlylaidbackandcasual restaurant environment.

SmokeBBQhassetupbaseatLet’sGoHydro –ArgentofounderPeteBoyle’swaterpark–locatedjustoutsideCarryduff,havingstarted offlifeinComber.

Nestledclosetoafewoftheglampingpods andoutdoorbarbecuehuts,it’saspacious spot,withamultitudeoftablesoutsideand plentyofspaceinside,feelingparticularlyapt giventhelocationand(somewhat)warmer evenings.

Therearebigtanksmokerstoyourleftonthe wayin,whichshouldbea reliableindicatorof thingstocome.

Let’sstartbysaying,weeatalotofgood thingswhilewearehere.

Aselectionofthefvemainproteinsisordered, whichincludesfoursideorders,alongwith picklesandslaw.

We’realsoupsoldontheporkbellybites–orderingthemprovestobeastrongchoice. Theyarriveasheftycubes,aboutthree inchesoneachside,slatheredinsaucewith agoodpunchofacidandsharpness.They areperfectly renderedsothefatandmeat breakdownwithlittleeffortofyourfork, while remainingutterlymoist.

Chickenhasthatlittlelickofsmoke,and eventhewhitemeat remainsmoist,witha touchofseasoningontheoutside.It’salsoa winner,accordingtothesmallman.

Theribsarearguablyatouchonthe overdoneside,butitdoesmeanthere’s morebarkontheexteriorandconcentration offavour.Theyaredarkandintensely smoky–thesauceandglazesuitably deckled,withalittlemoistnessstill remaining.

Theporksausageissolid,ifmaybealittle bland,buthasadecentsnapontheexterior fortexturalcontrast.

Chickenwingsaregenerousandjuicy–a crispfriedexterior,coatedinanacidicand slightlysharpandhotbuffalosauce.They arejustonthecuspofasodiumoverload, butstopjustshort.

Frickles–batteredandfriedpickles,which looklikealittlelikecondensedbattered

sausageswhochosetogovegan–providea lovelylittleclean respitefromtheotherwise heftinessandrichnessofsmokedprotein.

Cornbreadiswellseasoned,softandslightly crumbly,withalittlesubtlecrust.Italso passesthesmallmantest–heapproves.

Thebarbecuebeansarriveabitunderseasonedandlackmuchpunch,while cornappearstohaveanabsenceofsalt. However,thelatterbalancesout,giventhe boldnessoffavourselsewhereonthetable.

Butit’sthemacandcheesewhichracesto thefrontamongtheaccoutrements.It’s slightlycharredontopbutisrich,oozing

anddecadent.Whenthere’ssuchahigh densityofproteinonoffer,youtendtoforgo thestarch,butthisiterationproveshardnot tofnish.

Theselectionofsmokedmeatarriveswith amyriadofhomemadesaucesthathelp enlivenandaddalittlezesttoproceedings, includingabalancedLouisianastyle,fery habanerohoney,andaKoreanstyle.

It’snotallpositive,however.Arguablythe twopotentialstarsoftheshowturnoutto bethebiggestletdowns.Thepulledpork isdrybutseasoned reasonablywell.Butthe brisketarrivespulled,exceedinglydryand stringy.

Itdoesn’tlandsliced,asyou’dwish,asthe archetypalplatonicidealofwhatmoist,slowcookedbrisketshouldbe,andappearstohave comefromtheleanerpartofthecut.

It’sadisappointmentbecauseitshouldbethe showpieceofanydecentbarbecueoffering –ajuicyandutterlymoistpieceof(slightly) fattybeef,withadark,deckledcrownatop –somethingfewplacesdointhispartofthe world–andapieceofcookingfewwould attemptathome.

Butputtingthattooneside,there’sstillan awfullottolikeaboutSmokeBBQ.

Theservicehitsalltherightnotesthroughout,

navigatingaroundasmallmanwhoisintent ondroppingpiecesoffoodhe’sunhappywith onthefoor,assistinginsuggestionswhen ordering,andbringingdishespromptlytothe table.

Italsoallfeelslikeexceptionallygoodvalue. Fiftyquidgetsyoufvemeats,foursides, slawandpickles. We’reatableofsixonthis occasion(butwithtwounderfour)and,along withacoupleofextradishes,weendup leavingwithadoggybag.

SmokeBBQhasmanyoftheelementsneeded tosecureaplaceasastrongdestinationspot, especiallyforfamilies,withjustacoupleof smalltweaksalongtheway. ■

Aselectionof meatandsides atSmokeBBQ

Review: three top subs fromBelfast’s latestsandwichshop

Hero openeditsdoorstomuchaplomb,garneringattentionacross socialmedia,studentsandthewiderpublic.TheBelfastsubspot offersupafewquirkyandsizeablemenuoptions. JohnMulgrew avoidedthequeuesandwasthefrstcustomerthroughthedooron adrearymorningtopickthreeofthebestbitesithastooffer

TheHeffer Across-sectionofawell-litsquarephotograph onasocialmediatimeline,featuringaheftylookingpieceofdough-basedconstruction, waswhatittooktodrawmyeyeanda subsequentclick.

TheHefferappearstotakeinspirationfrom theclassicPhillycheesesteaksandwichbut withatouchoftheSloppyJoeaboutit,with anaddedkickofseasoning,depthoffavour andthealliuminitsmanyforms–fromthe caramelisedandcrispy,tothelightnessand freshnessofafewchives.

It’sacombinationofgroundsteak,acheese blend,crispyonionsand‘Heff’ sauce.There’sa superbamalgamationofsmallsavourymorsels onoffer.It’salsonotplayingatricklikesome ofourfastfoodspots–itiseverybitthat behemothproliferatingacrosssocialmedia.

It’sutterlysavouryandprovidesawhackof bothrichnessandbovine-focusedintensity, withaddedcomplexityandmouthfeelfromthe accompanyingdairy.

There’satouchofthehigh-endkebababoutit intermsofthecoalescenceoffavours:intense

savouriness,backedupbythatseasoned mayo,andsubtleandbalancedseasoning.

There’sthatwordagain.Everythingis seasonedparticularlywell.It’sthefailing ofmanya restaurantandfoodspot–that fearofedgingintopalate-puckeringsodium overloadcountry.

Butthisappearstohavenailedit.That caramelisedbeef,fattycheeseand mayonnaise-basedsaucewouldfallfat withoutthatpunch,butithelpsbringall thoseessentialumamicharacteristicsforward.

The rolls,whilesoft,havealittlesubtlechew andappeartobe resistanttothemyriad leakingjuices,fatanddairythatemerge.They arealsoanythingbutdiminutive.Whilemost comeinoverthetennermark(thisoptionis £12),theywouldcertainlykeeptwopeople happyandcontentoveraworklunchhour.

TheDragon

Thisisasomewhatintimidatingpieceof engineeringatfrst,giventhemultitudeof–butpretty–layers.

There’salotgoingonhere,butit’sallfairly harmonious.There’sachunkofwell-seasoned crispychickenbreast,whichstillmanages to retainsuitablemoisturelevels.Despitea fewminutesinabackpack,beforehaving tonavigatethemultitudeofcrossingsacross mainarterial routesbacktotheoffce,the

TheHeffersub fromHero

mozzarellastickshaveasurprisingamountof lifestillinthem.

Allofthissitsinanequallysoft,yettexturally contrasting,sub roll.However,thisoneis treatedtoalittleupgrade:toastedwithgarlic, alongsideanadditionofgarlicbutterwithin.

Thepickledcabbagebringsforthsuitable

crunchandacid–somethingthat’s requiredto cutthroughthebutterandtheprotein.

DragonsaucefeelslikeanallianceofKorean gochujangandsriracha–perhapsnotas sweetasthelatterbutwithasizeableheft behinditintermsofdepthoffavour,anda littlelingeringsubtleheatonthebackofthe palate.

TCS,‘TheChoppedSandwich’

ThisUSdeliclassichasseensomethingofa resurgencethankstotheviralnatureofour globalfoodscene,andhas reachedmanyan eyeacrossthe TikTokgeneration.

Itallmakessense,whenyouthinkaboutit. Ratherthanlayeringuphalfadozenormore ingredients,tryingtoensurethatperfectly balancedcross-sectionoffavours,handchop saidingredients,mixtogetheralongsidea dressingormayonnaise-basedsauce,andadd tothebreadofyourchoice.

Thisisanotherimpressivebringingtogether oflotsofnicelittlethings.There’sturkey providingsomebackboneofprotein, permeatedcuredaccoutrementsintheformof baconandsalami,alittlefatandrichnessfrom theProvolonecheese,mayonnaiseandcream cheese–andallofthisliftedwithalittlemore texturalcontrastandlightnesswithlettuce, onionandtomato.

Itfeelsbothfamiliaranddistinctlydifferent–likeadecentpre-madesupermarketsandwich fllerwhichhashaditstrainingatLeCordon Bleu. Takethatasthecomplimentit’sintended.

Thisisacoldoption,andwhileequallyashefty astheothertwooptions,itmightfeellike somethingofamarginallylighterdepartureon awarmersummer’sday. ■

TheDragon subfromHero

TheChopped SandwichfromHero

DiageoexpandingBelfastcanningsite ‘tomeetglobaldemand’forGuinness

DiageoisgrowingitsNorthernIrelandoperations asdemandforitsrangeofGuinnesscans, includingitsnon-alcoholicversion,expands globally,writes JohnMulgrew

DrinksgiantDiageoisexpanding itsGuinnesscanningsiteinBelfast tomeetacceleratedgrowthofits products,itcanbe revealed.

Thefrmemploysaround160peopleatits Marshall’s Roadsite,whichcanssome60%of thebeerforthelocalmarket,and40%forthe overseasmarket.

GuinnessproducedinDublinisshippedto Belfastforpackaging.

Now, it’s expandingthesite“tomeetglobal demandforproductsfromdomesticmarkets”.

“Theexpansionwillsupportaccelerated productionandproductinnovation,enhancing

effciencyandcompetitiveness,”itsays.

“Therawmaterials…are deliveredtothe siteasbulkliquidsandstoredintanks.The productsare chilledpriortobeingtransferred tofllingmachineswhere theyare transferred intocans.”

“Thecansare pre-pasteurisedbefore being flledandbeingpackagedintoboxes,cartons, andcrates,andtransportedoff siteonpallets. DiageowishestoexpandtheBelfastpackaging facilitiesaspartoftheirinvestmenttomeet globaldemandforproductsfromdomesticand exportmarkets.”

Theproposedextensiontothewarehouseisto beusedforloadingontotrucks.

“Theproposedcompactorbuilding, recyclable store andpartsstore are smallancillaryworks tothemainuseofthewarehouseonsite,” freshplanningdocumentssay

“TheBelfastsiteruns24/7with60%of outputstolocalmarketsand40%overseas andwillsupportthecompany’s globalgrowth ambitionsand recentinnovationsincluding GuinnessZero andGuinnessNitrosurge.”

ItcomesafterDiageowonplanningpermission for a £26mextensionofitsBaileysglobal supplysiteinnearbyMallusk.

Diageosaiditwelcomedthedecisionfrom AntrimandNewtownabbeyBoroughCouncil togivethego-aheadtotheextensiononthe site,onceofjusttwoontheglobewhere Baileysisproduced.

TheMallusksiteproduces,bottles,labelsand storestheoriginalBaileysIrishCreamLiqueur

Thecompanysaidtheapprovalwouldimprove itslogisticsandwarehousingfacilitiesonthe site,whichproducesover60millionbottlesof Baileyseveryyear

Itemploysmore than230peopleacrossits threesitesinNorthern Ireland.Theseinclude a beerpackagingplantineastBelfast,its corporateheadquartersinBelfastcitycentre whichhostsitsGBandIrelandcustomerservice andcreditteams.

DiageoNorthern IrelandLimitedcameinatthe number59spotinthe UlsterBusiness Top 100 2024,inassociationwithKPMG.

Itpostedturnoverof£169.2mfortheyear endingJune2022 – uparound a third onthe previousyear’s £126.6m,whilepre-taxprofts rosefrom£2.9mto£6.3m.

ThewiderfrmalsooperatesDiageoGlobal SupplyIBCLtd,whichis registeredinNI. ■

Motoring

ByPatBurns

Inamotoringworlddominatedby crossoversandSUVs,BMWhasshown thatpeoplestillwantthespace, comfortanddrivingpleasurefroman estatecar.

Thesixthgenerationofthe5Series Touringhas justbeenlaunchedanditcombinesaspacious interiorwiththehandlingcharacteristicsofa sportscoupe.

Thenewgenerationofthe5Series Touring ismoreprogressivethanever,featuring numerousdigitalinnovations,systemsfor automateddrivingandparking,increased sustainabilitythroughouttheentireproductlife cycleand,forthefrsttime,anall-electricdrive intheformofthei5 Touring.

Theexteriordimensionsofthenew Touring modelareslightlylargerthanthoseofits predecessor,emphasisingitsstretched proportionsandincreasingtheamountof spaceavailableinboth rowsofseats.

The5Series Touringisavailableinfourdistinct trimlevels,withtheSportEdition,MSport, MSportProandrange-toppingBMWi5M60 modelseachprovidingadifferentchoiceto suitallcustomerneeds.

The5Series TouringinMSporttrimincludes ahighlevelofequipmentasstandard.The all-electricandtheplug-inhybridmodelscome with19-inchlightalloywheelsasstandard,

Fivego touring

withupto21-inchalloywheelsareavailable asanoption.The5Series Touringhasvegan upholsteryasstandardandfeatures Veganza seats.

Thedynamiccharacterofthenew Touringcan befurtheremphasisedthroughtheMSport ProModel,whichincludesaMRearspoiler. Additionally,theMSportProModelcomesas standardwith20-inchMlightalloywheelsand MSportbrakesin redhigh-gloss.

Asthetopmodelintheseries,thei5M60 xDrive Touring(combinedpowerconsumption: 20.8–18.3kWh/62milesaccordingtoWLTP) comesasstandardwithexteriorcomponents thatclearlyexpressitsoutstandingdriving dynamics.ABowers& Wilkinssurroundsound system,withupto18speakers,isfttedas standardonthei5M60,andcanbeaddedas optiontotheother5Series Touringmodels.

Thenew Touringoffersmorespaceand noticeablymoreleg,shoulderandelbow room, especiallyinthe rear.

Awiderluggagecompartmentopening combinedwithalowsillmakesiteasytostow largeitemsofluggage.Regardlessoftheir drivetechnology,allvariantsofthenewrange

havealuggagecompartmentvolumethatcan beexpandedfrom570toupto1,700litres.

Thei5 Touringisthefrstall-electricpremium modelinitsfeld.Itisavailableintwoversions fromtheoutset.Inthei5M60xDrive Touring, twointegrateddriveunitsonthefrontand rearaxlestogetherformanelectricall-wheel drivewithupto601hp.

TherangedeterminedintheWLTPtestis 277to314milesfortheBMWi5M60xDrive Touringand300to348milesfortheBMWi5 eDrive40 Touring.

Drivingpleasureinthe5Series Touringisbased onagoodbalancebetweensportinessand travellingcomfort. Withthelongestwheelbase inthesegment,largetrackwidths,a50:50 weightdistribution,lightweightconstruction andarigidchassis,itofferstheidealconditions forthis.

Thesuspensionsetupincludessportsteering, directlycontrolledwheelslipandthelatest versionoftheintegratedbrakingsystemas standard.Thei5 Touringandtheplug-inhybrid modelsalsofeature rear-axleairsuspension includingautomaticself-levelling.It’spriced from£59,455. ■

Hyundaihaslaunched a high performanceversion‘N’modelof theIoniq5thatdeliverssupercar performancein a modelthatshowcases thetechnicalandsportingprowessofthe Koreanmanufacturer.

Hyundaicurrentlyleadsthe WorldRally Championshipandsomeofthisexpertisehas beenintegratedintotheIoniq5N.

TheIoniq5Ncanmatchtheperformanceofjust aboutanyotherEVonthemarket,producing a blistering650bhpand740Nmoftorque. 0-62mphiscoveredinjustoverthreeseconds anditcanhit161mph.Whosaidelectriccars were boring?TheIoniq5Nisalsothefrsthigh performanceEVtoprovidetheenthusiastdriver withthefulladrenalinkickof a racecar

Theconversionfrommultipleaward winning zero emissionSUVintoEVhyperhatchbegins withthechassis receiving42additionalwelding pointsand2.1metresofadditionaladhesives, reinforcedmotorandbatterymountings whilstfrontand rearsubframesare enhanced forextrarigidity Foranevenbetterfeeland quicker response, a strengthenedsteeringrack with a higherratiogives a racecarfeelwhile theinteriorgoesfullracespectoowithrally

Hyundai’snewtop electricshocks thesystem

styleseatsandpaddleshiftgearbox.It’s wider andlowertooandrunsontopspec21-inch Pirellityreswithmassivebrakediscsall round.

Thenewmodelbeneftsfromelectronic controlledsuspension(ECS)thatadapts suspensionstiffnessaccordingtothedrive modetoimprove rearwheeldampingand suspension,foranagileandimmediate response.

Otherfeaturesofthenewcarinclude: N Pedal whichisdesignedtoprovideinstantturn-in behaviourandenhancedthrottlesensitivity It prioritizesfastcorneringoverenergyeffciency Usingthebrakingforce,weighttransferis created, resultinginsharpercornerentry

N DriftOptimiserincludesanintegratedtorque kickdriftfunctionwhichallowsthedriverto simulatetheclutchkickactionof rear-wheeldrivenpetrolcarformore oversteerand driftingifthat’s yourthing.

Similarly,N TorqueDistributionis a fully variablefrontand reartorquedistribution thatcanbeadjustedto11levels.Thee-LSD (electroniclimitedslipdifferential)atthe rear axleoptimizescorneringperformanceand control.

Manyperformanceenthusiastshavebeen outspokenaboutthelackofdriverfeedback behindthewheelofEVsandtocounterthis, theIoniq5Nofferstwofunctionstoengage enthusiasts: N e-shiftand N ActiveSound+.

N e-shiftsimulatestheeight-speeddual-clutch transmissionofpetrol N cars,simulating gearshiftsbycontrollingmotortorqueoutput andmimickingthejoltfeelingbetween shifts,providing a more exhilaratingdriving experiencethatfeelscloserto a performance carthanpreviousEVs. N e-shiftallowsthe drivertocontrolthesimulatedgearshiftswith thesteeringcolumnpaddlesusuallyusedto control regenerativebraking.

Thebrakestooare uptothejobwithmassive 400mmdiscsatthefrontand360mmatthe rear Designedtodealwiththeharshbraking demandsoftrackdriving,Hyundai N engineers designed N BrakeRegen,anN-specifcbraking system.Itoffersupto a maximumof0.6G decelerativeforce – anindustryleadingfgure – through N BrakeRegenaloneand remains engagedunderABSactivationwith a maximum of0.2G.

TheriskofbrakefadeduetotheEV’s relative heavinessisminimizedbymaximizing regen brakingpower, which resultsinlowerbrake forceappliedtothemechanicalbrakes, resultinginlowerfrictionbraketemperatures. It’s pricedfrom£65,000. ■

Capturing the spirit of Renault

TheRenaultCapturhasprovedto beagreatsuccesshereinNorthern IrelandandnowtheClio’sbig brotherhasbeenupdatedwithanewlook andtechupgrades.

Itisbothcompactontheoutsideandspacious ontheinsidewhileitshighdrivingpositionis appreciatedbyitsowners,allowingeasyaccess andgoodvisibilityofthe road.

Thethree-modelrange–evolution,techno, andespritAlpine,afrstfortheCaptur–is availabletoordernowwithpricesstarting from£21,095.ThenewLEDfrontlightsare standardonalllevelsoftrim.

Theevolutiontrimfeatures17-inchalloy wheelsandamattblackfnishonthelower bodyandbeltlinewithlong,blackfront and rearskidplates.Themid-rangetechno trimfeaturesnew18-inchalloywheelsand ahighglossblackfnishonthelowerbody andbeltline.ThenewespritAlpinetrimis immediatelyidentifable,withitsIceBlack logos,highglossblackwindowsurrounds, 19-inchwheelsofspecifcdesign,aerodynamic splitter,andfrontand rearskidplateswith mattgreyfnish.

Newupholsteryandnewdashboarddisplays

alongwithamultimediasystemwithGoogle built-inprovideon-boardtechnologywith AndroidAutomotive12,aworldfrstinthe B-segment. Wirelesssmartphoneconnectivity andwirelesschargingarestandardacrossthe range.

ThenewCapturdashboardscreensmeasure upto10.25inchesdiagonally,dependingon theversion.Fordigitalin-carentertainment, frontpassengershaveaccesstotwoUSB-C socketsanda12Vsocket,withanotherinthe boot.

Passengerknee roomatthe rearisstillamong thebestonthemarket,at22cm,thanksto a rearbenchseatdesignedtoslidebackas muchas16cm.Thisallowsuserstocreate morespaceforcargoorpassengersas required.

Twopowertrainoptionsareavailable,starting withthe1.0-litrethree-cylinderturbocharged TCe90pairedwithasix-speedmanual gearboxtodeliverCO2emissionsfrom135g/ kmandeconomyofupto47.9mpg.

TheE-Techfullhybrid145,meanwhile, featuresa1.6-litrefour-cylinderpetrolengine combinedwithtwoelectricmotorsanda smartautomaticgearbox.Itcanachieve

economyofupto60.1mpgwhileemittingas littleas105g/kmofCO2.

Itusesa36kWe-motorandan18kWHSG (High-voltageStarterGenerator)poweredbya 1.2kWhbattery.Thesmartgearboxhasfour gearsforthepetrolengineandtwogearsfor themainelectricmotor.Fourteenpossible combinationsofthecombustionengineand electricmotoroptimiseitsoperation.

AnewE-Savefunction,activatedbyabutton totheleftofthesteeringwheelonthe dashboard,maintainsabatterychargeofat least40%.Thisensuresoptimumperformance whendrivinguphill,forexample.

ThenewCapturfeatures18drivingaids dividedintothreecategories:safety,driving andparking.AnditnowincludesIntelligent SpeedAssist(ISA),asystemthatautomatically alertsthedriverifthecar’sspeedexceedsthe limitit readson roadsigns.

Standardspecifcationontheevolutionmodel includesasharkfnantenna,darktinted rear windowsandtailgate,fullLEDautomatic headlightswithautomatichigh/lowbeam, automaticwindscreenwipers, rearparking sensors,anda rearviewcamera.Itsequipment listcontinueswithautomaticairconditioning withonetouchquickdemistandairquality regulator,centralconsolewithslidingarmrest, electronicparkingbrakewithauto-hold functionandahands-freekeycard. ■

Volkswagen unveilsnewGolfs totherange

TheSportyGTIandfrugaleHybrid versionsofthenewGolfarenow availabletoorder,alongsidethe Life,Match,StyleandR-Lineversionsthat arealreadyavailable.

ThenewGolfGTIoffersmorepowerthanits predecessoraswellasthelatesttechnologies andsharpstylingofthenewGolf. With265 PS–anincreaseof20PSovertheprevious GTI–thenewcomeriscapableofsprinting fromzeroto62mphinjust5.9seconds.

TheenhancedGTIfeatures Volkswagen’s latestLEDmatrixheadlights,whichhavea rangeof500m.Thereisalsoanilluminated Volkswagenlogoatthefront,aswellas redesignedLEDtaillightclustersand18-inch alloywheels.

Theimpressivecabinspaceincludesa revampedinfotainmentsystemthatis controlledthrougha12.9-inchtouchscreen orthelatest VolkswagenIDAvoiceassistant withChatGPTintegration.Premiumsports seatsfeaturingthedistinctiveGTIcheck

pattern,alongwithadditional reddecorative stitching,emphasisethefactthatthisinterioris unmistakablyaGolfGTI.

Thecarisequippedwithaseven-speeddirectshiftgearbox(DSG)asstandard;gearscan alsobeselectedmanuallyusingpaddleson themulti-functionsteeringwheel,whichnow hasphysicalbuttonsin responsetocustomer feedback.Otherstandardfeaturesinclude keylessaccess,heatedfrontseats,three-zone Climatronicairconditioning, rear-viewcamera, adaptivecruisecontrol,laneassist,traffcjam assistandemergencyassist.TheGolfGTIis pricedfrom£38,900onthe road.

Volkswagen’snewplug-inGolfeHybridsare suretocatchtheeyeofthoseseekingstyle andperformancewithadditionalmoney-saving frugality.

Twovariantsareavailable:aStyletrimthat combinesthebeneftsofelectricdrivingwith a204PSengineandsix-speedDSG,plusthe GTEthatcomeswithapunchy272PSengine andthesamesix-speedDSG.Theyuseanew

1.5TSIevo2enginethatfeaturesvariable turbochargergeometry(VTG).

Boththesenewcomerscombineelectric powerwiththesamegoodlooksseenalready withthelatestGolfmodels.Anew19.7 kWhbatteryoffersfastDCchargingofup to40kW,andACchargingofupto11kW (previously3.6kW),withoffcialelectric-only rangesof89milesfortheStyleeHybridand 82milesfortheGTE–meaningbothcars offereverydayelectric-onlydrivingforthevast majorityofcustomers.

ABeneftinkind(BiK)rateof5%willappeal tocompanycardrivers.

OtherStyleeHybridfeaturesincludethreezoneClimatronicairconditioning,lane assist,traffcjamassistandemergencyassist; theGTEaddskeylessaccess,heatedfront seats,tinted rearglass,frontfoglampsand corneringlights.

TheGolfStyleeHybridispricedfrom£36,760 whiletheGolfGTEis£39,750. ■

TNewcarsales up20%inNI

henumberofnewcarspowering outofshowroomsherehasrisenby almostaﬁfth,newﬁguresshow.

Therewere4,871newcars registeredin NorthernIrelandinJune–up18.57% –accordingtotheSocietyofMotor Manufacturersand Traders(SMMT).

Itwasthesteepestincreaseinthemonth acrossthefourUKnations,andwellabovethe averageincreaseof1.18%.

Overtheﬁrsthalfoftheyear,therewere 27,344newcars registered,up10%on2023.

Thatwasagainthesteepestyeartodate increaseofthefourUKnations,comparedto anaverageof6%.

InNorthernIreland,the VauxhallCorsawas themostpopularcarsoldinJune,with265 beingdrivenoffcarforecourts,followedbythe KiaSportageatnumbertwo,selling198.The

Hyundai Tucsonwasthethirdmostpopular car,with127sold.

Overtheyeartodate,theFordPumaisthe numberonesellerwith850sold,followedby theKiaSportage,selling828,andthe Vauxhall Corsa,selling712.

TheSMMTsaidthatanalysisofitsﬁgures showthatacrosstheUK,purchasesofnew carsbyprivatebuyershavedeclinedfornine consecutivemonths.

Theorganisationsaid67,625newcarswere registeredbyprivateconsumersinJune,down 15.3%from79,798duringthesamemonth lastyear.

Anditsaidtheoverall1.2%increaseyear onyearwasmainlyduetoa14.2%increase inpurchasesforﬂeetsownedorleasedby businessesorotherorganisations.

Thismeansmorethanonemillionnewcars

were registeredintheﬁrsthalfoftheyear fortheﬁrsttimesince2019.

Themarketshareofpurebatteryelectric newcarsUK-widesofarthisyearis16.6%, upfrom16.1%intheﬁrsthalfof2023.

SMMTchiefexecutiveMikeHawessaid: “Theyear’smidpointseesthenewcar marketinitsbeststatesince2021–butthis beliesthebiggerchallengeahead.

“Theprivateconsumermarketcontinuesto shrinkagainstadifﬁculteconomicbackdrop, butwiththerightpoliciesinplace,thenext governmentcan re-energisethemarket anddeliverafaster,fairerzeroemission transition.

“Allpartiesareagreedontheneedtocut carbonand replacingolderfossilfuelbasedtechnologieswithnewelectriﬁed powertrainsistheessentialsteptoachieving thatgoal.” ■

JIMCRAWFORD GENERALMANAGER, THEFOUNDRY

Howdidyougetstartedintheindustry?

Believeitornot,IstartedwhenIwas14 doingoddjobshereandthere,likeclearing storeroomsinalocalbarandotherrandom bitslikethat.Ididthatforaboutayearorso, andthenIpickedhospitalitybackupagain properlyataroundeighteenandthe restis history.I’vebeeninthisindustrynowforover twentyyearsandfortunately,Ihavebeenlucky enoughtoworkforsomegreatcompaniesand crackingvenuesinBelfast.

Typically,whoareyourclientsor customers?

Inmyownvenuesinthepast,wehada real meltingpotofcustomerswhichIalways really loved.Aswellasourloyaland regularclientele, we regularlysawnewfacescomingthrough thedoors,andtouristsalways remarkedhow funanddiversethehospitalitysceneisin Belfast.Belfasthasalwaysbeenknownforthe warmthandfriendlinessofitspeople,who lovetosupporttheirown,soIamhopingto seelotsofthosesamefacescomethrough thedoorsofTheFoundrywhenweopenin June.Itissuchauniquespacethatwillbring

Entrepreneur ofthe Month

somethingnewtothecityandbreathenew lifeintotheCathedralQuarter.

Doyouenjoywhatyoudo,andwhatin particular?

IlovemyjobandIloveworkinginhospitality.I enjoythatitsbusyandyou’realwaysonthego andmeetingnewpeople.Sittingbehindadesk alldaywouldn’tworkforme–Iwouldget boredaftertheﬁrst10minutes.Inhospitality, Igettomeetandchattoalldifferenttypesof peopleandwhenthehotelopens,Ican’twait togettoknowourguestsfromallaroundthe world.

It’salsoworthnotingthattheindustryhas changedalotforthebetter.Ihaveagreat work-lifebalance,whichwouldn’thavebeen thecasewhenIstartedout.Ienjoyworking nightsastheshiftpatternsare reallyattractive tomeandtheﬂexibilityissobeneﬁcial–especiallywhenyou’rejugglingabusyfamily lifetoo.

Whatisthemostdifﬁcultpartofyourjob?

I’mnotjustsayingthis,butI reallycan’tthink ofanything.Everyjobhasitschallenges,of course,butIcan’tthinkofanythingIfind overlydifficult.ThatisprobablybecauseIhave beeninhospitalityforsolongandhaveseen outallthechangesthathavehappenedover theyears.I’mfortunatetoworkalongside agreatteamalso,andsoanydifficultiesor challengescanusuallybeovercometogether.

Whatarethechallengesfacingyoursector andtheeconomyingeneral?

Forme,ithastobeoverheads.Thingslike energycosts,licensingcosts,andincreasing suppliercostsallcontinuetoposeagenuine threattoalotofhospitalityvenuesacross NorthernIreland. Withthatinmindhowever, therearecompaniesoutthereliketheDucales group,whoseethepotentialinNorthern Irelandandcontinuetoinvestinit.It’sbecause ofthatthatIgettocontinuetoworkinthe industrythatI reallyenjoy. ■

TS

Neurovalenshasappointedmedtech professionalKateWillistodrivegrowth intheUSmarket.MsWillishasbeen appointedasthevicepresidentof commercialisation.

CommercialpropertyagencyLambert SmithHamptonhasappointedSean Toner asadirectorinitspropertymanagement division.

GraceCartinisnowapartnerwithDeloitte inBelfast.MsCartin,whoispartof Deloitte’sauditandassuranceteam,joined Deloitteasagraduatetraineeandhas beenwiththefrmformorethan12years.

UlsterUniversityhasappointedProfessor GillianArmstrongMBEtotheroleofpro vicechancellorandexecutivedeanof UlsterUniversityBusinessSchool(UUBS).

AmyMcFeetershasjoinedCBRENI’s valuationsandprofessionalservices teaminthepositionofadministrative support.ShegraduatedfromNorthumbria Universityin2015withadegreein criminologybeforeworkinginproperty.

JoshMcCreadyhasbeenappointed surveyoratcommercialpropertyagency CBRENIwherehewilljointhevaluations andprofessionalservicesteam.

StudioUlsterhasannouncedthe appointmentofProfessorDeclanKeeney asitsnewchiefexecutive.MrKeeneyhas acareerspanningmorethan25yearsin broadcastandmediaproduction.

Belfast-basedfundmanagerWhiterock wasappointedChris Trotterasan investmentdirectoronitsnew£75m equityinvestmentfund.

Christopher Walldoffisnowregional directorat Totalmobileasitexpandsinto theNordicmarket.It’ssettingitssightson growingitsstrategicpartnershipsacrossa rangeofsectors.

APPOIN TM EN

1. LidlNorthernIrelandhas selectedanewbatchof13 localproducersfromacross the regionwhosuccessfully earnedaplaceonthe retailer’sKickstartSupplier DevelopmentProgramme.

2. DisabilitycharitySensehas acquiredtheBelfastResource CentreonAnnadale Avenuein BelfastfromtheMSSociety,with planstotransformitintoSense HubBelfast.Picturedissupport workerMelwithJamie.

3. ChristineMackincollecting theawardforoutstanding contributiontothebeauty industryfromUTV’sPamela Ballantineatthe2024NIBeauty Excellence Awards.

4. DillonsHotelinLetterkenny hascompletedanextensive refurbishmentandbrand refresh aspartofa£1.5minvestmentby ownerMcKeeverHotelGroup. TimmyMallett(picturedright) recentlystayedand reviewediton hisInstagram.

5. ActionCancerhashosted anInternationalSkinCancer ConferenceatBelfastHarbour Commissioners’Offce.Pictured areplasticsurgeonDrDan Kennedy,IonaMcCormack, ActionCancer,HealthMinister MikeNesbittandassociate professorDrJimMuir.

6. Socialimpactfashion retailerOutsideInhas returnedtoTheBoulevardin Banbridge.Operatingforfour weeksOutsideIn’soutletstore willsellitscurrentclothing andaccessoryrangeincluding T-shirtsandbeaniehatsat discountedprices.

7. Maxolisinvesting£3.6mina redevelopmentandexpansionof MaxolBelvoirServiceStationat ShawsBridgeinBelfast.Pictured areKevinPaterson, retailmanager, NI,TheMaxolGroupandBrian Donaldson,chiefexecutive.

8. DanskeBankhas renewed itsUlsterRugbySchools’ sponsorshipforanotherthree years, reaffrmingitscommitment tohelpingyoungpeopletothrive throughsport.PicturedareKeith Shorten,UlsterRugbyandPhil Smyth,DanskeBank.

9. VolunteersfromMarieCurie attheSparNImarqueeatThe BalmoralShowpicturedafter £24,000wasraisedforboth MarieCurieandCancerFundfor Children.

10. SuperCupNIhasannounced the renewalofitspartnershipwith BuyTicketApp,aMagherafeltbasedticketingplatform.Pictured announcingthedealis Victor Leonard,chairmanofSuperCupNI andKarlDiamond,directorat BuyTicketApp.

11. BelfastCharitableSociety haslaunchedapioneering education resourceforKS2 pupilsinNorthernIreland,at itshomeinCliftonHouse.

12. BrilliantbyDesign,an innovativeone-dayeventfrom JohnKellyConnectsandFXL ExecutiveSolutionsLtd,featuring avarietyofinspiringspeakerswill takeplaceat TitanicHotelBelfast onSeptember26.Picturedare YvonneMooreSmith,JohnKelly, andEileenBeamish.

13. RathbaneGroup,the companybehindglobalbrand namesincludingMJMMarine, Mivanand Topglass,haslaunched itslatestnewventure,the redevelopedPearlAssurance House.PicturedareBrianand ConnieMcConvillefromRathbane Group.

14. AndyMcCrea,project developerforNorthChannel Wind,withRunaandElkaMcEvoy aheadofGlobal WindDay.North Channel Wind’sproposalsfor foatingwindturbinesintheIrish Seahaveacapacityofaroundone gigawattofelectricity.

15. ThenewownersofSpar AbbotsCrossinNewtownabbey haveoffcially reopenedthe store.PicturedarePaddy Doody,HendersonGroup, newstoreownersLucyand BeckyMcCammond,withCali McCammond,AaronMcMahon, andArleneSimmons.

16. OrmeauBaths,thehub ofstartupinnovationand collaborationinBelfast, has rebrandedasOrmeau Labs,markingasignifcant milestoneinitsjourneyas ahubforgroundbreaking technologiesand entrepreneurialspirit. 16

17. TheformerBlankRestaurant ontheMaloneRoadinBelfast hasbeen relaunchedasSaga, underpinnedbythetheme‘Eat local,thinkglobal’.Picturedare ownersJonnyandChristina Taylor.

18. Thefrstspeciallytrained tourguidesfordeafpeoplein NorthernIrelandhavecompleted aninnovativenewcourse. PicturedareJoMcCanny, Visit Belfast,MichaelJohnston,course graduate,EimearCallaghan, TourismNI,MalachyMcBurney, coursegraduateandFiona Dempsey,BelfastMet.

19. BoostSporthasjoinedforces withtheAntrimCoastHalf Marathon,duetotakeplaceon August25.PicturedareJames McIlroy,eliteracedirectorwith GarethHardy,HardyDistribution, thesoledistributorofBoostinNI.

20. Deloitte’sleadingexperton thefutureoffood,RandyJagt, hasheldaseriesofmeetingsto engagewithleadingcompanies inthelocalagri-foodsector.He’s picturedwithAisléanNicholson, Deloitte(left)andUrsulaLavery ofNIFDA.

21. TheBelfastoffceof accountancyfrmASM CharteredAccountants,has announcedthatitisjoining theSumerGroup,tobecome SumerNorthernIreland.

22. YouniqueAestheticshas actedasprincipalsponsorof DownRoyal’s‘BestDressed LadyCompetition’atthisyear’s SummerFestivalofRacing. PicturedareKathrynHolland, DownRoyalwithKatharine WalkerandAineLarkin, Younique Aesthetics.

23. Irishpotatopackerand processor, Wilson’sCountry,has been reducingitsgreenhouse gasemissionlevelsbyworkingin collaborationwithLisburnbased haulagebusiness,McCullaIreland. PicturedareAlanThompsonof McCulla(Ireland)LtdandLewis Cunningham, Wilson’sCountry.

24. Belfast-basedproperty developer,FraserMillar,has launchedNorthernIreland’s secondPassivhausdevelopment, worth£30m,locatedonthe ComberRoadinCarryduff. PicturedareFraserMillar’s directors,fromleft,JohnCarrigan, DavidMillarandCharlesMillar.

25. TheAllstateFoundation donatedsome£250,000to charitiesin2023.Picturedare StephenMcKeown,Allstate NorthernIreland,Sonya McMullan, Women’sAid FederationNIandBernadette Haughey,AllstateNorthern Ireland.

26. Picturedatthelaunchof theNorthernIreland Waste &ResourceManagement Conference2024areDarragh McConville,RecycleNI, AdrianHopkins,conference director,DebbieNesbitt, WRAP,BrettRoss,RiverRidge andConor Walsh,RecycleNI.

27. ITmanagedservicesprovider b4bGrouphasbeenawarded anISO27001certifcationfor managinginformationsecurity. Picturedarechiefexecutiveof b4bGroup,DavidArmstrong,and headofIT,KenyonHarris.

28. Some17NorthernIreland artsandculturalorganisationsare completingapioneeringfnancial resilienceprogramme,Blueprint, developedbyArts&BusinessNI. PicturedareCathMcBride,Sarah Jones,andJaniceKernoghanReid.

29. BobStrongeofAdviceNI withEconomyMinisterConor Murphy,MaryMcManusofLiving WageNIandGrahamGriffths, Living WageFoundation,pictured launchingLiving WageNI,an initiativeaimedatincreasingthe RealLiving Wageforemployers.

30. PicturedattheBuildinga BusinessCaseforGoodJobs eventareEconomyMinister ConorMurphy,withLabour RelationsAgencychiefexecutive, DonLeeson.

31. TheCinemagicFilmand TelevisionFestivalfor Young PeopleannouncesBelfast CityAirport,NIConnections andNIBureauassponsors. PicturedarePaulaBittles, BelfastCityAirport,Robbie HayesandZaraBurney Keatings,JoanBurney KeatingsMBE,Cinemagic, andMoiraLoughran,NI Connections.

32. PicturedareJuniorMinister PamCameronMLA,Tánaiste MicheálMartin,JohnMc Donagh, WaterwaysIreland, TaoiseachSimonHarris,Heather HumphreysTDandJohnO’Dowd, InfrastructureMinister,opening phasetwooftheUlsterCanal redevelopmentproject.

33. NorthernIrelandmarine servicesﬁrmSeaSourceOffshore haslandedafresh£9mdeal withFrenchenergygiantEngie. PicturedisSeaSourceOffshore chiefexecutiveBrianChambers.

34. ComberLeisureCentreCar ParkhashostedtheComber EarliesFoodFestival.Picturedare GavinMurphy,executivechefat TheOldInn,withtheMayorof ArdsandNorthDown,Alistair Cathcart,andchefJimMulholland ofNo14GeorgianHouse.

35. RecyclingcompanyMcKenzies (NI)Ltdissettoseesolid returns fromequipmentinvestmentwith supportfromBankofIreland. PicturedareSuzannaMcKenzie, McKenzies(NI)Ltd,CiaranLavery, BankofIrelandUKandSergio McKenziejnr,McKenzies(NI)Ltd.

36. Morethan100eBay sellerscametogetherat ICCBelfast recentlyforthe globale-commerceplatform’s BusinessRoadshow.

37. TheLisburnRoadBusiness Associationhasquicklygrown intoavibrantcollective,uniting over40localbusinessesand communitygroups.Picturedare EoinMcGinn,artist,JennyBond, JennyBondInteriorsandRoisin Finnegan,founderandleadofthe association.

38. NorthernIreland’slargest conferenceonequality,diversity andinclusion(EDI)withinthe sphereofbusinessistakingplace thisOctoberinBelfast.Pictured areStephenMcKeown,Allstate NI,andChristineWhite,Diversity Markdirector.

39. Antrim-basedft-outspecialist MarconFit-Outismarking 20yearsinbusinesswiththe announcementthatithas created20newjobsoverthe lasttwoyears.PicturedarecofoundersMarkMcElroyandMark O’Connor.

40. PicturedattheBelfast ChamberAnnualPresident’slunch atICCBelfastareRossDavidson, directorateventsponsorDavidson McDonnell,deputyFirstMinister EmmaLittle-Pengelly,FirstMinister MichelleO’NeillandGavinAnnon, presidentofBelfastChamber.

PatekPhilippeclockand watch showcasea true displayofartistic expression

Swiss watch andclock-makerPatek Philippehasshowcased someofitsmost impressiveuniqueclocksandwatchesat a gallerydisplayinLondon,takingthe level ofintricacy, detail,precisenessandtrueartistrytoalevelunlikeanother otherhouse. JohnMulgrew wastheretoseetheunveiling

Horologycomesinmanydifferent forms.

Manyofuswearwatches,butthere’salevel oftrueartisticexpressionwhichexistsatthe truesummitofhorologywhichisalmosthard tofathom.

SwisswatchandclockmakerPatekPhilippe hasanalmosttwocenturyheritage, placingitself attheupper echelonsof thecraft.

Butitalsotakes thatonestep furtherinitsannual showcaseofunique pieceswhichcando littleelsebutleaveinyou aweandwonderment.

Thesepiecesneedtobe seeninpersontotrulybe abletoappreciatetheartistry onshow.It’sexactlythesameasseeinga stunningworkbysomeoftheworld’sgreatest paintersandsculptors.

Thesettingisagrandopenspaceabovethe PatekPhilippestoreinLondon’shigh-end horologicalheartland.

Theprestigiousdisplayofhandmadeenamel clocksandwatches,alongsidehand-executed guillocheworkandstunningmicrowood marquetry,isnormallysomething reservedfor thePatekPhilippeSalonsinGeneva,butthis yearithasmadeitswaytotheUKforthefrst time.

TheRareHandcrafts2024exhibitionbrings together83pieces,adorningtheglass-lit displays–including27domeclocks,small domeclocks,threetableclocks,10pocket watchesand43wristwatches.

Therearenopricetags.Theseareprimarily uniquepiecesforthetopprivatecollections andgalleriesaroundtheworld.Theyarepieces ofartwhichwouldsitprideofplaceinanyof thegreatinternationalgalleries.

Youhavetotakeastepbackandtakein thetruemajestyoftheartistry,skillandcraft whichgoesintoeachandeveryclockand watchonshow.

Theenamellingprocessistruly somethingwhichwouldnotbe attemptedbymostothercrafters ormanufacturers,givenhow preciseandlaboriousthe process,butalsobecause apiececouldbealmost fnishedandthenfredagain, crack,andyouessentially havetostartoveragain.

Watchmakingandhorologytendstobea somewhatindustrialisedprocess,inpartat least,inthe21stcentury,evenamongmanyof ourluxurybrands.

OneofPatek’sgreatstrengthsisthefnesse andhand-craftednatureofitswatches.And thisstunningselectionoftimepiecestakesthat expertisetoanentirelydifferentlevelofboth precisionandtrueartistry.

It’ssomethingwhichfourgenerationsof theSternfamily–stillinownershipofthe company–havedevotedthemselvesto maintainingoverthedecades.

ThierrySternwasalsothereonthelaunch dayofthecollection,tellingthosefromthe industryandspecialistpressthatit’sbeenkey topreservethesespecialisttechniquesand artistrythroughoutthegenerations.

“Youneedtohavetheideas,”he toldthosegathered.“Thoseideas arecomingfromPatekandalso fromvisitsaroundtheworld, talkingtoclientsandwith you.

“AtPatekPhilippe wewanttokeepand

HOROLO GY

promote thehandcraft.It’s important tokeep thatthroughthegenerations,workingwith mysonforexample,toteach themhowtodo that

“Behindevery piece youseethere are hundredsofhoursofwork.”

Thereareclockstakinginspirationfromdeep, richhistory–fromJapantoUSsurfculture, andeverythinginbetween,suchasagrand clockwhichmarksthisyear’sOlympicGames inParisinasubtleandstrikingartdecostyle.

Thesearemadeinpreciousmetalwith hundredsofhoursofhandproduction andmultipletimesthroughthekilnforthe enamelling.

Thenthere’sTheArtist’sGarden.Thisapocket

watchinminiature,paintingonemailandwith finiqueenameling.

It’sauniquepiecewhichwasexclusively revealedontheday,drawinginspirationfrom FrenchimpressionistpainterClaudeMonet, fromhispiece‘TheArtist’sGardenatGiverny’.

Thepainterbuiltuptheimageusingsmalland lighttouchesusingsmallbrushesandsome20 basecolours,andevenblendedshades.

Andthecomplexityofsuchapiecesawthe casebackhaving28separatefringsinthekiln attemperaturesofupto900C.

Patekhasalsotransformedthedialsofsome ofitsclassicandcleanestwatchlines,including theEclipse,intopieceswitharangeofboth enamelandwoodmarquetrydials.

We’retreatedtoascaled-upimageofthe hundredsoftrulyminisculepiecesofwood usedtomakeeachofthem–keepinginmind thedialitselfislittleover3cmacross.

Meanwhile,birds,andnatureingeneralplay alargepartintheinspirationformanyofthe pieces.

Towardsthecentreofthe roomisoneofPatek Philippe’swatchmakers,workingononeofthe utterlyprecisewoodmarquetrydials.

There’saprojectionscreenjustbehindhim showingwhathe’sdoing.Butit’swhenyou standovertheworkspaceandseethesizeof whathe’sproducing,itthenbecomestruly breath-taking–piecesofwordjustmillimetres insize,andnothingbutaperfectlysteady handwilldo. ■

HOROLO GY

I’mkneelingon a remotemountainside. Nearby, curiousgoatsleapfromone sandstonebouldertothenextasthey watchstrangehumansattempttolight a ﬁre withoutmatchesor a lighter Welcome to a survivalcrashcourse,accordingto celebritytelevisionsurvivalistBearGrylls, inRasAl-Khaimah,themostnortherly emirateoftheUnitedArabEmiratesinthe PersianGulf.

Theintroductoryvideothathadbeenshown earlieratthecamp receptionhutshowedGrylls throwinghimselfoffa cliff,slidingdown a glacieranddevouring a bloodiedhunkofraw meat.

Sonow, afteranuphillhikeandthesweaty exertionsof ﬁxing a shelterasprotectionfrom desertheatandcold,it’s timeforelevenses. SouthAfrican-born survivalguideFrans reaches intohisbackpackfor a potofsnacks:dried ﬁshbaitworms.“Ifyouwanttobe a survivor, you havetogoalltheway,”hewarnswith a grin.

I reachinside,closemyeyesandfantasise about a rehearsalforI’m a Celebrity...Get MeOutofHere.Thecrunchy, saltyworms aren’t thatbad,except,thatis,fortheir ﬁshy aftertaste.Whilenooneislooking, I pop a pieceofchewingguminmymouthtoaidtheir digestion.

Aﬁre iskeytosurvival,forwardingoff unwelcomewildlife,cookingfoodandalerting rescuers,shouldtheyhavetocombthese Hajarmountainsforus,Franssays.Helists protection,shelter, waterandfoodassurvival essentials,whilerubbishingmobilephones(no signaluphere).Asforwater, hehasanexpert tipforextractinggritfromthemountaintrickle of a stream – heuses a socktostrainit.

Furiouslyscraping ﬂintagainststeeltomake ﬁre, ourwristsare readytodropoff untilthat “eureka”moment,whensparksignitethe cottonwoolballsmearedwith Vaselinewehad placedunderthekindlingtwigs.

Thenexthurdleistokeepthe ﬁre going. With a nostalgicnodtoourprehistoric forefathers,thegroupsplitsintwo,withone

Dubai’s luxe sisterat a fractionofprice

RasAl-Khaimahhasopulenthotelsalongside abundantwildlife,andismuchcheaperthanits glitzierneighbours,writes IsabelConway

teamsearchingoutlargerpiecesofwood, whilemembersoftheothercuptheirhands protectivelyaroundthe ﬂamewhichwaversin thebreezethat’s sweepingthroughthewadi (dryravine).

TheemirateteamedupwithGryllsto establish a camponJebelJaismountain,the highestpointintheoil-richUAE,tooffer visitorsadventure andsurvivalexperiences. A visitcanlastforseveralhoursorinclude a full overnightstint,takingparticipantsoutside theircomfortzones,learningknifeskills, abseilingdown a mountainside, rockclimbing andothergrittyfeats.Overnightguestsenjoy basicbutcomfortableaccommodationin recycledshipcontainersnestledwithinthe mountain.

IncontrasttoglitzyDubai,which,trafﬁc permitting,isaboutanhourawayby road, RasAl-Khaimah – “Topofthe Tent”inArabic andalsoknownasRAK – focusesonthe

awesomemountainanddesertscenery,a long coastlineofgoldensands,nature,thrill-seeking andancienthistory

ItsJais ﬂightis reputedlytheworld’s longest ziplineatalmost3km,onwhichyoucan reach speedsofupto160kmh.Itsoarsovermajestic cliffsandcanyons.TheJaisAdventure Centre boaststheJaisSledder,a family-friendlymega tobogganridethatdescendstheslopesofthe Hajarmountainrange,swervingandcurving throughhair-raisingterrain.

Whilethemountainsceneryoftheemirateis reasonenoughtovisit,itstranquilcoastline andpristinewildernessare especiallyenticing. Themangroves,richinmigratorybird life, are instrikingcontrasttoDubai’s high-rise, developedbeachsides.

Constructioncranespricktheskylinefurther alongthecoast,however, soonecanonly hopethatRAK remains relativelyunspoilt.It’s

alreadyanattractiveescapefromDubaiandits goalistobetheemirates’leaderinsustainable tourism.

Awokenbychatteringmynabirdsatthecrack ofdawn, I stumbleoutontomyvillaterrace, almostpitchingoverintotheprivateplunge poolinmyhastetosnapthemoodyscene ofdaybreakingbehindthemangroves.I’d arrivedinthepitchofnightandnow, thevista ofmangrovesallaroundand row ofbright greenbee-eatersonmyvillawall,makefor a gloriouswake-upcall.

Billedas a templateforfuture sustainability, AnantaraMinaAlArabRasAl-Khaimah, a 174-roompropertythatopenedearlierthis year, isseton a privatepeninsulaofgolden sandsthatoverlookstheseaandissurrounded bymangrovesandwilderness.

Myoverwatervilla,whichhas a gorgeous, spaciousinteriorasbeftsfve-starlodgings,is

also a bird lover’s paradiseasthelagoonfows andebbs.

Thewalkby a longwoodenbridgeway – which connectsthevillasandbeachsidewithgardens, restaurantsand a sumptuousspainthelowrisemainbuildings – offersanever-changing showofegrets,sentinel-stillheronsandother waders.Theelusivehoopoewithitsstriped headplumageandtailisalsospotted.

Bestofallistheopportunitytoexplore the mangrovesbykayak,ledbyThisana, a young SriLankanmaninhisearly20swhoworks atthe resort’s beachsidehydro watersports, whichoffersnon-motorisedactivitiesand electricjetskis.He’s amonglegionsofmenand womenfromsouth-eastAsiaemployedbythe UAEhospitalitysector

“Oh,there’sa famboyanceoffamingosabout totakefight,” a companioninthekayak aheadsays.Thiscollectivenounisfarmore

TheviewofRas alKhaimahover themangroves andthecreek

fttingthancalling a groupofthesemajestic birds“afock”astheskyturnsBarbie-pink. A fewminuteslater, thefamingos return tothe water, settlingbythemore distantmangroves.

I shakeoff long-haulcobwebswith a seaswim ratherthan a dipintheenormous resortpool, whichissoshallowit’sa children’s paradise.

Though I seethegorgeouspoolhas a foating bar, I’mtemptedtoeschew a visitandhave sea-pedalinstead,onthestrangecontraption thatistheSchillerwaterbike,whichlooks like a conventionalbikeframefoatingon twonarrowpontoons,makingit a sortof catamaran.Pedallingturnsthepropellerand youcanmakeyourprogressasfastorasslow asyoulike,enjoying a safe,noiseless,easy workoutwithnocarbonfootprint.

MyRasAl-Khaimahstayalsoincludes a visitto anothertoptouristattraction,SuwaidiPearls Farm.Ourtraditionalpearl-fshingwooden boatglidesalongsidethemangroves,passing free-roamingcamelson a spitoflandinthe shadowofthemountains.

Before thediscoveryofoilinthe1950s,pearl fshingwasthemainsourceofincomeforthe peoplelivingalongthecoast.Soskilfulwere thecaptainsofthepearlingboatsthatthey usedtonavigatetothebankoftheirchoice usingonlythesun,starsandthecolourand depthofthewater Thefarm’s presentowner, AbdullaAlSuwaidi,isthelastin a longlineof pearldiversfromAlRamswhowoulddescend todepthsof27metres,abletoholdtheir breathforuptofveminuteswithlittlemore than a noseplugtohelpthem.

Anothermust-seeinRasAl-Khaimahisthe 16th-centuryDhayahFort,whichofferssublime viewsfromitssummitandis reachedby239 zig-zaggingsteps.Alas,it’sa workoutthat hasbeencancelledfortheafternoondueto a sightingof a verylarge,bulgy-eyedvenomous saw-scaledviperthatmustbecaptured.

Butwhoknows?Perhapsevendaredevil survivalistBearGryllshimselfwouldbaulk atmeetingoneofthemostaggressiveand dangerous reptilesontheplanet. ■

Is Apple runninga security risk for its users asitfnally enters AI race?

Concernsoverprivacyhavebeenraised aboutApple’sintegrationdealwith ChatGPT,writes Adrian Weckler

IsAppletakingariskwithyourprivacy andsecuritythroughitsnewcloudAI servicesanditsintegrationdealwith ChatGPT?

Thecompanyhasalwaysbrandeditselfas differenttomostotherbigtechfrmsbecause ofitscorecommitmenttoprivacyandsecurity. It’sthemain reasonwhypeopletrustitsfacial recognitiontechnologyand“Wallet”appfor paymentcardsanddrivers’licences.

Thisweek,itunveileditsleapintoartifcial intelligence(AI)features–whichitcalls“Apple Intelligence”–foriPhones,MacsandiPads.

Thenewfunctionality,whichiscoming throughupdatestoMacOS,iPadOSand iOS18foriPhones,allowsthingslike articlesummarisation,imagegeneration, instantemail repliesandnewdevice-wide powersforSiritopullinformationtogether.

Butindoingso,Applehas branchedbeyonditstypical “ondevice”computingto usingthecloudforsome services,astepthatwidens thenumberofservers processingyourmorepersonal data.

IthasalsodoneadealwithOpenAIto integrateChatGPTintosomeApple AIservices,whichwouldmean personaluserdatafowingfrom iPhonesandMacstoOpenAI’sdata chestsforitsuse.

Appleseniorvice presidentofsoftware engineeringCraig Federighispeaks beforethestartof theApple Worldwide Developers Conference

Uncovering the9-5

NAME: PaulKane

POSITION: Festivaldirector, BelfastWhiskey Week

6.45am

Idon’tuseaconventionalalarmclock,instead, I’mblessedwithfveveryyoungchildrenwho wanttogettoschoolandwhoareupwiththe lark.Thewholehouseisupand readytoleave by7.30am,andwemaketheshortjourneyto myparent-in-lawswhohelpwithgettingthe olderkidstoschool.

8am

WhileIamfestivaldirectorofBelfastWhiskey Week,Ialsorunadentalpracticewithmy wife,whoisleaddentistinSliabhMórDental CareinwestBelfast. We areproudtoprovide NHScareto roughly5,000patientsfrom Belfastandbeyond.Myworkatthepracticeis focusedontheHRandpolicymanagementof thebusiness.

10am

It’stomeetwithbusinessesandindividuals whoIamcollaboratingwithforthesixth BelfastWhiskey Week,Ireland’slargestwhiskey festival.BelfastWhiskey Weekisacommunity ledinitiativedrivenbyagroupofenthusiasts fromBelfastWhiskeyClub.Itwascreatedas aplatformforBelfastto reclaimitswhiskey heritage,celebrateitsdistillinghistoryaswell aslookforwardtotheexcitinginnovationsand growthwithinthe region.

11am

IattendfocusmeetingswiththeBelfastCity Food&DrinkNetwork.Aspersonwitha vestedinterestinfoodanddrinktourismin Belfast,Iamhonouredtoco-convenethe committee representingtheFood&Drink Network.

12.30pm

MeetwiththemarketingandPRteamto developourplansforthisyear’sBelfast

Whiskey Week.Thisyearthefestivalfeatures 100events,spanningninedaysinpartnership withawiderangeofvenuescitywideand deliveringsessionswithover40brandsand distilleries.Overtheyearswehavedeveloped thefestivaltocelebratewhiskeyandBelfast’s deep-rootedhistoryandconnectioninthe productionofwhiskeyspanningcenturies,as wellasprovidingexperiencesforalllevelsof whiskeydrinker,andeventhosewhodon’t.

2pm

It’sschoolpick-uptimeandI’mbusynow ensuringmythreeeldestkidsgetbacktotheir grandparents’housetodotheirhomework andhavetheirdinner.It’sgreattoseethem sokeentolearn,withnocomplaintsandan enthusiasmtogotoschoolandtakepartin plentyofafterschoolactivities.

3.30pm

I’llcollectmywifefromworknow,and gatherupthechildrenandeither;takethe opportunityasafamilytogototheparkin thegoodweather,goshoppingwhenit’s rainingoronoccasion,goforfoodtogether at TrademarketorCommonMarket,before headinghomeandspendingthenextfew hourswatchingtvtogether.Ourkidslove thesameprogrammeswedo,andwillbinge Disneyboxsetswithus,beforeallofthem headtobedfor8pm.

5pm

Timeformeetingswithourkeyfestivalvenues. ThisyearourwhiskeyExpowilltakeplace inthenewly restoredStComgall’sinwest Belfast.Festivalattendeeswillmeetthebrands anddistilleriespouringtheirwhiskiesforthe festival.Thenit’sameetingwiththelocation forourcocktailtakeoverat Trademarket. Thenit’splanningforourannualIrishwhiskey industryawards.Thiseventcelebratesthose makingtheirmarkinthewhiskeyworld.

OtherfestivalvenuesareacrossBelfastCity andselectedfortheirstrongwhiskeylinks andtheirloveofshowcasingwhiskey,these includeDukeof York,TheDeer’sHead,Angel &2Bibles,Holohan’sPantry,DarkHorse, Maddens,TheMorningStar,Hearth,toname butafew.

8pm

WithkidsinbedI’vegottimenowtodo morework.Iplanalotofvideocallsaround thistime,attendboardmeetingswithmy footballclubandspendtimeonsocialmedia promotingBelfastWhiskey Weekor replying tothevastamountsofonlineconversations surroundingwhiskeyonthevariouson-line pagesIadminister.

11.30pm

Bedtime…unlessI’moutsharingwhiskies.

Ulster Business Top 100 2024

Contents

Top100

Top50Employers

Top100analysis

InFocus

Motoring

Photocall

Travel

Bigsales butsigns of tightermargins

Top100 showcases buoyancyof oureconomy

A summer innumbers

Top 100 companies hit record saleslevels

Moy Park aiming to becomeNI’s first £2bn firm

Firms ‘finding itmore difficult than ever ’ to find skilledstaff

Quotes of the summer

Zero hour contracts ‘couldbe banned’ undernew proposals

Housebuilder expanding outsideNI amid planning delays

Randox posts £39m lossandsalesdropin wake ofstrong Covid-19 pandemic results

New

Solarfx: reducing costs andcarbonacross Northern Ireland

NIprivatesector‘inmuchbetter condition’asgrowthcontinues

Demandforequity investmentdrivesinterest innewWhiterockfund

Leadingheartcharitymakes urgentfundingcalltotackle causesofsuddencardiacdeath

URGENCYCAMPAIGN

LIFESAVINGRESEARCH

Support crucial tohelp savelives

BoostingNorther n Ireland’s economy withemployee-ownedtrusts

donnellyfresh: where tastemeetsimagination

AvisionforNorthernIreland

Harlandand Wolff: Government rulesoutsupportover‘substantial

MarconFitout: marking20years asaleadinginterior

ﬁt-outﬁrm

Chartinggrowth: DohertyPICmakes movetoRiverHouse withMattioli Woods

Employeebenefts

Salessoaramong Top 100 reaching record levelsbutprofts take dip

TURNOVER

PROFITABILITY

TANGIBLENETWORTH(SHAREHOLDER RETURN)

EMPLOYEES

LOCATION

MillarMcCall Wylielaysfoundations

asitrelocatestorestoredPrintworks

HendersonGroupinvests£52m salesbackintobusinessin2024

Moy Park

Glampingpodbusinesswhich ‘nevermadeaproft’left£3mindebt

MusgraveNIinvesting£16min storenetworkthroughout2024

FearsDublintraffcwillget worseifwindfarmplanisratifed

CharlesHurst

SHS

EMPL OY ERS

LARGESTEMPL OY ERS

Employers focusedonnavigating challenges of skills, AI andculture

NIproperty investment marketbuoyed byretailrevival

HendersonPrintsettinghigh standardsintheindustry

Qualityandspeed

Aboveandbeyond

MillsSeligrevealsnew revampofBelfastoffce

Howtostartcreatinga neuro-inclusiveworkplace

InternationalSynergies: aglobal leaderinindustrialsymbiosis

Kainos

Conor Murphy: Top100 shows strength and dynamismoflocaleconomy

Major 600MW batter y energystorage systemplannedforCoAntrim

Lagan Homes

Optimistic realismis key to meeting challenges and building onpositivity

KingsbridgeHealthcareGroup in£300mmajoritystakedeal

MRP Land Ltd

Nb1: 20yearsandcounting

Reaching the hiddenand underemployed: a fresh look at job design

ConstructiongiantGraham hitsmorethan£1bninsales

Top100 remains a celebrationof Northern Ireland’s largestemployers

Orangeorderchief buysiconicBelfast courthouse

BelfastMetonhuntfornewchief asex-headstepsdownfrompost

PPaddyMcKillenJr’s Oakmounthopes for€20minsales

Why celebrity endorsements can domore harm than good for tech

BelfastHarbourinvests record£65mincapital projectsoverlastyear

Bombardier‘strong interest’inSpirit AeroSystems’ NIoperations

Openreach£100minvestment offers97%ofNIproperties

UltrafastFullFibre

ABOUTOPENREACH