Ulster Business April 2021 by Ulster Business

Contents 06 News

29 Next 200

77 Motoring

The latest news and exclusives from across the world of Northern Ireland business

The annual showcase of Northern Ireland’s leading small and medium-sized businesses

Our resident car chief Pat Burns takes on a bit of top-end hybrid luxury

14 Cover story

51 SME & family business

82 Podcast

We speak to firmus energy about extending its growth and planning for a green future

It’s time to flex that leadership muscle, writes Professor Karise Hutchinson

A look at some of the highlights of the Ulster Business Podcast with Bank of Ireland UK

20 In Focus

61 Business start-up

86 Photocall

John Mulgrew speaks to the new head of Farrans on taking up the reins in a pandemic

Emma Deighan speaks to four female business founders about their journey towards the top

We have a look at what’s been happening across Northern Ireland over the last few weeks

22 Business Showcase

71 Branding & marketing

92 Corporation tax

In the latest in our series with Ulster Bank, we speak to a dentist expanding his practice

Two top advertising bosses look at what a firm can do to get its name out upon reopening

With the Chancellor unveiling a rate of 25%, is reducing the rate here back on the table?

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APRIL 2021

EDITOR’S COMMENTS

New ‘road map’ not giving firms direction

he frustration for many of the businesses still largely impacted by Covid-19 restrictions remains very real. We got a ‘road map’. But it had more than a whiff of the initial proposed reopening announcement, revealed last summer. At the time of print, we were edging towards reopening – a move away from the ‘stay at home’ messaging, small groups allowed to meet in private gardens and ‘click and collect’. But while our vaccination programme, although suffering something of a speed bump in the middle of March, is rolling out apace, our plan for businesses reopening and the economy being able to get back to some form of normality is stuck in first gear.

For firms reliant on bringing staff back from furlough, having to order huge amounts of stock (much of it fresh), setting up their workplace for distancing or additional measures, some form of timescale is needed. We need to avoid what happened last year. That doesn’t mean having a firm date for when a business, such as a restaurant, can welcome diners back inside, for example. But it needs to be a time frame, a timeline, with indicative dates, with enough preparation time for companies to plan and prepare. A rushed reopening isn’t good for business and it’s not good for the customers it hopes to welcome through its doors in the coming weeks and months. However, the vaccination roll-out we have

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seen thus far has been exemplary – from the decisions being taken on The Hill, to the GP surgeries, vaccination centres and the thousands of healthcare professionals across Northern Ireland at the centre of it. In this edition, we speak to firmus energy about continuing to roll-out its natural gas network here, increase customer numbers as well as looking towards a greener, and then ultimately a green, energy future. This is also our Next 200 edition, with KPMG – showcasing the best of Northern Ireland’s SMEs. There are some superb performances in there, in what could be the last year of ‘normal’ account filings prepandemic. ■ John Mulgrew

Editor John Mulgrew Magazine sales manager Mark Glover Sales executive Sarah-Ann Gamble Sales executive Judith Martin Production manager Irene Fitzsimmons

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Graphic design Susan McClean, INM Design Studio Contact: s.gamble@independentmagazinesni.co.uk j.martin@independentmagazinesni.co.uk Cover photo: Elaine Hill

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APRIL 2021

NEWS

month IN numbers A

714,000

The number of vaccines administered across Northern Ireland at the time of going to print.

The number of jobs created by US payments firm Payroc. The company is creating a Northern Ireland base, and employees will be able to work from home.

2021

NI SME sales rise by 5.6% N

orthern Ireland’s leading SMEs have seen sales grow by 5.6%, the Ulster Business Next 200 can

reveal.

The accounting periods are perhaps the last which will be largely unaffected by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, covering 2019 and the beginning of 2020. The Next 200 list, sponsored by KPMG, shows sales are up 5.6% from £8.36bn to £8.84bn, while profitability has grown by 2.4% from £552.9m to £566.2m.

25%

The new rate of corporation tax for the UK. The introduction of the rate in 2023 has brought forward the case for lowering the business levy in Northern Ireland to compete with the Republic.

The ranking charts the success stories of Northern Ireland’s leading small and mediumsized businesses, ranked by turnover, and follows on from our Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies list – which showcases the largest firms operating here. It’s compiled using data from Dun & Bradstreet and Companies House. This year, Whitemountain Quarries topped the list, with turnover of £91.5m. That was up from £76.6m a year earlier.

The number of new summer routes Ryanair is starting up from Belfast City Airport. It’s returning to it after more than a decade away.

“The increase of 5.6% remains encouraging in what has been a challenging time for Northern Ireland entrepreneurs with the uncertainty surrounding Brexit,” according to analyst Jonathan Cushley, who worked on compiling the list. A total of 66 companies showed a decrease of turnover from prior year. “The companies operated on a profit margin (profit/revenue) of 6.4% compared to a prior

year figure of 6.6%,” Mr Cushley said. “This margin of 6.4% remains favourable when compared to the 2020 Top 100 listing which showed a pre tax profit margin of 3.7% on a turnover of £27.5bn.” John Mulgrew, editor of Ulster Business, said: “It’s long been said that Northern Ireland is fuelled by its small and medium-sized businesses, and companies smaller still. The latest Next 200 shows just how true that is. “There remain a plethora of companies, some quietly, doing huge levels of business both here at home, as well as exporting across the UK, Ireland and beyond. “It is likely that future editions will start to show the impact which Covid-19 has had on company top lines. “Some sectors will obviously have been hit harder than others, but it’s also likely some companies will have been able to weather the storm, and in fact, have seen sales rising as consumer and market demands shift.” Johnny Hanna, partner in charge, KPMG in Northern Ireland, said: “We at KPMG are delighted to be sponsoring the Ulster Business Next 200. “The Next 200 companies come from every corner of Northern Ireland and represent every sector, making up the backbone of this economy which we are all lucky enough to be part of. “To each of the businesses on this list we say congratulations for navigating the last year and good luck in the coming months.”

NEWS

‘Golden opportunity’ to attract firms to NI

orthern Ireland has a “golden opportunity” to leverage our unique position post-Brexit to attract business to the region, a leading construction boss has said.

Dominic Lavery, managing director of Farrans, also says the company is expanding its reach into GB and Republic, and is eyeing up opportunities within infrastructure, such as utilities like water. He says it’s also making significant inroads within water infrastructure in the Republic – another key area which requires continual investment and is largely immune to economic impact or a crisis like Covid-19. Asked whether the pandemic would have a big impact on office space demand, he said: “If you asked six months ago (there may have been) a rethink on offices. There still will be a requirement for offices, albeit, whether it’s wanting everyone in one office, or people to share with other companies in satellite offices based across Northern Ireland. “The number of people coming in to offices will decrease, but it won’t be the same impact which we think it will be. There will be a huge number of people who need to be in an office.”

APRIL 2021

Dominic Lavery

And speaking about Brexit, he said: “Because of the great macro economic windfall, Brexit has brought up, we have a golden opportunity in Northern Ireland to access the UK and European markets. Why wouldn’t we leverage that to try and attract people into Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland?” Read the full interview on page 20-21

NEWS

Quotes OF THE month “This is a call for transparency in the decision making process. We need to develop a level of faith that the reopening programme, and any future Covid restrictions, are based on real and accurate data. How do we know if we don’t have the information – let us see it.” Hospitality Ulster chief Colin Neill speaking about the need for a clearer reopening road map, which includes dates and details.

Belfast city centre pictured last month

Economy suffered fall amid ‘final’ lockdown

N “The business community recognises that data driven decisions are more important than dates when easing lockdown, and that caution must remain the watchword. Yet companies cry out for more clarity on the likely sequencing of lifting restrictions.” CBI NI director Angela McGowan following the publication of the Government’s road map to recovery.

orthern Ireland’s economy suffered a contraction at the end of last year amid what businesses hope will be the last major lockdown here, it has emerged.

Other services sector saw a 5.2% drop. The decreases “were partially offset by increases in the transport, storage, information and communications sector (3.1%) and the business services and finance sector (1.3%)”.

There was a 5% reduction in services output during the last three years months of the year, while production output decreased by around 0.3% during the same period, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

Meanwhile, while the latest Ulster Bank purchasing managers’ survey showed sharp falls in output and new orders during February, it also showed Northern Ireland businesses are more optimistic about business activity in 12 months’ time than they have been since the pandemic began.

The period covers the last three months of 2020, during which many Northern Ireland firms were impacted by Covid restrictions – particularly across the hospitality sector. However, it’s hoped that once the easing of restrictions begins this month and into the summer, that Northern Ireland will see an economic surge in output.

“Going forward our message must be clear – Northern Ireland is once again open for business, open for investment and open for visitors.” Economy Minister Diane Dodds speaking following her department’s publication of the economic road map for Northern Ireland.

Overall, the economy saw a bump of more than 15% during the third quarter of 2020, as the economy was largely reopened in July. According to NISRA, the quarterly decrease in NI services output “reflected decreases in two of the four subsectors”. That included falls within wholesale and retail trade, repairs of cars and motorbikes, with the food and accommodation sector suffering an almost 8% drop.

“While this is encouraging, it doesn’t change the fact that business conditions now are challenging to say the least,” Ulster Bank chief economist, Richard Ramsey, said. “Northern Ireland was at the bottom of the UK regional table as far as output, orders and employment were concerned. Meanwhile it was ranked at the top when it comes to input costs and output price inflation. “Manufacturing, services and retail all saw their rates of contraction in business activity accelerate in February with services also recording faster rates of decline in new orders and employment levels. “Significantly, Northern Ireland’s private sector saw input costs rise at their fastest pace since July 2008. Once again, shipping costs, raw materials and Brexit-related costs were cited as factors.”

NEWS

Derry software firm sees sales up six-fold

Northern Ireland software start-up has seen its staff numbers and sales soar six-fold in the last year, it can be revealed.

Jennifer Neff and Leeann Monk Ozgul

Derry-based software firm Elemental was set up by Jennifer Neff and Leeann Monk Ozgul. The team has grown from five to 30 in the past year while revenue, since its inception, has risen by more than 500%. Talking about her journey to success, Ms Neff says: “We are a team of passionate community impact individuals. “We went into a tender process for that and won. It’s a massive contract that has enabled us to grow. The business benefitted from Propel by Invest NI, allowing Ms Neff to leave her former job to focus purely on Elemental. A mentor then

introduced the business to a network of angels who are big on social impact. Following a pitch to that network in 2017, the company received an investment of £300,000. “That was a big moment and allowed us to recruit 10 staff.

“We’re all about nurturing that team and helping them to move forward whether that’s with us or elsewhere,” Ms Neff says. Read the full feature on page 61-64

King’s Hall health hub takes step forward

he next major phase of a £100m health hub at the King’s Hall site in south Belfast has been given the green light.

What the new King’s Hall development could look like

Work is already well under way on the King’s Hall Health and Wellbeing Park on the Lisburn Road. When complete it will include health facilities, care homes and a range of related life-sciences. The latest phase has now been awarded outline planning permission by Belfast City Council. “The move brings us a step close to fulfilling our vision for healthcare and age exclusive living at the iconic site, one which can benefit everyone in Belfast and Northern Ireland,” David Burrows, director of Benmore Octopus, said. “This development comes as a spotlight is being shone on the world’s healthcare providers as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

APRIL 2021

The news comes as construction nears completion of Dataworks, a precision medicine hub which was part of the first

phase development and which has already confirmed London-listed diagnostics firm Diaceutics as its first tenant.

NEWS

Belfast Telegraph Business Awards 2021 launched

he Belfast Telegraph Business Awards 2021 in partnership with Ulster Bank has launched – marking the 20th anniversary of celebrating the highest achievers in the world of business.

Margaret Canning, Belfast Telegraph business editor, and Mark Crimmins, head of Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland

Throughout two decades it has had a continuous run of honouring businesses and their people – and 2021, which follows the most difficult year business has ever had due to the coronavirus pandemic, is no different. And 2021 also marks the fifth year of its partnership with title sponsor Ulster Bank. The bank is supporting an all new-category of the Special Recognition Award for Climate Action. The awards are honouring achievement across 14 categories in total. They include Young Business Person of the Year, sponsored by Smurfit Kappa, Emerging Start-Up of the Year, sponsored by Scottish Provident Building, Best Established Small/Medium Sized Business, sponsored by Prescient Data Centre and Excellence in Marketing, sponsored by Belfast Academy of Marketing. Kenton Hilman, head of corporate and property, Ulster Bank, said: “The Belfast Telegraph Business Awards in partnership with Ulster Bank will this year recognise companies that have overcome challenges, demonstrated resilience, and have been innovating to succeed. “Whatever your size or sector, the awards provide a platform for you to tell your story and to have your achievements showcased. As businesses and the economy seek to recover and thrive into the future, this is more important than ever.” Speaking about the awards, Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life editor-in-chief Eoin Brannigan said: “We are delighted to launch the 2021 Belfast Telegraph Business Awards, in partnership with Ulster Bank.

“Businesses across NI have had an extremely challenging year and we feel it’s never been more important to recognise and celebrate their hard work and successes in light of the obstacles they’ve had to negotiate over the last 12 months. “We are grateful to Ulster Bank for its continued support as we enter the fifth year of our partnership and I’d also like to thank all our category sponsors.” The panel of judges this year is again chaired by Professor Mark Durkin of the Ulster University Business School. The Special Recognition Award for Climate Action will recognise a company which has

demonstrated outstanding commitment to implementing sustainable business practice. To support the application, a company must: - Show evidence of how you integrate sustainable business practices within your activities and operations. - Describe what steps you have taken to combat climate change. - Highlight any innovations introduced to support your sustainable business strategy. - Outline any challenges that have been overcome. - Identify any benefits to staff or customers as a result of your sustainable business practice To enter the awards, go to www. belfasttelegraph.co.uk/businessawards/enter

How do senior leaders find the exit door at the right time? By Oliver Johnston, founder, Stepping Out from the Top Team

ver the last five years, I’ve worked with over 150 senior executives as they considered their exit from the top team. After leaving, I rarely remember hearing anyone say “I wish I had stayed longer”. However, ‘I wish I left sooner’ is a common regret. When successful leaders are approaching the end of their full-time career, they face the dilemma of deciding if, when and how they should leave. And after they step out, what’s next? As we move towards the ‘new normal’ postCovid, we expect to see an increasing number of business leaders assessing their career overall and considering closely how they want the next chapter of their lives to play out.

APRIL 2021

This is why I founded Stepping Out. Delivered by a group of 15 experienced international executive coaches, each of whom have exited leadership suites during their career, Stepping Out creates a roadmap to help senior executives proactively exit top teams at the right time, enabling them to feel fulfilled and ready to identify and embrace the next big adventure in their life. Having a clear plan in place can make the trip towards the exit door a smooth and positive one – which paves the way for the next part of their journey and, makes room for someone else’s time in the top team, to begin.

Oliver Johnston

More information on Stepping Out can be found at www.stepping-out.co.uk

RECRUITMENT

What have we learned after a year out of the office? By John Moore, managing director, Hays NI

hen we all grabbed our laptops and said goodbye to our offices in March 2020, I doubt many of us would have expected to still be doing a combination of home and hybrid working a year later. There’s no denying that Covid-19 has – and will continue to have – a hugely disruptive effect on everything to do with the world of work. We’re working differently, collaborating differently, and prioritising differently than this time last year. But amid the tragedy and turmoil, the crisis has forced us to pivot, innovate and adopt solutions that may otherwise have taken years to achieve, bringing us into a new era where hybrid working, virtual communication and collaboration tools, and a focus on adaptability and resilience are normal for most sectors and industries. So, what does this mean for careers, recruitment, and the workplace in future? Hays recently carried out a survey of over 4,000 employers and employees across the UK, including Northern Ireland, to get a picture of what they would change in light of the past year. It is clear from their responses that while remote working has suited many people and a lot of organisations have been successful under this enforced operating model, others can’t wait for it to end. Asked about their biggest personal challenges a quarter of respondents from NI said they had struggled with remote working, 32% said it had drained their motivation and a third said the lack of interaction with colleagues had been detrimental. When asked what their organisation should have invested in to better support employees over the course of the year, the answers

similarly showed a lot of people have coped with the past year but haven’t necessarily thrived. Almost half of those who responded from NI (45%) thought their employer could have invested more in employee wellbeing, such as training for managers or additional days off. A quarter (24%) said they’d have liked better support for working parents, including flexi time, while for 27% it came down to the need for better hardware – such as computer monitors – to help them do their job properly. The survey responses reflect the fact that 2020 brought about huge change and uncertainty. But it’s also important to say that our experience is that the vast majority of employers have stepped up to the plate and done their best for their employees. As they eagerly await an easing of restrictions and a bounce back in the economy, there are some key learnings every organisation should take from the past year. Firstly, despite our survey results, it’s been proven that working from home has benefits beyond Covid-19. The shift to a working from home model during the pandemic has encouraged many business leaders, who were previously unsure or against remote working, to design long-term flexible working strategies for their employees. A hybrid model with some team members at home and some in the office provides flexibility, builds trust and has been shown to have a positive impact on productivity. Secondly, the increased awareness of mental health and wellbeing has increased compassion in our workplaces. We’ve seen employers actively encourage staff to maintain regular hours, take breaks, exercise and eat well to help preserve their wellbeing. This more empathetic approach to management style will have long term benefits.

Thirdly, the disruption we’ve faced has forced us to think and work more creatively, including when devising solutions to everyday problems in the workplace. Your own organisation may have been forced to shift its entire business model, explore alternative products and services, or give individuals new responsibilities. Maintaining this focus on creativity it will help improve problem solving, innovation, productivity and morale. Lastly, this year of intense disruption has shown leaders the importance of communicating regularly, transparently and visibly. By communicating more often, staff got a clear idea of the bigger picture, felt reassured and gained confidence in their employers. Reassuringly, leaders also took the time to really listen to what employees were saying, which definitely helped keep employees engaged and motivated. It’s hard to see this level of communication ever going away now. In fact, it should be prioritised in the years ahead. ■

CLIMATE CHANGE

Small changes now on climate impact will have major benefits for NI firms

orthern Ireland firms who take small steps today to minimise the negative impact they have on the climate stand to profit more and spend less than those who aren’t yet prepared to change, according to Danske Bank. Speaking on the latest Danske Bank Advantage podcast, Chris Martin, Danske Bank’s head of climate risk and strategy, said companies in Northern Ireland can’t afford to think climate change is a problem that doesn’t directly impact them. “Climate change has been talked about for a while, but it has started to be understood that this is not just something that affects people in other parts of the world, we’re starting to see its impact locally within Northern Ireland, both for individuals and businesses,” he said. “NI is an SME economy – many of our businesses are involved in supply chains providing goods and services to people in UK, Europe and beyond. With the climate agenda growing and governments around the world asking very direct questions to big businesses about their climate plans, even smaller businesses here in NI who didn’t think this really impacts them, will soon need to demonstrate their own credentials very clearly.” Chris says that developing a green and sustainable strategy that reduces environmental impact has direct implications for profits. For example, he points out that as fossil fuels are phased out and carbon taxes increase over time, business owners will need to think differently about how they power their offices, their factories and their manufacturing facilities. “That will take time to adapt to but businesses who are on the front foot and are planning for it will minimise the impact on their profitability in the long term, whereas those who wait too long will potentially have to spend more money in a shorter timeframe to make those changes,” he said.

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Geraldine Noé, head of environment from Business in the Community pictured alongside Chris Martin, Danske head of climate risk and strategy

Also speaking on the podcast was Géraldine Noé, head of environmental sustainability at Business in the Community NI, who advised companies that their first step is to understand the impacts they have on the climate before starting to make a plan to address them.

in Business in the Community’s annual NI Environmental Benchmarking Survey, and has signed the Climate Action Pledge for Northern Ireland, committing to significantly reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

“We are used to seeing impacts at the other end of the world – extreme weather events like the fires in Australia – but climate change is already having an impact in NI too, where we’ve already seen an increase in storms, flooding and even heatwaves. Thinking this only happens at other end of the world is not the right way to approach this,” she said.

The bank is part of a campaign steering group of Climate Champions made up of leading NI business representatives. Together they are working on a Business Action on Climate campaign to address the climate crisis. A cornerstone of the campaign, the Climate Action Pledge, invites signatories to commit to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 50% or 30% by 2030, ahead of the UK Government trajectory to achieving net-zero by 2050.

“Where we will start to see this affecting business is in the supply chain as many of our businesses are not operating only in NI, they source products from other countries and export everywhere. That means any instability relating to extreme climate events has real repercussions here. To understand how they should respond, the first step is to really understand what your impacts are.” Danske Bank achieved the highest rating

Chris Martin added: “If we’re honest, we’re all still in the early stages on the climate journey, but that creates a real opportunity to collaborate and work together. We at Danske Bank think we have an important part to play in helping NI businesses adapt to the net zero future as an enabler and we want to encourage businesses think about climate strategies now.” ■

COVER STORY

firmus energy: Helping NI forge a long-term green future In the last decade, firmus energy has grown into a Northern Ireland natural gas business supplying more than 105,000 customers and connected more than 50,000 customers to its network. It prides itself on great customer service and local expertise. But as Michael Scott, managing director, and Eric Cosgrove, director of engineering and sustainability, tell Ulster Business, firmus energy is also helping Northern Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon economy, before eyeing up a net-zero green future in the years to come

t’s clear that its values, its base here in Northern Ireland, it’s long-term green vision and goal of sustainable energy future remain at the core of natural gas company firmus energy. The organisation remains one of the key, and largest gas suppliers here – fuelled by customer service, a burgeoning network, while futureproofing both the business and supply of energy in the years and decades to come.

expanding, growing, and playing its part in the future green economy.

savings and the longer-term future,” Michael says.

“The importance of what we are doing can’t be underestimated,” he says. “To date, the natural gas industry in Northern Ireland has invested over £1bn in infrastructure and this figure is growing every day.”

The company has continued its journey of growth through the pandemic. Having invested more than £140m in the network since 2005 it has now constructed and maintains over 1,800km of new underground gas pipe and supplies over 105,000 customers across its 10 towns, the greater Belfast area and the gas to the west network.

“Values remain extremely important for firmus energy,” Michael Scott, managing director says. “Clarity, Empathy, Teamwork and Integrity – it’s something important to all of us, here.”

firmus energy is taking its role within a green future, and sustainability, very seriously. Eric Cosgrove is now the company’s director of engineering and sustainability. It’s also just taken on a new sustainability manager, Neil Gallagher, to help investigate new sustainable technologies, developing proposals to deliver against strict decarbonisation goals.

For Michael, it’s clear firmus energy’s strengths emanate from its position as a local, Northern Ireland-based business – but one which is

“Investment into sustainability is key for us, going forward. Our dedicated sustainability manager is now in place to focus on carbon

But the company remains firmly at the heart of the Northern Ireland economy, with its base in Antrim. It has a workforce of around 120, and continues to recruit, while it’s indirectly responsible for around 300 roles, across construction, installation and service support industries. And firmus energy sees its journey and role in

COVER STORY

The firmus energy senior management team: Niall Martindale, Denise Curran, Michael Scott, Paul Stanfield and Eric Cosgrove

heading towards a greener economy taking place in three phases over the next few years, according to Michael. “Phase one will be concentrated on maximising the number of households connecting from oil to natural gas,’’ he says. “Phase two will see the facilitation of Biomethane being injected into the existing gas network along with the introduction of compressed natural gas for commercial vehicles. Phase three, will be about facilitating the injection of a blend of hydrogen into the existing network before moving towards a full hydrogen economy and net-zero carbon emissions for Northern Ireland.” The company is also continuing to engage with local government – outlining the

APRIL 2021

benefits and opportunities that the existing natural gas network offers. “firmus energy will continue to connect homes and businesses right across Northern Ireland,” Michael says. “While the molecular makeup of what is flowing through the pipes will change in the years to come, the network and customer connections will always be there.

Michael says one of the company’s main strengths, and what helps it stand out from the crowd, is that all staff are trained to City & Guilds standards in energy efficiency. That allows its staff the ability to engage and assist customers in what they can do to lower their own carbon footprint and ensure they are getting the best advice possible regarding their own energy needs.

“We are in a great position. The existing polyethylene gas pipework can be adapted and utilised as our energy requirement in Northern Ireland evolves.”

It also boasts a 24-hour customer service support line, with a 98% satisfaction rate, and has achieved the Investors in People Gold award.

firmus energy has also submitted a response to the Department for the Economy call for evidence as part of its shaping of the new upcoming Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland – which will help mould the energy journey here over the next 10 years.

In 2019 the company was awarded Gold Standard in the Business in the Community Environmental Benchmark Survey and more recently named as the top energy supplier in Northern Ireland for 2021, by consumer publication ‘Which?’. >

COVER STORY

maintaining the network and touching on the road towards decarbonisation here,” Eric says. “The latter needs to be driven by policy and there will soon be a big focus for the ambitious plans behind these projects – looking towards costs, and how quickly we can move this forward in Northern Ireland.” Michael Scott

“With our supply licence, how we supply gas to customers must meet a certain criteria,” Michael says.

we are continually engaged with Stormont, stakeholders and industry experts in the area of sustainability.

“We ensure we keep satisfaction levels very high, and we have exceptional customer service. If you contact us, you come through and speak to a person, based at our offices in Antrim. That allows customers to sort queries from connectivity, to installation and billing.

“Our gas network and pressure systems make it quite straight forward to inject bio-methane produced from an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant and also facilitate compressed natural gas for commercial vehicles.”

“A strong focus for us is having such welltrained and motivated staff. That is key to the long-term success of our business.” Looking towards the decades ahead, Eric Cosgrove says that with an already wellestablished gas network infrastructure, it can both extend the reach of natural gas to customers here, while then looking towards blending other gases into the network as it, along with the rest of Northern Ireland, heads to net-zero emissions. “For the last 15 years we have been building a natural gas network which will act as a conduit for Northern Ireland to transition to a net-zero carbon future,” Eric says. “We know what our responsibilities are, so

While that’s in the short-term, and a relatively simple process, firmus energy is also fully focused on the long-term transition to a hydrogen-based economy. It’s something which it will be investigating and testing within the next 12 months. Northern Ireland benefits from having one of the most modern and efficient natural gas networks in the world. And for Eric and the rest of the team, it will set out, along with Phoenix Natural Gas and SGN Natural Gas, its plan for 2023 onwards, to the Utility Regulator – as part of the GD23 Price Control. “That will outline to the Utility Regulator as to what our plans are – delivering value for customers, maximising connections,

And in the shorter term, the move towards more customers connecting to, and using, natural gas is a key step in a greener future for Northern Ireland – a region with much higher reliance on traditional kerosene for both domestic and business heating. The switching from oil to natural gas reduces carbon emissions immediately by 48%. And by displacing oil, natural gas connections in the firmus energy network already reduce CO2 emissions by more than 220,000 tonnes per year, helping businesses and homes to significantly reduce their carbon footprint. Looking ahead, Michael says further expansion of the network and customer connections remains key for the business. firmus energy continues to plan ahead for a greener energy future for Northern Ireland and is among those leading the way in a journey to net-zero. “We have plans with the Utility Regulator to extend the reach of the network to ensure it is even more robust,” Michael says. “We started with the ‘10 towns’. We’ve extended that reach to 35 towns and cities in Northern Ireland. And looking forward, the gas network will be key to a zero carbon future for us all.” ■

AWARD

Agnew Volkswagen drives away with top award

orthern Ireland motoring giant Agnew Group has been awarded a major industry gong for the third year in a row. Agnew Volkswagen has been named top Volkswagen Fleet Business partner in the UK 2020. It’s the fourth time, including three successive years, the company has walked away with the award, beating tough competition across the network. It’s in recognition to “the dedication and unrivalled service provided by the experienced Fleet Business team at Agnew Volkswagen lead by sales manager John O’Reilly alongside Elizabeth McClay, Julie Graham and Stanley McKittrick”, the firm has said. The team provides a range of unique services aimed towards business owners, fleet managers large or small, and individual company car drivers. With access to the latest Volkswagen models and competitive offers, the team can also help navigate you through the complexities and considerations in switching to hybrid or full electric powered cars. Agnew Volkswagen can help calculate the financial Gerry Mulholland

Julie Graham, sales executive, John O’Reilly, sales manager, Stanley McKittrick, fleet delivery co-ordinator, and Elizabeth McClay, business development manager

benefits based on specific circumstances or usage and have a range of options to suit any need. John O’Reilly, Business Fleet sales manager, says: “We are truly grateful to receive this honour again. This has been the result of hard work from a dedicated team that have proved adaptable and flexible in such challenging and testing circumstances. I’d like to also thank our loyal customers for providing positive feedback and continuing to support Agnew Volkswagen.” Alongside the Fleet Business success, Agnew Volkswagen Belfast was named number one Volkswagen retailer in Northern Ireland for 2020, triumphant over all other local retailers to gain the accolade. This win has been based on the business performance in such challenging circumstances, the passion and knowledge of the Volkswagen brand across the entire Agnew Volkswagen team, who have consistently delivered outstanding service to their customers. Gerry Mulholland, sales director, says: “Like all businesses, the past twelve months have been challenging, and we are proud at the way our

entire team have adapted and continued to provide our customers with the best possible service. Our interactions with our customers have evolved and changed, but the core values which make Agnew Volkswagen successful remain and we look forward to sharing exciting new model launches in the future.” Volkswagen has continued to invest heavily in a model range that is more varied, luxurious and sustainable. The all-electric ID range has been a great success since its launch, as knowledge and confidence in all-electric powered vehicles grows. The numerous benefits linked to these vehicles include low benefit-in-kind (BIK) values for company drivers. The ID.3 family hatchback launched in October last year, with the ID.4 SUV now in showroom. ■ We look forward to when we can invite customers safely back into our showroom. In the meantime, for virtual sales appointments, more information on business or fleet offers, please contact Agnew Volkswagen Belfast on 028 9023 4477 or Mallusk on 028 9034 2111 or visit our website agnewcars.com/volkswagen

IN FOCUS

‘We’re certainly used to curveballs in the construction sector’ Dominic Lavery is a seasoned construction stalwart, but he took up his biggest challenge to date as managing director of giant Farrans, in the middle of a pandemic. In his first interview since taking over at the helm, he speaks to John Mulgrew about the major schemes it’s working on, what impact Covid will have on office demands, a golden opportunity to leverage the ‘best of both’ with Brexit, and focusing on infrastructure to rebuild our economy

“P

eople have said ‘you could have wished for better times taking over as managing director”, Dominic Lavery tells me. “To be honest, in construction, we’re used to dealing with curveballs.” Dominic now heads up Farrans – one of Northern Ireland’s largest construction firms boasting a team of more than 500 and turnover of around £300m. It’s worked, and is working, on some of the highest profile developments both here, and in GB. That includes the 17-storey, £75m City Quays 3 office scheme, along with The Third River Crossing in Great Yarmouth and Gull Wing project in Lowestoft, which have a combined value of £246m. Farrans is also working on the new Game of Thrones exhibition in Banbridge. “The demographic of our staff has changed in last 10 years,” he says. “It tended to be more NI centric – with staff flying over (for work in GB). But we are now recruiting a lot more from local areas.” Farrans, based in outside Belfast in Dunmurry,

has a strong presence in a range of markets, including Cambridge, London and Edinburgh. Some of its largest schemes include major civil engineering developments in GB – including the two bridges – along with the extension of the Edinburgh trams scheme, road projects elsewhere in Sctoland, as well as working on a number of Irish Water plans. Closer to home it’s continuing to build Belfast’s tallest office development – City Quays 3 at Belfast Harbour, as well as two large student accommodation schemes here. “(City Quays) has been a very successful scheme on progress,” Dominic says. “The concrete core for the 17 storeys was completed in seven weeks – that was a great feat and it has been very important for us.”

was CastleCourt as a young site engineer. Following that he transferred to quantity surveying, spending a year out with the Department of Health. His first long-term post was with Co Down’s Graham, before moving on to fit-out firm Mivan – working on projects such as the Hilton and Waterfront in Belfast. But the market has changed of late. More people are working from home and there’s a push to a ‘hybrid’ model – a mixture of home and being physically at work – for many firms in the long term.

In London, it has worked on a series of high-profile developments, including highend nursing homes, along with the new quadrangle at King’s College.

So, does Dominic see the office market, especially new developments, drying up as demands continue to shift?

Dominic started out in the industry in 1987, as a young student. His first scheme

“We see big opportunity down the line in the infrastructure market in England,” he

IN FOCUS

Dominic Lavery

says. “We are setting ourselves up for that to increase turnover in that sector.” Dominic says it’s also making significant inroads within water infrastructure in the Republic – another key area which requires continual investment and is largely immune to economic impact or a crisis like Covid-19. “If you asked me six months ago (there may have been) a rethink on offices. There still will be a requirement for offices, albeit, whether it’s wanting everyone in one office, or people to share with other companies in satellite offices based across Northern Ireland. “The number of people coming in to offices will decrease, but it won’t be the same impact which we think it will be. There will be a huge number of people who need to be in an office. “That’s one part of the thinking. Because of

APRIL 2021

the great macro economic windfall, Brexit has brought up, we have a golden opportunity in Northern Ireland to access the UK and European markets. Why wouldn’t we leverage that to try and attract people into Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland?” For Farrans during the pandemic, Dominic says it used the downtime at the beginning to bring in its Covid operating procedures. That included a new working group. According to Dominic, Farrans has introduced a range of on-site measures, including temperature testing stage, adding more washing areas, increasing the size of canteens and making face masks compulsory for workers – especially important for staff working in close proximity on schemes such as City Quays. “People have gotten used to it,” he says. “They have accepted it. It’s for the good and

helping to maintain the work and delivering for our clients.” Looking ahead to recovery, Dominic says: “Certainly, to restart the economy, governments are all taking about investing in capital projects. “There is a clear recognition that spending in capital projects has been a good kick start to lagging economies to try and jump-start them back to life. Infrastructure, good drinking water, schools and homes – those are the areas in which there will be investment in. “Let us rethink our strategy… it’s a good opportunity to reset our targets and set out our stall here. It’s exciting, the potential, to really reverse the damage done in the past… we can refocus all our attentions on making life much more sustainable for us all.” ■

BUSINESS SHOWCASE WITH ULSTER BANK

Meeting dentistry demand with the ‘Zoom effect’ Dr Jack Hudson’s new business The Dental Centre opened up just as the pandemic struck. But since then, and with the help of Ulster Bank, it’s developed into a thriving cosmetic dentistry practice with bigger plans for growth on the horizon Dr Jack Hudson

r Jack Hudson has big plans for his Belfast-based business The Dental Centre.

But, like other entrepreneurs out there, he took the plunge to buy the practice in March last year – just two weeks before Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK entered its Covid lockdown.

it, worked for two and a half weeks, and then we had to shut (due to the pandemic).” But Jack pushed on through, and like others, was able to reopen in June – beginning to see patients, albeit with very strict protocols.

“I bough the practice in March 2020. I was quite young to be buying it,” Jack Hudson says.

“I quickly learned if that if I was to continue as it, with the NHS side, that the business wouldn’t survive. So I started to use social media to promote cosmetic work – mostly Invisalign, teeth straightening, composite bonding and composite veneers.”

“Ulster Bank gave me a loan to do it. I bought

That demand soon increased, with the help of

online consultations. Jack says the cosmetic arm of the practice is now becoming the main aspect of the business. He’s already fully-booked, and eyeing up growing it further still, adding another dentist to the practice. “Over the last eight or nine months it has moved towards being a cosmetic or wantbased clinic,” he says. And Ulster Bank has continued to assist Jack and The Dental Practice on its upward journey. Initially leasing the building, the bank has helped Jack now buy it.

Simon Seaton

BUSINESS SHOWCASE WITH ULSTER BANK

platforms or telephony services with ease, the pandemic also hammers home the continued importance of being local. Having a presence in local communities allows us to develop trust and ultimately, adds value. Within our business banking division, our 14 business development managers work in the communities in which they live and spend their time reaching out to customers. There is no substitute for this routine and over time, they have become known locally as the ‘go-to’ person for banking.

Technology has shaped how we all do business By Simon Seaton, business development team director, Ulster Bank

he last 12 months have arguably brought about 10 years of organisational change. As the bank seeks to protect staff during Covid, working from home in Ulster Bank has moved from being an occasional guilty pleasure for the minority of staff to becoming a daily standard for the majority. There’s a definite irony in that as our home lives became more monotonous and confined because of lockdowns, business across all sectors have spent the last year adapting at pace. Banks have been no different. Staff use of Zoom, Skype, Teams, Salesforce, Workday, Twitter and LinkedIn has moved from the margins to the centre ground. Accessibility to both customers and colleagues remains paramount and while in-person contact may have been temporarily dialed down, these platforms have filled much of the vacuum. The value of having a window desk in the office has been replaced by the need for a good home broadband signal; obviating the need for making customer calls in the garden in the rain. The organic growth of mobile banking adoption has been clear to see. Online capabilities are continually improving and investing in these even further remains a top priority for Ulster Bank. This is one area where we really lean in to and leverage the support of our parent, NatWest Group. While everyday transactions can be carried out through our digital

“I wouldn’t have been able to buy this place without Ulster Bank,” he said. “They really believed in what I was saying. It’s now progressed to the point that I can now purchase the building, with their help, and renovations I carry out will be to my property.” That includes adding a new surgery to grow

APRIL 2021

Our network of branch staff is another iteration of our reach across Northern Ireland. They have continued to provide a face-to-face service throughout the pandemic, and as a business we’re proud of the work they’ve done.. In many ways adapting to change over the last 12 months has given us a glimpse into the future. Further developing the tools and services we’ve relied on throughout the pandemic will better prepare us for what’s to come and already we’re thinking about the skills we need to futureproof our organisation. In this regard, Ulster Bank’s desire to be a good corporate citizen gives us focus. Not only do we provide financial and non-financial support for businesses and entrepreneurs, but we’re also passionate about supporting local communities. We’ve been fostering close relationships with local chambers and industry bodies, recommitting ourselves to our climate strategy, establishing a range of charitable partnerships and promoting our free-to-customers accounting software, Free Agent. Working with Dr Jack Hudson and his team at The Dental Centre has reinforced to me the importance of embracing technological advancements but doing so in a way that doesn’t lose sight of what your customer needs. This team understands that offering the latest and most innovative services will attract customers through the door, but it is the value of traditional customer service which will make them return. Supporting the health and wellbeing of customers and colleagues has been our biggest driver throughout the pandemic and our goal is to continue to guide our customers as they recover from the impact of the restrictions on their business. Looking ahead to the earliest shoots of recovery, it’s likely that we will once again have to adapt to a shifting climate but whatever the future brings, our steadfast commitment to our customers and their needs will remain unchanged.

and sustain the business, and to meet the growing demand for treatment, with many people (those who are lucky to have been largely unaffected by the economic impact of the pandemic) using savings to pay for it. “Lots of people have disposable income at the moment, but lots of people don’t. But particularly young professional people who have been working from home. They haven’t

been able to go on holidays, then don’t need new clothes to go out.” He says the ‘Zoom effect’ has also had a big impact on demand for cosmetic work, with people more aware of how their teeth look. Now celebrating its first birthday, the practice will expand and hire new staff to assist in the burgeoning dentistry demands. ■

PROFILE

Dale Farm: looking towards the next generation Dale Farm is looking ahead at the next generation and undergoing a major rebrand to push the dairy co-operative further forward. And for its chief executive, Nick Whelan, in his most challenging period at the helm, battling through the Covid crisis has been all about its people, their resilience and adaptability 24

PROFILE

ick Whelan is very clear about the direction of Dale Farm.

Its fresh rebrand is about its people, Northern Ireland as a whole, and bringing the dairy co-operative into a new era, as well as looking ahead for generations – shining a positive spotlight on things to come. “Dale Farm is not about the short-term,” he says. “It’s generational. The Dale Farm brand has been around for 70 years and we look ahead to working with farmers from across Northern Ireland for generations to come.” The co-operative remains one of Northern Ireland’s largest dairy operators – an organisation with turnover in excess of £500m, a workforce of 1,300, which works with the same number again, of its farmers. “We’ve been pushing this new design and idea forward. It’s showcasing the produce of our people and it’s an opportunity to reinvigorate an already established household brand,” Nick says. The visual identity of the brand has been redesigned to reflect a more contemporary style and communicate its farmer co-operative credentials. The designs bring farming to the forefront visually, as well as incorporating the brand mission ‘Sharing Goodness Everyday’. “We need to connect with future generations,” Nick says. “The new look is very fresh and resonates with consumers. Dale Farm is a big brand and research showed us it was time to refresh our offering – engaging with younger people, while maintaining the loyalty of our current consumers. “It’s about a new era for us and a positive outlook, post-Covid. Not just looking back at the challenges and headwinds we have all faced, but focusing on a positive and brilliant story. It showcases the significance of our rural economy and society here in Northern Ireland.”

APRIL 2021

Dale Farm’s new corporate identity has also been redesigned to align with the new look, using the strapline ‘Your Dairy Co-operative’ to place focus on the role of the 1,300 farmers who own the co-operative and supply it with milk. “For us, it’s making sure our customers and consumers know that we are owned by our dairy farmers. There are no big corporate investors. “We want to showcase that when you buy a Dale Farm product you are sharing real goodness. The money goes back into society here, and it’s healthy product.” Nick’s also very clear about the positive outlook the co-operative has. And in particular, how Dale Farm’s employees and its farmers, and their resilience, were key to its ability to push through Covid-19 and deal with the unprecedented crisis. “The pandemic has been a significant challenge for everyone in agri-food. But our farmers have been extremely resilient and gotten on with it. They have worked and adapted,” he says. “With a business like Dale Farm, we can’t shut down a factory for two weeks. The milk needs to come from our farmers and be processed.” Dale Farm processes around 900 million litres of milk each year. “When the pandemic began, we established a crisis management plan. It’s been very real for us. We made a decision early on that we have to prioritise our staff. The safety and wellbeing of our people was first and foremost. “We socially distanced early on and we were on the front foot to make everything was as safe as possible. That has been hugely important for us. The second priority was dealing with the milk that comes off the farms and into the factories. Then, thirdly, it was about meeting the ongoing demands of our customers.”

And while the rebrand has been in the works for more than a year, Nick says a significant amount of work has been done amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Of course, like many businesses, Dale Farm has seen a significant change in the demand for its products – with more people working from home, retail has surged. “We have seen a large drop into food service, but we have seen a substantial gain of 12% in retail. That’s huge,” Nick says. “Overall, it’s been a challenge for us from a bottom line point of view. This is about testing the culture of business. We are about the medium to long-term, and that feeds into the brand. It’s not about the short-term. It’s generational.” Turning to Brexit, something which food firms and suppliers had, and still have, major concerns over, Nick says the issues have primarily been around additional administration and costs. It’s still selling into the UK and Ireland, as well as exporting to dozens of others, due to its robust supply chains. “The supply chain is working quite well,” he says. “If you know what you are at, you can push products through.” Looking ahead, Nick says Dale Farm is about aiming for growth – double-digit growth – in the brand, but doing so in a sustainable and profitable way. “This period has been the most challenging in my time here,” he says. “But what we are showing is resilience. We are really the product of our people, from farm to factory, and everyone in between. There have been layers of challenges – for operators and drivers working within strict protocols, and those working from home. It can wear people down. But our people have been continually pushing us forward. Tenacity and drive are traits visible among the people of Northern Ireland.” ■

Hayward Hawk spreading its wings

ayward Hawk is one of the success stories of the NI recruitment industry. Established in 2016 by Richard Waterson and Stephen McDowell, the dynamic duo joined forces with serial entrepreneur and recruitment expert, James Caan CBE. Hayward Hawk directors Gemma Murphy, Stephen McDowell and Richard Waterson

Since then the firm has built a reputation for having a unique approach, focused around establishing long-term relationships and a strong culture of inclusivity and encouragement. In 2019, Hayward Hawk decided to spread its wings and invested in a partnership with Gemma Murphy to create Hayward Hawk Professional Services.

“Collectively, Richard, Stephen and I have more than 30 years specialist recruitment experience and this creates a unique offering to our markets – a recruitment business focused on putting the client experience at the centre of what we do.”

Despite the challenges the global pandemic has bought to the recruitment industry and businesses as a whole, there’s strong evidence showing huge growth potential for 2021, particularly within the technology and professional services sectors.

Hayward Hawk is always on the lookout for superstar talent. If you’re an experienced consultant looking for a new opportunity, or you think you have what it takes for a successful career within technology or professional services recruitment, please contact us today for a confidential chat on 028 9590 2688 or info@haywardhawk.com

“The professional services market remains extremely buoyant with many large businesses recruiting at pace,” director, Gemma Murphy said.

US firm creating 75 new NI jobs

round 75 new jobs are being created here by a US-based payment processing firm.

Paul Vienneau

The new Northern Ireland team for Payroc will work from home as part of the company’s software engineering and innovation hub, and new customer services centre. Invest NI has offered Payroc has offered £445,000 towards the creation of the 75 jobs, of which 20 are already in place. “We have experienced significant success globally, particularly in the US and Canada, and our ambition is to continue this rapid growth globally through investment in sales, marketing and specialist technology that will enhance our customers’ experience,” Paul Vienneau, chief technical officer of Payroc, said. “Our new Northern Ireland team will add considerable in-house engineering and support resources, and expertise. This will help us to achieve our international growth

plans, with a focus on the implementation of new technologies, delivering product improvements and increasing capacity to strengthen our customer support. We looked at various US locations but the calibre of talent made Northern Ireland the perfect fit for us.”

“Kevin Holland, chief executive of Invest NI, said: “Securing Payroc’s investment for Northern Ireland is another resounding endorsement of our Fintech sector, which is at the cutting edge of global technology development.”

BREXIT

Cross border workers – do your staff need a permit? The Brexit transition period has come to an end, and so has the free movement of people. Setting aside the issues in respect of trade and movement of goods which have dominated the news in recent weeks, the post-Brexit landscape poses new issues for Northern Irish employers in terms of accessing and retaining European Economic Area (EEA) talent, particularly if that talent resides south of the Irish border, writes Amy Collins, employment solicitor at TLT LLP

rom January 1, 2021, EEA citizens who live in the Republic of Ireland and currently work in the UK, including Northern Ireland, or who wish to do so in the future (termed frontier workers), require additional permits or immigration clearance.

Amy Collins

Current cross border talent Save for Irish citizens, EEA citizens who are living in the Republic of Ireland and who began working in the UK on or before December 31, 2020 will need to apply for a Frontier Worker Permit under the Frontier Worker Permit Scheme. The scheme entitles individuals to secure their ‘frontier worker status’ and continue to work and access benefits and services in the UK in the same way as they did pre-Brexit. To be eligible for a permit, the cross border working arrangement must have been in place before January 1, 2021. Fortunately, permits are free and are valid for five years, and applicants can apply to renew their permit for as long as they continue to be frontier workers in the UK. Until June 30, 2021, frontier workers will benefit from a grace period and will be able to continue entering the UK simply with a valid passport or national identity card. However, from July 1, 2021, frontier workers will need to have a permit to enter the UK. After this date, individuals who require but do not hold a permit could be refused admission at the border. If your business currently hires EEA citizens who carry out work for you in Northern Ireland but reside in the Republic of Ireland, you should now be taking action now and encouraging them to apply for a permit if they are eligible. What about future recruitment? Frontier workers who began their working relationship after December 31, 2020 will not be eligible to apply for a permit. These workers will

To be eligible for a permit, the cross border working arrangement must have been in place before January 1, 2021 APRIL 2021

need to consider other routes available, most likely under the UK’s new immigration rules. From January 1, 2021, EEA citizens who reside in the Republic of Ireland (and who do not have any additional immigration status in the UK) will no longer be eligible to work in the UK without obtaining further immigration clearance. If employers fail to recognise this they may find themselves falling foul of the UK’s illegal working laws and could face penalties of up to £20,000 per illegal worker. It’s clear that employers in Northern Ireland, particularly those with operations close to the Irish border, will need to tread carefully in respect of their current and future recruitment. ■

FULL FIBRE BROADBAND

Fibrus: The future is full fibre Shane Haslem

controls, trends and reporting, responding to changes and managing relationships with the public authorities involved.

Joining the senior management team is Shane Haslem, who will lead the delivery of regional strategic projects as programme and commercial director.

“One of our landmark projects will provide gigabit capable full fibre broadband infrastructure to approximately 76,000 homes and businesses across Northern Ireland. This is particularly special because it will revolutionise connectivity for rural areas and communities which have not been able to access this kind of broadband infrastructure before.”

orthern Ireland’s fastest growing telecoms provider, Fibrus, continues to roll out its revolutionary full fibre infrastructure throughout Northern Ireland.

Shane brings with him over 20 years’ experience of telecommunications, having worked as an engineer and then joining eircom NI at an early stage in that business, before being appointed as general manager of eir Northern Ireland in 2018. At the end of 2020, Shane joined Fibrus and is looking forward the next chapter of his career. “I’ve joined the team at a really exciting time for the business,” he says. “Not only has Fibrus trebled its workforce in the last 12 months and continued to deliver its services throughout the challenging period of the pandemic, but it is also transforming the lives of so many people in Northern Ireland. “As programme and commercial director, I’m responsible for the delivery of all projects undertaken by Fibrus and ensuring they stay on track to deliver for the client and business. This means constantly reviewing project

This project, called Project Stratum, is part of an overall £350m investment programme and will bring full fibre broadband to previously hard to reach rural areas across Northern Ireland. £150m of the investment came from the Department for the Economy and £15m came from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, as part of the NI Executive’s broadband improvement scheme. The contract was awarded to Fibrus in November 2020, and just three months later customers are already connected, as the first part of the network in Coalisland is now live. “Our skilled and dedicated teams are working hard on the ground to ensure we connect as many homes to this essential utility as soon as we can. In March we connected our first customer and it is gratifying to hear from those

customers the difference it is already making to their lives.” So, what is the future for Fibrus? Shane believes this is only the beginning for the company, with many opportunities and benefits of full fibre still to be unlocked. “At Fibrus, we are bullish about our future. We have big aspirations, a passionate, energetic team and we are constantly looking at new ways to improve and enhance our full fibre network. “It’s never about reaching targets and leaving it at that – it’s about maximising the capability of this unique digital infrastructure and finding ways to reach more and more premises. “Key to my role is considering other network build ventures and exploring how we can future-proof connectivity for people living and working in every corner of Northern Ireland.” ■ For more information on the work of Fibrus, visit www.fibrus.com or follow them on Twitter @FibrusFullFibre.

2021

Sponsored by

1-34 Rank

Company

Year ending

2021

Turnover £

Profit/loss

Prev profit

Tangible net Employees worth

Latest sales

Previous sales

Whitemountain Quarries Ltd

31/12/2019

91,518,000

76,565,000

9,331,000

6,438,000

66,278,000

253

Unilin Distribution Ltd

31/12/2019

84,843,035

69,117,486

1,956,008

1,637,303

15,311,772

The Sycamore Avenue Company Ltd

31/12/2019

83,729,407

6,636,780

5,857,331

684,022

34,309,437

758

Decora Blind Systems Ltd

31/12/2019

82,783,777

72,727,704

6,455,561

4,057,406

28,440,129

771

Dennison Commercials Ltd

31/12/2019

78,247,933

71,559,394

2,908,560

3,028,726

15,093,658

259

Lagan Homes Group Ltd

31/12/2019

77,464,802

60,581,703

3,181,682

4,565,564

41,117,492

Ge Grid Solutions (Uk) Ltd

31/12/2019

76,289,000

64,977,000

14,214,000

16,109,000

59,647,000

249

Andor Technology Ltd

31/03/2019

75,164,000

63,587,000

14,690,000

9,592,000

43,718,000

276

Medwyn Holding Ltd

31/03/2020

74,629,963

67,379,478

8,945,696

7,881,032

39,254,535

427

Charles Tennant and Company (NI) Ltd

31/12/2019

72,540,650

60,509,249

3,627,843

3,695,700

24,502,154

110

Ulster Carpet Mills (Holdings) Ltd

31/03/2020

72,228,330

74,431,977

956,322

8,156,069

53,625,380

672

Mutual Energy Ltd

31/03/2020

72,044,000

65,306,000

11,160,000

11,446,000

-165,977,000

Bridgehill Holdings (NI) Ltd

31/12/2019

71,966,667

68,434,386

2,820,382

2,757,626

24,862,949

149

Agro Merchants Lurgan Transport Ltd

31/12/2019

70,386,516

82,659,794

-5,845,646

1,632,116

11,001,679

418

Cooneen by Design Ltd

29/11/2019

70,210,718

64,093,974

5,028,709

3,387,312

69,291,538

191

Mallaghan (Holdings) Ltd

31/12/2019

69,901,175

55,490,125

4,705,728

1,988,470

21,582,822

365

CDE Global Ltd

31/12/2019

69,714,220

65,776,927

642,966

5,074,190

19,912,992

375

Nelipak Healthcare Packaging Ltd

31/12/2019

68,458,550

64,109,989

10,334,751

12,644,039

30,635,912

282

Murdock Builders Merchants Ltd

31/12/2019

68,182,359

66,823,363

2,623,936

3,293,878

8,292,219

370

Woodside Logistics Group Ltd

31/03/2019

67,337,270

64,407,177

3,577,779

3,000,361

25,446,050

518

Northway Mushrooms Ltd

31/12/2019

66,833,248

59,643,799

-618,700

-13,721

145,313

Belfast Harbour Commissioners

31/12/2019

65,929,000

68,786,000

31,648,000

38,623,000

514,898,000

212

Staffline Recruitment (NI) Ltd

27/12/2019

65,581,861

50,120,944

1,012,281

474,655

3,665,904

139

Lough Erne Investments Ltd

25/12/2019

65,045,729

73,074,899

7,938,740

8,007,450

25,908,667

173

Dcc Energy Ltd

31/03/2019

64,387,000

169,674,000

8,532,000

4,846,000

26,264,000

Dartan Hall Holdings Ltd

30/09/2019

64,032,019

58,133,223

2,977,116

4,476,895

47,821,824

230

Diesel Card International Ltd

31/03/2020

63,748,000

63,205,000

1,558,000

1,233,000

18,174,000

Pharmapac Holdings Ltd

30/06/2019

63,653,037

22,970,868

6,022,242

1,435,559

5,253,444

230

Avondale Foods (Craigavon) Ltd

31/03/2019

63,098,773

51,480,381

501,241

2,660,364

21,788,115

498

Phoenix Natural Gas Ltd

31/12/2019

62,682,000

62,055,000

16,817,000

15,496,000

125,029,000

118

Donnelly & Taggart Ltd

31/12/2019

62,637,193

73,002,171

-297,473

64,426

3,198,546

140

Diageo Global Supply Ibc Ltd

30/06/2019

62,300,000

61,376,000

3,055,000

2,993,000

19,539,000

125

H & J Martin Holdings Ltd

31/03/2019

61,274,039

59,485,853

443,774

9,947,032

2,905,561

239

John Hogg & Co Ltd

30/04/2019

60,620,000

40,484,000

2,588,000

2,112,000

30,392,000

234

Data provided by Dun & Bradstreet T: 0800 001 234

35-68 Rank

Company

Year ending

2021

Turnover £

Profit/loss

Prev profit

Tangible net Employees worth

Latest sales

Previous sales

1,188,074

1,098,023

6,032,699

Commercials Shipping Company (Oils) Ltd 31/12/2019

60,015,923

62,617,932

Motis Group Ltd

30/06/2019

60,088,590

56,560,665

762,376

1,233,642

2,588,568

100

Copeland Ltd

30/09/2019

58,971,507

50,194,726

2,504,707

2,500,383

25,604,768

249

Tennent's NI Ltd

29/02/2020

58,690,000

55,703,000

6,563,000

6,150,000

15,133,000

Em News Distribution (NI) Ltd

28/12/2019

57,766,000

58,751,000

2,242,000

2,180,000

2,200,000

117

Veterinary Surgeons Supply Company Ltd

31/08/2019

57,303,945

53,963,530

767,734

960,972

6,103,689

Morgan McLernon Ltd

31/12/2019

56,138,229

49,507,644

3,553,743

3,018,557

10,691,272

439

Roadside Motors Ltd

30/09/2019

55,982,175

57,009,902

291,415

557,963

7,450,275

135

Stockman's Management Ltd

31/03/2019

55,307,975

66,285,255

450,019

2,133,043

12,010,631

123

Bawnbua Foods NI Ltd

31/01/2019

55,227,682

65,722,512

41,765

-1,326,866

5,930,422

259

Camden Group Ltd

31/03/2019

54,996,945

47,452,631

-3,168,656

-114,586

2,861,913

699

Huhtamaki Foodservice Delta Ltd

31/12/2018

54,989,861

50,335,026

4,001,410

3,310,159

30,198,115

354

Hannon Transport Ltd

31/01/2020

54,767,341

42,238,775

3,838,856

932,561

7,917,660

422

Heatons (NI) Ltd

28/04/2019

54,404,543

53,598,882

5,502,161

4,189,457

24,694,371

459

Walter Watson Ltd

31/12/2019

54,240,910

55,787,243

3,471,883

3,182,191

26,931,693

238

Gaffer (NI) Ltd

31/12/2019

53,472,682

49,302,726

2,658,637

2,761,260

17,096,565

327

James Tolland & Company Ltd

31/05/2019

53,427,806

46,595,949

796,568

705,748

3,735,620

Equipment Sales Ltd

31/12/2019

53,082,857

44,605,406

6,117,072

2,247,589

19,416,538

J.K.C.Specialist Cars Ltd

31/12/2019

52,816,670

50,631,714

1,073,653

962,213

7,772,159

Property Management Services (NI) Ltd

31/12/2019

52,742,182

53,767,559

923,856

1,128,380

13,462,935

515

Felix O'Hare & Company Ltd

31/03/2019

52,583,786

48,619,100

2,211,860

2,272,717

9,982,578

124

Boreal Ltd

31/12/2019

52,518,258

57,490,007

673,341

-1,005,331

1,946,017

305

Tobermore Concrete Products Ltd

30/04/2019

50,744,527

42,949,161

11,902,412

9,138,001

40,501,004

242

SERE Holdings Ltd

31/12/2019

49,546,599

52,485,777

36,460

450,212

4,915,754

105

Direct Medics Ltd

31/01/2020

49,526,733

43,483,614

2,199,878

2,207,350

8,647,357

481

Portview Fit-Out Ltd

30/11/2019

49,427,764

52,339,234

5,456,976

10,250,104

18,493,483

Hastings Hotels Group Ltd

31/10/2019

49,378,668

41,185,098

5,830,483

3,195,817

50,273,848

1385

Shelbourne Motors Ltd

31/12/2019

49,376,008

39,876,172

1,372,520

1,139,457

6,300,728

149

Pihl Holdings Ltd

31/12/2019

49,036,000

24,569,000

-1,698,000

-65,000

-27,066,000

691

Evron Foods Ltd

31/08/2019

48,971,193

48,855,459

1,129,439

490,511

7,901,067

410

Harry Corry Ltd

29/02/2020

48,831,795

47,218,970

1,472,857

2,690,998

13,430,693

696

Belfast International Airport Ltd

31/12/2019

48,240,000

45,565,000

7,828,000

6,525,000

1,152,113

208

United Wine Merchants Ltd

31/12/2019

47,960,984

45,310,290

7,429,693

742,964

4,595,567

Ballinaskeagh Grains Ltd

30/04/2019

47,699,365

39,016,849

251,478

720,597

4,595,567

Data provided by Dun & Bradstreet T: 0800 001 234 APRIL 2021

69-101 Rank

Company

Year ending

Turnover £

2021

Praxis Care

31/03/2020

Profit/loss

Prev profit

Tangible net Employees worth

Latest sales

Previous sales

47,313,831

39,584,383

2,042,058

1,657,177

16,883,784

1347

Liberty Information Technology Ltd

31/12/2019

46,960,017

43,367,766

6,417,515

7,981,588

17,684,764

508

River Ridge Holdings Ltd

30/06/2020

46,787,193

47,409,403

159,027

1,667,419

106,843

281

Desmond Motors Ltd

31/12/2019

46,602,747

48,204,585

-3,334

166,286

3,752,855

Union Street (Lurgan) Ltd

30/04/2019

46,368,862

38,982,646

991,873

1,632,272

11,804,840

683

Geda Construction Llp

31/12/2019

45,195,890

45,833,429

5,645,370

7,315,660

4,874,636

Smyths Toys Ni Ltd

30/12/2019

45,194,000

45,747,000

904,000

1,144,000

401,000

192

Greiner Packaging Ltd

31/12/2019

45,025,161

41,864,573

3,681,881

2,967,468

14,995,976

258

Charles Brand Group Ltd

31/03/2020

44,584,514

52,823,012

2,987,075

3,122,008

19,239,550

Kane Group Building Services Ltd

31/03/2020

44,464,774

55,462,365

1,460,339

2,969,667

8,169,812

193

John McQuillan (Contracts) Ltd

31/03/2020

44,217,594

43,194,434

1,005,611

1,684,219

12,163,564

186

Heartsine Technologies Ltd

31/12/2019

44,155,164

26,317,056

8,389,744

162,380

20,382,111

206

Toubkal Ltd (Strickland)

31/12/2019

44,109,772

28,031,810

2,681,612

1,969,810

5,215,227

The Mount Charles Group Ltd

26/09/2019

43,931,490

40,002,132

798,520

1,509,228

8,689,512

2169

Premier Electrics Ltd

31/03/2020

43,856,593

49,376,029

4,747,492

5,737,894

11,546,289

The Old Bushmills Distillery Company Ltd

31/12/2019

43,696,000

33,552,000

8,877,000

6,634,000

206,465,000

110

Bailie Group Ltd (Baird Group)

31/12/2019

43,624,000

37,026,000

933,000

467,000

10,688,000

273

Lagan Construction Ltd

31/03/2019

43,188,211

61,852,222

-761,996

-26,172

124,560

JMW Farms Ltd

30/09/2019

43,146,875

40,608,139

3,613,759

5,632,089

28,310,330

114

Western Building Systems Ltd

30/04/2020

42,779,435

24,785,550

1,866,817

1,131,851

11,938,314

Cancom Managed Services Ltd

31/12/2019

42,098,644

33,515,118

3,733,825

1,084,309

12,804,584

228

Braidwater Group Ltd

31/03/2020

41,421,243

45,561,191

2,663,286

3,220,004

12,051,579

100

Stothers (M& E) Ltd

30/06/2019

41,307,403

37,808,131

1,803,333

1,607,307

3,666,039

Dowds Electrical (Holdings) Ltd

31/03/2020

41,191,446

31,081,810

1,763,521

598,714

6,378,031

196

Imed (NI) Ltd

31/03/2019

41,091,643

35,964,160

1,343,059

774,287

5,363,065

Hughes Family Holdings Ltd

31/12/2019

40,909,418

39,948,933

998,677

978,766

7,399,708

240

Modern Tyres Ltd

31/12/2019

40,785,315

38,303,776

2,363,818

2,197,941

10,586,820

261

Forestwood Agencies Ltd

31/03/2019

40,413,125

32,976,032

1,500,965

1,081,647

5,235,304

Aidan Strain Electrical Engineering Ltd

29/02/2020

40,121,938

35,941,182

6,328,631

4,201,197

20,632,491

130

Frylite Ltd

29/03/2020

39,901,394

38,262,538

1,535,121

1,352,928

13,293,281

239

Sangers (Northern Ireland) Ltd

31/03/2019

39,755,005

70,432,948

3,023,910

1,107,112

5,128,141

100

M-B Truck and Van (NI) Ltd

31/12/2019

39,548,723

42,919,906

444,654

861,766

1,123,093

133

101

Budget Energy Ltd

30/09/2019

39,231,870

39,204,073

3,075,632

-1,741,282

7,216,726

Data provided by Dun & Bradstreet T: 0800 001 234

102-134 Rank

Company

Year ending

2021

102

Patmond Energy Ltd

30/06/2020

Turnover £

Profit/loss

Prev profit

Tangible net Employees worth

Latest sales

Previous sales

39,203,955

44,386,374

2,154,631

1,649,200

14,151,034

103

Radius Plastics Ltd

30/12/2019

38,997,000

32,816,000

2,275,000

606,000

10,542,000

164

104

James F McCue Ltd

30/11/2019

38,940,201

34,877,034

2,170,990

1,861,253

12,860,675

131

105

Road Trucks Ltd

31/12/2019

38,636,604

27,147,153

1,833,786

889,080

10,906,129

106

Kilwaughter Holdings Ltd

30/04/2020

38,483,578

40,378,467

5,381,211

7,955,112

23,601,245

204

107

NTR Green Energy Holdings Ltd

31/03/2019

38,113,000

30,464,000

8,072,000

7,201,000

114,752,000

108

Springfarm Architectural Mouldings Ltd

29/02/2020

38,085,984

36,706,122

2,538,580

1,194,044

6,111,396

201

109

Rlc Langford Lodge Ltd

30/06/2019

38,098,000

38,047,000

5,141,000

4,987,000

12,984,000

276

110

EOS IT Management Solutions (UK) Ltd

30/06/2019

38,006,989

30,772,170

6,001,982

4,115,885

6,267,501

130

111

Extraspace Solutions (UK) Ltd

30/06/2019

37,993,174

16,199,646

-390,781

259,741

3,217,421

112

Mannok Build Ltd

31/12/2019

37,541,000

38,247,000

-9,793,000

-7,090,000

11,130,000

301

113

Huhtamaki (Lurgan) Ltd

31/12/2018

37,439,000

36,001,000

5,493,000

5,238,000

19,799,000

232

114

Carnbane Estates Ltd

31/12/2019

37,058,566

40,147,231

302,221

1,464,748

24,783,984

102

115

Woodvale Construction Company Ltd

30/06/2019

37,039,099

24,306,882

1,793,523

700,633

5,805,566

116

Dillon Bass Ltd

30/06/2019

37,026,773

35,692,906

569,890

19,764

901,943

117

McAvoy Group Limited - The

31/10/2020

36,716,592

56,690,321

-5,959,021

-16,967,538

-12,153,658

182

118

Prentice Portadown Ltd

31/12/2019

36,643,228

36,835,190

71,888

66,365

208,692

119

Mivan Marine Ltd

31/12/2019

36,572,602

29,045,264

4,308,778

3,246,847

8,680,772

197

120

John Mulholland Motors Ltd

31/12/2019

36,537,936

37,895,543

1,270,701

1,141,300

10,482,625

121

PRM Group Ltd

31/12/2019

36,477,806

33,658,717

970,573

680,384

6,971,835

122

Bedeck Ltd

28/09/2019

36,057,232

35,594,113

977,394

1,413,737

8,367,819

317

123

Telestack Ltd

31/12/2019

35,684,824

31,945,450

851,699

2,255,266

10,591,494

170

124

CFG Holdings Ltd

31/03/2020

35,305,020

36,315,097

204,202

301,016

-1,364,631

344

125

Millar Tractors Ltd

28/02/2020

35,039,993

32,149,369

1,068,482

982,258

8,957,097

126

Oakwood Door Designs Ltd

30/04/2019

34,876,074

29,312,915

4,174,744

3,533,672

3,690,235

182

127

John Mackle (Moy) Ltd

31/12/2019

34,834,988

33,617,129

919,151

804,947

7,555,283

209

128

Doherty & Gray Ltd

31/03/2019

34,740,148

37,657,544

12,748

-222,819

3,207,626

129

Regen Waste Ltd

31/12/2019

34,733,740

29,586,607

5,216,307

3,164,015

18,911,224

241

130

352 Medical Group Ltd

31/03/2019

34,486,304

25,495,045

-788,558

-1,947,594

-392,206

313

131

Sheephaven Ltd

30/04/2019

34,425,825

34,014,299

5,375,927

4,622,581

34,029,869

514

132

Clanmil Housing Association Ltd

31/03/2019

34,287,643

30,608,114

5,615,474

4,660,978

46,084,252

271

133

Glasgiven Contracts Ltd

30/04/2020

34,220,550

28,578,836

432,657

383,851

2,453,843

134

C & J Meats Ltd

30/11/2019

33,704,646

38,869,284

202,234

185,180

1,009,987

Data provided by Dun & Bradstreet T: 0800 001 234 APRIL 2021

135-167 Rank

Company

Year ending

2021

Turnover £

Profit/loss

Prev profit

Tangible net Employees worth

Latest sales

Previous sales

2,406,242

2,297,085

12,125,861

315

135

O & S Doors Ltd

31/12/2019

33,678,993

33,885,578

136

Regency Carpet Manufacturing Ltd

30/06/2019

33,654,133

37,128,842

247,512

197,582

13,772,915

121

137

T.G. Eakin Ltd

31/03/2019

33,631,196

31,803,150

15,974,036

16,078,387

29,706,215

138

Richmond Marketing (NI) Ltd

31/12/2019

33,486,781

31,436,197

1,130,198

865,346

2,418,618

139

Liquorland Ltd (Wineflair)

30/09/2019

33,381,508

34,266,525

1,280,689

1,518,533

-3,549,556

364

140

Component Distributors Group Ltd

31/12/2019

33,223,805

34,325,169

52,531

357,573

4,560,713

180

141

BSG Civil Engineering Ltd

31/12/2019

33,168,816

35,080,352

6,990,271

6,189,909

44,826,933

142

Cuan Heritage Company Ltd

31/01/2020

33,061,572

31,929,243

421,513

-315,236

4,822,289

145

143

Multi Packaging Solutions Belfast Ltd

30/09/2019

33,056,240

26,703,193

8,904,160

6,986,718

86,779,373

152

144

Ballygarvey Eggs Ltd

30/09/2020

33,021,444

31,088,608

3,926,537

4,506,335

18,578,286

145

Camlin Ltd

31/12/2019

33,017,157

24,899,949

1,353,751

-2,063,596

-9,787,173

368

146

Pat Kirk Ltd

31/12/2019

32,970,687

35,175,515

535,640

564,851

5,386,674

147

Powerteam Electrical Services (UK) Ltd

31/12/2019

32,770,000

35,765,000

715,000

1,162,000

10,368,000

152

148

Communicorp UK Ltd

31/12/2019

32,684,000

31,760,000

2,198,000

2,516,000

2,422,000

144

149

Uni-Trunk Holdings Ltd

31/12/2019

32,343,984

29,216,841

2,371,064

1,281,573

30,608,102

187

150

Springvale EPS Ltd

30/06/2019

32,137,358

32,589,659

5,962,449

6,295,457

12,344,354

129

151

Neueda Ltd

31/03/2020

32,128,670

23,353,278

2,335,065

1,689,281

5,396,011

207

152

Calor Gas Northern Ireland Ltd

31/12/2019

31,983,000

32,294,000

5,286,000

4,485,000

3,317,000

153

Concentrix Europe Ltd

30/11/2019

31,760,000

28,995,000

270,000

1,975,000

12,857,000

966

154

Kilkeel Seafoods Ltd

31/12/2019

31,759,711

25,648,420

484,612

195,744

5,449,900

219

155

Applegreen Service Areas NI Ltd

31/12/2019

31,748,000

30,106,000

1,067,000

424,000

34,119,000

156

Terumo Bct Ltd.

31/03/2020

31,629,812

39,149,180

3,266,974

4,813,667

16,994,972

275

157

Vaughan Engineering Group Ltd

31/03/2020

31,578,477

35,731,043

832,598

307,825

4,640,744

139

158

A.J. Plumbing Supplies Ltd

31/12/2019

31,454,560

25,209,290

3,280,941

3,329,904

16,069,240

159

Elite Electronic Systems Ltd

31/03/2020

30,918,221

28,519,710

3,743,888

4,325,633

13,981,957

211

160

Michael Nugent Ltd

30/09/2019

30,875,160

33,123,651

1,173,866

1,139,786

4,138,619

161

Magowan Tyres (NI) Ltd

31/12/2019

30,820,106

35,782,956

1,444,777

2,660,481

12,135,352

162

O'Reilly's Wholesale Ltd

30/09/2019

30,813,578

30,454,494

32,273

17,483

-829,579

163

Ballyrobert Service Station Ltd

31/12/2019

30,357,227

41,768,919

90,143

409,214

2,799,999

164

P.A. McKeever Ltd

31/07/2019

30,310,693

29,862,422

-341,032

-184,606

-5,460,104

219

165

Mulgrew Haulage Ltd

31/03/2020

30,268,695

30,094,720

1,553,314

482,490

5,039,755

203

166

A&M Commercials Ltd

30/11/2019

30,115,179

37,322,393

598,467

2,005,709

9,683,956

167

W.D. Irwin & Sons Ltd

29/03/2020

30,185,508

30,590,532

-652,796

-96,731

631,073

323

Data provided by Dun & Bradstreet T: 0800 001 234

168-200 Rank

Company

Year ending

2021

Turnover £

Profit/loss

Prev profit

Tangible net Employees worth

Latest sales

Previous sales

519,825

1,032,807

17,498,549

168

T. Met Ltd

31/12/2019

30,089,136

33,801,826

169

Mannings Construction Ltd

31/12/2019

30,020,720

29,282,982

606,834

160,425

2,156,172

170

Respond Healthcare Ltd

31/03/2019

29,917,278

27,995,009

1,991,871

2,126,903

8,496,994

100

171

Westbank Business Park Ltd

31/08/2019

29,828,463

27,902,860

2,563,026

4,326,118

21,009,674

114

172

Lotus Homes Holdings Ltd

31/12/2019

29,821,907

26,105,705

2,596,539

4,237,699

-13,954,514

173

Premier Cement Ltd

31/12/2019

29,709,968

31,491,068

-1,357,270

8,696,584

16,215,710

174

Marcon Fit-Out Ltd

31/03/2019

29,701,733

33,522,612

1,812,155

3,134,854

4,717,584

175

Liberty North Ltd

31/08/2019

29,612,154

22,820,701

1,512,496

887,549

2,773,321

152

176

BA Kitchen Components Ltd

31/03/2019

29,574,275

27,839,225

3,616,668

5,707,074

13,086,917

231

177

Bryson Charitable Group

31/03/2019

29,491,656

29,804,910

-682,804

-25,595

10,556,685

853

178

Andrews Group Ltd

05/10/2019

29,442,000

27,796,000

1,358,000

1,173,000

8,981,000

179

J. H. Turkington & Sons Ltd

30/12/2019

29,361,929

25,984,190

1,221,041

1,250,958

14,161,020

180

Wilson's Auctions Ltd

31/03/2019

29,293,279

28,136,521

598,424

2,694,400

15,227,187

376

181

Hilton Foods Ltd

29/12/2019

29,199,698

35,462,022

20,585,936

26,228,542

81,773,142

182

Angel Holdings (NI) Ltd

31/10/2019

29,137,757

15,849,471

460,884

-119,989

479,348

183

M. Keys Ltd

30/09/2019

29,095,450

24,623,855

1,220,677

1,757,440

10,793,817

110

184

Wilsons of Rathkenny Ltd

31/12/2019

29,046,364

31,054,491

236,351

459,455

8,581,097

185

MMD Communications (Holdings) Ltd

31/01/2020

29,028,263

26,938,911

462,569

-201,565

-991,364

162

186

McCulla (Holdings) Ltd

31/12/2019

28,982,341

27,118,954

2,260,917

1,829,227

12,959,175

229

187

Equipment & Plant Services Ltd

31/12/2019

28,855,293

26,089,195

2,493,046

3,056,781

14,736,866

188

Mounthill Developments Ltd

29/02/2020

28,848,918

26,149,721

2,080,255

1,200,306

7,215,604

189

Keylite Holding Ltd

31/12/2019

28,842,608

27,071,053

21,331

362,723

8,045,724

224

190

A.J. Power Ltd

30/06/2019

28,831,554

35,540,376

1,607,633

1,154,913

13,001,390

116

191

Ulster Independent Clinic Ltd

30/04/2020

28,263,122

28,667,271

-4,791,131

-205,602

32,085,067

404

192

Sisk Healthcare (UK) Ltd

31/12/2019

28,135,000

26,569,000

4,464,000

4,065,000

11,781,000

193

Beverage Plastics Ltd

31/12/2019

27,963,364

27,263,839

391,575

-226,742

15,035,663

194

CP Animal Feeds Ltd

31/10/2019

27,833,563

24,868,876

1,545,731

1,484,881

6,419,369

195

Germinal Holdings Ltd

30/06/2019

27,618,920

26,231,141

5,247,381

3,055,784

38,441,549

196

Allen & Overy (SSF) Ltd

30/04/2020

27,491,972

26,803,838

2,327,282

2,076,156

1,089,046

353

197

LW Surphlis & Son Ltd

30/06/2020

27,452,227

30,676,213

-81,846

53,263

2,506,896

198

Crust & Crumb Bakery Ltd

30/06/2019

27,411,757

17,135,779

1,857,646

1,984,348

4,685,565

273

199

3 Interior Contracts Ltd

31/12/2019

27,085,376

35,180,265

2,276,630

-664,871

2,537,792

200

Irwin M&E Ltd

31/08/2020

26,968,776

29,612,154

1,712,551

1,512,496

2,731,814

174

Data provided by Dun & Bradstreet T: 0800 001 234 APRIL 2021

NEXT 200

Northern Ireland’s Next 200 see sales rising by 5.6% It’s been a year like no other for business here, but in what may be the last year of figures largely unaffected by Covid-19, analyst Jonathan Cushley, with data from Dun & Bradstreet and Companies House, breaks down the key trends emerging from our leading SMEs

or the past number of years Ulster Business magazine has published the Next 200, a listing which complements the long-established Ulster Business Top 100 by identifying those Northern Ireland companies bubbling under the Top 100 and which have the potential to break into the premier listing.

Covid-19 from June 27 2020, companies had the ability to request an extension to their accounts filing deadline. The UK Companies House has extended a company’s filing deadline if it falls any time from June 27 2020 to April 5, 2021, this extension has impacted the age of accounts utilised in compiling the Next 200.

The Next 200 list utilises figures filed at each company’s financial year end and are posted at Companies House. All company filings in the current Next 200 relate to 2019 and 2020 year ends except two companies whose accounts are for the period ending 31/12/2018 and are tagged at the UK Companies House as being overdue.

SUMMARY Sales have grown by 5.6% from £8,364.7m to £8,836.7m and profitability has grown by 2.4% from £552.9m to £566.2m.

It should be noted that these figures in the vast majority of cases remain largely unaffected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the expectation would be that significant impact will be apparent when 2020 and 2021 accounts are filed. Companies with later in the year accounting reference dates being the first to show an impact.

When published in August 2020 the Ulster Business Top 100 had a turnover cut off at £76.9m (Morgan Fuels & Lubes Ltd), the current bubbling under listing shows that six companies would have the potential to move

SALES/REVENUE Revenue is the income that a business derives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to its customers – since the inception of the Top

It should be noted that due to impact of the

up into the Top 100 – this presupposes the fact that companies at the lower reaches of the Top 100 would drop out as their turnover potentially decreases.

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100 listing it has been the primary identifier of the province’s premier businesses. The increase of 5.6% remains encouraging in what has been a challenging time for Northern Ireland entrepreneurs with the uncertainty surrounding Brexit.

There have been some exceptional performances within the listing, obviously the companies mentioned which could force their way into the Top 100. Whitemountain Quarries (a company not unfamiliar with appearing to the Top 100), has increased sales by nearly £15m to £91.5m and produced over £9m pre-

TOP 10 MOST PROFITABLE COMPANIES Rank

Company

Profits (£m)

Profit margin (%)

Next 200 rank

Belfast Harbour Commissioners

31.6

47.9

Hilton Foods Ltd

20.6

70.5

181

Phoenix Natural Gas Ltd

16.8

26.8

TG Eakin Ltd

47.6

137

Andor Technology Ltd

14.7

19.5

GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd

14.2

18.6

Tobermore Concrete Products Ltd

11.9

23.5

Mutual Energy Ltd

11.2

15.6

Nelipak Healthcare Packaging Ltd

10.3

Whitemountain Quarries Ltd

9.3

10.2

APRIL 2021

tax profits, Unilin Distribution also increased sales by over £15.7m (22.7%) to £84.8m. The companies which would potentially move into the Top 100 are Whitemountain Quarries Ltd, Unilin Distribution Ltd, The Sycamore Avenue Company Ltd (Keystone), Decora Blind Systems Ltd, Dennison Commercials Ltd and Lagan Homes Group Ltd. A total of 66 companies showed a decrease of turnover from prior year. Worthy of mention but not included in the Next 200 is Lidl Northern Ireland Ltd, accounts filed for the period ending 29/02/2020 saw Lidl file turnover in the province for the first time. Turnover sits at £278.2m with pre-tax profits of £2.1m and a tangible net worth of £28.4m and employees of 936. These figures (as a benchmark) would have seen Lidl sit at 29 in the 2020 Top 100 listing. PROFIT The success of a business cannot simply be gauged by its top line turnover – the generation of profit is key to enabling businesses to invest in their future. The Next 200 produced pre-tax profits of £566.2m with a prior year figure of £552.9m both strong performances in uncertain business conditions. >

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A consistent increase in net worth indicates good financial health; conversely, net worth may be depleted by annual operating losses or a substantial decrease in asset values relative to liabilities. The value of the Next 200 companies to their shareholders is £3,465.4m. This figure relates to 48.3% of the value of the Top 100. Tangible net worth of £3,465.4m represents a return against sales of 39.2% and a shareholder’s return (profitability/worth) of 16.3% Ten of the companies in the Next 200 showed negative tangible net worth on their latest financial statements. Each employee within the Next 200 accounted for £203,236 of turnover – sales/employee and accounted for £13,022 profit – profit/ employee.

The companies operated on a profit margin (profit/revenue) of 6.4% compared to a prior year figure of 6.6%. This margin of 6.4% remains favourable when compared to the 2020 Top 100 listing which showed a pretax profit margin of 3.7% on a turnover of £27.5bn. Only 17 of the 200 companies declared a pretax loss in their latest year’s filings.

SHAREHOLDER VALUE/TANGIBLE NET WORTH The final measure of a company’s performance which we review is its value to its shareholders, in its simplest form this can be measured by a business’s shareholder funds (issued capital) and retained earnings – intangibles (acquired assets and assets with an identifiable value and useful lifespan that can thus be repaid).

LOCATION Currently 123 companies (61.5%) are located in the east of the province, with 38.5% (77) companies located in the rest of the country. Co Tyrone continues to make significant strides and now headquarters 15% of the Next 200 companies. When looking at geography, the address of a company’s registered office is used as a primary source of location.

TOP 10 HIGHEST TANGIBLE SHAREHOLDER VALUE Rank

Company

Shareholder value (£m)

Profit/shareholder value margin (%)

Next 200 rank

Belfast Harbour Commissioners

514.9

6.1

The Old Bushmills Distillery Company Ltd

206.5

4.3

Phoenix Natural Gas Ltd

125

13.4

NTR Green Energy Holdings Ltd

114.8

107

Multi Packaging Solutions Belfast Ltd

86.8

10.3

143

Hilton Foods Ltd

81.8

25.2

181

Cooneen by Design Ltd

69.3

7.2

Whitemountain Quarries Ltd

66.3

GE Grid Solutions (UK) Ltd

59.6

23.8

Ulster Carpet Mills (Holdings) Ltd

53.6

1.8

NEXT 200

13%

15%

Belfast Co Armagh

19%

Co Antrim Co Down Co. Fermangh Co. L'Derry Co Tyrone

14% 29%

CONCLUSION The companies bubbling under the Top 100 continue to perform well in what remain challenging economic times for the us here. Increasing sales by 5.6% and maintaining a healthy cross-industry profit margin of 6.4% continues to be encouraging. However, more challenging times are ahead which will most likely be reflected in the 2022 Top 100. Northern Ireland businesses need to be vigilant when assessing both customer credit risk and their exposure within their supply chain exposures. The initial credit strength of any company (customer, supplier and for analysis competitor) is a critical factor, especially as the business enters into any economic/pandemic crisis. The companies must have the tools and foresight to gauge the strength of any company it is trading with incorporating key data elements – such as company specific financials, company trading trends, market-based reaction/outcomes and default experience. Traditional risk management tools, such as the safety blanket of credit insurance will be more difficult to come by putting strain on more established open credit term trading. ■

APRIL 2021

NOTES A date of February 26, 2021 has been used as a cut-off for filing of accounts allowing inclusion within the Next 200 listing. The listing has been compiled using a combination of data sources, including the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) information database and Companies House. When compiling the Next 200 all companies listed in the 2020 edition of the Ulster Business Top 100 were excluded regardless of whether a drop in turnover would have relegated the company into the Next 200 listing. When aggregating information from differing data sources all efforts have been made to produce fair comparisons, attempts have also been made to not replicate turnover within group structures.  PIHL Holdings Ltd (63) – fiscal accounts relate to a nine-month period ending 31/12/2019 – prior year end was 31/03/2019.  Imed (NI) Ltd (93) – fiscal accounts filed in euro and converted to sterling at the exchange rate pertaining to the annual accounting date of 31/03/2019.

 Extraspace Solutions (UK) Ltd (111) – fiscal Accounts relate to an 18- month period ending 30/06/2019.  Mannings Construction Ltd (169) – fiscal accounts filed in euro and converted to sterling at the exchange rate pertaining to the annual accounting Date: 31/12/2019.  Stockman’s Management Ltd (formerly Drinks Inc) (43) – a post balance sheet event resulted in the company being sold to Musgrave Distribution Ltd. In its accounts to 31/12/2019 Musgrave Distribution recognised a £4m increase in turnover due to the acquisition – it is envisaged once appropriate documentation have been filed that Stockman’s Management Ltd will be removed from future listings.  TG Eakin Ltd (137) and Respond Healthcare Ltd (170) are subsidiaries of Eakin Healthcare Group Ltd which does not file full consolidated accounts and which is in turn a subsidiary of Eakin Investments Ltd registered in Isle of Man. It is proposed to include both these companies as turnover of each is independent and not included within the parent company accounts.

NEXT 200

Next 200 showcases backbone of economy By Johnny Hanna, partner in charge, KPMG in Northern Ireland

e at KPMG are delighted to be sponsoring the Ulster Business Next 200.

In the previous pages you have seen a list of some of our most important companies, names which you will recognise as stalwarts of the Northern Ireland economy and names of young, growing businesses which may not yet be so familiar. These companies come from every corner of Northern Ireland and represent every sector, making up the backbone of this economy which we are all lucky enough to be part of. The attributes they all share are plain to see: resilience, tenacity and innovation. Dig a little deeper into the story behind each business and you are sure to find a mention of each one of those qualities, particularly given the challenges which have emerged over the last year during the Covid-19 pandemic. It created a unique set of issues which impacted every business, forcing the implementation of a new way of working for leaders, for employees and for customers. Coupled with that have been the uncertainties to emerge during the Brexit transition period and the additional red tape and workload which importers have had to endure since then. Either one of these factors would have been difficult enough to navigate on their own but the Next 200 businesses have had to cope with both within a 12 month period. We heard firsthand from a range of business leaders about how challenging the pandemic was for them in the CEO Spotlight Series carried out by the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with

Johnny Hanna

KPMG last year. A standout factor from those discussions was how important it is for leaders to share learnings during such a fast-moving issue so they can flex their businesses as quickly as possible and lean on the support of peers.

The good news for the companies in the Next 200 list is that these – at the time – enforced innovations have left them primed to serve the changed world which we are likely to operate in as lockdown restrictions are lifted and we get back to a semblance of normality.

Meanwhile, it’s clear that many of the Next 200 are family-owned businesses, a factor KPMG’s latest research shows has stood in their favour.

That bodes well for the coming year, one when opportunity will open up for each and everyone of the Next 200 and they will be able to reap the benefits of that resilience, tenacity and innovation.

Released last month, ‘Mastering a comeback: How family businesses are triumphing over Covid-19’, surveyed 2,500 family businesses and found they are uniquely positioned to lead the revival of the global economy in the wake of the pandemic given their long-term mindset, social responsibility and openness to business transformation strategies.

To each of the companies on this list we say congratulations for navigating the last year and good luck in the coming months. We at KPMG look forward to partnering you toward a successful future for your business and for Northern Ireland. ■

NEXT 200

29 Avondale Foods

here are a host of brands that, while we may seen them in shops, cafes and sandwich shops – or at least we did before 2020 arrived on our doorsteps – the size, strength and growth of the family companies behind them may not be as familiar. Avondale Foods, based in Lurgan, is one of Northern Ireland’s leading food manufacturer

– and a company which has carved out a key chunk of the marketplace here, for more than 50 years. In 1965, two brothers in Craigavon, Harry and Derek Geddis established Avondale Foods after identifying a gap in the market for pre-packed vegetables. Initially operated under the name of S Geddis

& Sons and grew vegetables for NI retail outlets. But its wide product range now spans coleslaws and potato salads, side salads, salad meals, fresh soup, vegetable accompaniments, porridge, bakery, dressings and sauces. Here, Country Kitchen is the company’s brand which is tailored to the Northern Ireland consumer.

NEXT 200

Avondale Foods’ clients include Asda, Costcutter, Dunnes, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. The company has a range of products covering categories such as: coleslaws amd potato salads, sauces, noodles, soup, porridge, vegetable accompaniments, bakery and side salads. And a major part of the business is supermarket own label. According to Derek Geddis, while it, like the majority of other firms out there, has had to tackle both Brexit and Covid-19, that it’s pushed on through and adapted, thanks to its team. “It has been a challenging year for the Northern Ireland food manufacturing sector,” he said. “We have had to contend with Brexit, the Irish Sea border and the Covid pandemic. “At Avondale we are extremely thankful to have a dedicated and versatile team who continually strive to ensure that the company remains at the forefront of chilled food manufacturing in the UK and Ireland.” Harry and Derek still head up Avondale Foods as co-chairmen – 46 years after the company was first founded. Avondale has expanded and grown its workforce, alongside its sales and production. That’s seen its headcount rising to just shy of 500 staff. “Quality is the cornerstone of our continued success,” Derek says. “We develop and manufacture high quality products which provide a solution to consumers’ ever changing needs. Derek and Harry Geddis

Avondale was also the first firm here to start producing coleslaw on a large scale. Today, Avondale supplies approximately 30% of retail packs of coleslaw sold throughout the UK. It’s also jumped up the Next 200 list, rising to number 29 with a turnover of more than £63m, and pre-tax profits of more than £500,000.

APRIL 2021

And although the firm initially grew the vegetables themselves, as demand for their products increased, produce was sourced from local growers, allowing Avondale Foods more time to focus on product development. Since its inception, it’s grown its reach considerably across the big multiples, here, and elsewhere in the UK and Ireland.

In 2018, Avondale announced a deal with Asda to produce 20 lines of the supermarket’s ‘own brand’ salads. At the time it said the move would create up to 60 jobs. And last summer, Avondale Foods landed another range of new products into Asda. That includes Extra Special Coleslaws – chipotle and yogurt – and a sweet chilli chicken noodle salad to over 200 UK-based stores, along with a vegan coleslaw under the company’s new ‘V Kitchen’ brand to Asda stores here. ■

NEXT 200

84 The Old Bushmills Distillery

he demand for a dram across the globe has seen the Irish whiskey market growing exponentially over the last decade.

renaissance. It’s been buoyed globally by the big brands – predominantly Jameson and Bushmills.

Of course, one of the those at the forefront of the surge in the now more than 400-year-old Bushmills – a stalwart of whiskey productions here, and internationally.

Bushmills has changed hands in terms of its parent firm over the last few years. Formerly owned by Diageo, in 2014 it was announced that Jose Cuervo would takeover ownership of the Co Antrim business and distillery.

If you’re in any way on top of what is going on in terms of spirit, and more specifically whiskey trends, then you’ll know Irish whiskey has, and continues to have, a serious

According to the latest accounts for The Old Bushmills Distillery, turnover has risen to £43.4m for the year ending December 2019. That’s up from £33.6m a year earlier.

Colum Egan

NEXT 200

During that period, profits have also risen substantially – up more than 30% to around £8.9m. That’s put the company in at the number 84 spot on this year’s Next 200 list. But while consumption of the aged spirit is continuing, both here, and across the globe – despite many pubs and restaurants remaining shut – the centre itself has taken a hit, no longer able to welcome the hundreds of thousands of visitors through its doors each year, due to the pandemic. However, the plans for expansion at Bushmills are sizeable. In total, it represents a £60m investment that will see the distillery expand significantly, including in its warehousing to grow its stock and ability to age. The company’s core range – which includes the younger Original and Black Bush blends – remains its largest sellers. But there has also been a growth in the premium end – part of the reason for launching the its new higherend Causeway Collection. The first selection includes two big drams – a 1995 Malaga cask and 2008 Muscatel cask. The former is a whack of acetone, meaty, sherry without the sweetness, burnt toffee, wood, roasted chestnuts, coffee and Christmas pudding. “This year has lots in store for Bushmills,” Colum Egan, master distiller, tells Ulster Business. “Throughout the last year we have focused on our commitment to craftsmanship and

APRIL 2021

innovation and progressed exciting expansion plans to support the long-term growth of The Old Bushmills Distillery, the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery. “In late 2020 we launched The Causeway Collection – a series of extremely rare and unique cask finished single malt whiskeys, inspired by the natural wonder of the Giant’s Causeway. “The Causeway Collection references vary in age from nine to 30 years old and have launched to widespread acclaim in Ireland, Australia, France, the UK, Germany, Portugal, the Nordics and China. “At Bushmills we have allowed these uncommon casks unprecedented years of rest, decades in some cases, creating unique waves of flavour, every bit as dramatic as the Northern Irish coastline. “We are also continuing work on our expansion at The Old Bushmills Distillery. Our plans for building additional distilling capacity and warehousing, including our annual capital investments, all form part of our £60m plan to double our production capacity over five years to meet the increasing demand for our portfolio of Irish whiskeys. “This additional distilling capacity is due to be complete later this year and we can’t wait to make even more whiskey for Bushmills fans around the world. “It is indeed an exciting time for Bushmills and for the Irish whiskey industry as a whole.” ■

NEXT 200

88 Western Building Systems

any have been through the thick of it of late.

But while accounting periods still largely track pre-Covid activity, the surge in turnover and profits at Western Building Systems is certainly a positive story worth telling. And it’s one firm which has been actively involved in work around the pandemic. The Co Tyrone firm specialises in off-site construction – developing modular build projects across a range of areas, from residential, to schools and commercial, across the UK and Ireland. “Our designation as essential workers, in GB, NI and the Republic of Ireland enabled us to proceed with key scheduled projects,” chief executive, Martin McCloskey, said. He says since, the company had delivered a satisfactory performance in the face of competition, reduced margins, and the Covid-19 pandemic. “Although there was some interruption during the first lockdown, our teams were able to continue to work within carefully managed social distanced environments.” The firm began life in 1982, initially doing flat roofing projects before its expansion into specialist construction for projects primarily

within the health, education, commercial and housing sectors. It operates from a purpose-built manufacturing facility near Coalisland, and is now one of the leading providers of specialist construction projects throughout the UK and Ireland. The off-site construction firm invested almost £1.2m in a 30,000 sq ft factory at its Coalisland headquarters, in 2016, complete with two 20 tonne overhead cranes. Turnover at Western Building Systems rose by 72% from £24.79m to £42.78m for the period April 2019/2020. Meanwhile, pre-tax profit climbed to £1.86m and employment numbers rose by 20%. The performance has seen the firm jump to number 88 on this year’s Next 200 list. During this period relating to its most recent financial accounts, Western was awarded major projects at London’s Imperial College totalling £28m, two schools for the Department of Education and Skills in the Republic, modular classrooms for the Department of Education in Northern Ireland worth around £5m, 50 turnkey dwelling houses and 12 apartments in a new housing development in Duleek, Co Meath and almost 200 private and social housing units. The company also added a fifth director, Rory McGuigan, during the same period.

Western also completed and handed over a new 60-bed medical block and a 14 bed, two storey modular unit to the University Hospital Limerick in response to the growing number of Covid-19 patients being admitted to the hospital. In addition, it was awarded a contract to build a new Covid-testing facility at the same location. “We are very aware that none of this would have been possible without the consistent dedication and hard work of our staff who have delivered even in the most challenging of circumstances and now the key focus for our senior management team is to continue to win new projects during the pandemic,” Martin said. He said the pipeline for 2021 projects is strong and Western Building Systems anticipates similar turnover levels for the period between April 2020 and 2021. “As well as a £500,000 project for the NI Ambulance Service and modular accommodation for the NI Fire and Rescue Service, we also commenced a number of other major contracts at Hillingdon Hospital, London (60-bed medical ward), Batchworth Council, Watford (office accommodation), two new housing developments in Counties Armagh and Tyrone and secured ongoing work with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland.” ■

NEXT 200

Martin McCloskey

APRIL 2021

NEXT 200

186 McCulla Ashley McCulla

NEXT 200

ogistics firm McCulla is yet another example of a family-run and owned business which has kept on trucking for more than 50 years.

out and remove problems for our customers, so we aren’t just an outsourced haulier or warehouse provider; we become an extension of our customers’ production lines.

“What makes us different is our desire to seek out and remove problems for our customers,” chairman Ashley McCulla told Ulster Business.

“We achieve this end-to-end service through software links, managing our customers’ inventory, providing quality control staff and by supplying added value services such as blast freezing and up–tempering (defrosting frozen food quickly). Recently we have introduced a customs clearance service.”

The Lisburn-based company comes in at the number 186 spot in this year’s Next 200 list. According to the latest filed accounts for McCulla (Holdings) Ltd, turnover is now up to just shy of £30m – up from £27.1m a year earlier. And pre-tax profits have also increased – now sitting at £2.26m for the year ending December 2019. It’s had to, like other businesses, adapt and prepare for the impact of Brexit. That includes setting up a customs brokerage business to help with customs formalities for goods moving across the Irish Sea – either from GB to the island of Ireland or from Ireland to GB. The company operates around 100 trucks and 180 fridge trailers, and employs around 225 staff. McCulla Ireland started more than 50 years ago by Ashley McCulla’s father, initially to transport his own cattle to Smithfield Market. But while he was doing this, he spotted the opportunity to move into refrigerated transport. Since then it has diversified from the original core business of refrigerated haulage to a fully integrated cold supply chain, which now includes cold storage and bespoke logistics solutions. “We can collect, store and deliver temperaturecontrolled goods by the box, pallet or full load to anywhere in the UK, Ireland and the rest of continental Europe,” Ashley says. “We now also have a specialist division, called Certa, that focuses on pharmaceuticals and tech goods logistics. “What makes us different is our desire to seek

APRIL 2021

As featured in a previous edition of the magazine, McCulla is also a company among the more forward-thinking about its energy needs. In the last few years it has opened its own energy division, called Alternity Biogas Energy. That allows it to produce its own energy for cold stores and new compressed gas fuelled trucks. The new trucks are powered by biomethane gas, which are generated from food waste on site at its Lisburn anaerobic digester power plant. In 2017, the firm installed its anaerobic digester plant, which has allowed it to produce its own power. “Compressed gas has been proven as an effective lower carbon form of fuel for trucks and we are delighted to be the first to introduce these efficiencies in our fleet,” Ashley said. “Our ability to make our own biomethane gas, in conjunction with the increasing availability of the Phoenix Natural Gas network, means we will be at the forefront of alternative fuel vehicle usage within the UK and Irish industry and we hope to reduce our diesel reliance completely within five years. “With the help of Phoenix Natural Gas, and maximising the opportunities to further increase the green credentials of natural gas, we are looking at the potential to inject biomethane into the natural gas infrastructure grid which will enable even more companies, to avail of a lower carbon energy source.” ■

NEXT 200

Half of small UK firms say Covid will impact 2021 sales further

Global data and analytics firm Dun & Bradstreet has carried out new UK-wide research which shows the impact of Covid-19 on small companies, what the pandemic has meant for future planning, some of the silver linings and if Brexit is still remains another huge challenge for firms of all shapes and sizes

or UK small business owners, the dual impact of Brexit and a global pandemic resulted in a challenging 2020 and an uncertain outlook for 2021. Recent research commissioned by commercial data and analytics provider Dun & Bradstreet found that half of SMEs (51%) the surveyed believe they will suffer the effects of Covid-19 more acutely in 2021. The survey of over 750 small business in the UK found more than half (54%) of those surveyed said the impact Covid has made them less confident their business will be successful, with 56% revealing that the pandemic has made it difficult for them to plan for the future. Over half (54%) of small business respondents agree the pandemic has already negatively impacted their business, backed up by analysis in Dun & Bradstreet’s Covid-19 Commerce Disruption Tracker, which shows that 97% of all UK businesses have been disrupted this year,

with 98% of sales and 98% of employees impacted by the pandemic.

the same number have introduced new services to their customers as a result of the pandemic.

But Covid-19 isn’t the only challenge facing UK small businesses. Half of those surveyed said they were less confident in the success of their business due to Brexit, as companies work through what the terms of a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU mean for their future operations. Respondents were also worried that Brexit would make it increasingly difficult for them to attract talent, with 51% citing this as a concern.

“Many small businesses are likely to be fighting for survival this year,” Tim Vine, head of international finance and risk solutions at Dun & Bradstreet, said. “As repayments for Covid-related loans start to hit the cashflow of the 1.5 million SMEs which took advantage of schemes and as support schemes come to an end, it’s going to be a difficult year for small business owners.”

But it is not all doom and gloom. SMEs have still managed to find new ways to improve their offering for their customers and thrive despite the challenging environment. Around half (52%) of those surveyed have started to offer online payments for the very first time, while others (50%) have pivoted to home delivery to better meet the needs of their customers in lockdown. Of the 750 respondents, 51% have identified new growth opportunities for their business and

Looking ahead at the next 12 months, UK SMEs surveyed by Dun & Bradstreet listed their key business priorities as identifying new opportunities to target new customers and markets (31%), improving the quality of data within their organisation (30%), evaluating and managing the impact of Covid-19 (29%), growing market share and increasing competitive advantage (29%) and identifying and mitigating potential business risk (28%). ■

SME & family business APRIL 2021

SME & FAMILY BUSINESS

Professor Karise Hutchinson

SME & FAMILY BUSINESS

It’s time to flex that leadership muscle Navigating a sudden crisis like Covid-19 requires strong leadership and strong resilience in order to get through it. Author and business academic, Professor Karise Hutchinson, and lecturer Rachael Fergie, of the Ulster University Business School look at why leadership is a key driver of a small business’s success, the stories of expansion and the crucial correlation between leadership and growth

he full impact of Covid-19 pandemic is yet known, but the impact on the small business sector is likely to be severe. Different businesses are experiencing different realities; some are adapting and seizing new opportunities, but many more are in hibernation or survival mode fighting to avoid bankruptcy. Navigating a sudden, deep and widespread crisis like a global pandemic necessitates strong leadership and resiliency that is not called forth every day, indeed rarely in most lifetimes. In small and start-up businesses, it is the entrepreneurial leader who must respond and take responsibility for the health, strength, and sustainability of the business. While it is said entrepreneurs often exhibit higher levels of resilience compared to others, the truly exogenous, uncertain and global features of this pandemic have tested the limits of many business leaders. Large businesses may be able to survive for short periods in a crisis without great leadership in place, but the opposite is true for start-up and small businesses. Why? The ability to harness the pressure of this crisis and forge new ways of working,

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new experiences, and new business models, requires intentional leadership and learning. And, the research is clear, the resiliency of the business depends on the leader’s mind-set and skills.

leaders, the mental shift requires creating the right environmental conditions for rest and personal and professional growth, leading strong from the inside out as they focus on the next steps for their business.

The problem for many small business owners is even though they are ‘doing’ leadership every day, the concept of leadership is often considered irrelevant.

2. Resistance builds resilience: just as medical science advocates the benefits of external resistance in building muscle strength, in a similar way, great leaders know the greatest learning is found in hard times. For many small business leaders at this time, the pandemic has brought loss and disappointment, which has hurt business (much like exercise). To avoid staying stuck at a point of failure, leaders are making the shift from avoiding fear of the future to embracing the disruption of the crisis and the learning therein in order to forge a way forward for the business.

Our research with small business leaders in Northern Ireland in the US during the pandemic found the existence of leadership ability is like a ‘muscle’. While we can argue all business leaders have the muscle, strength is characterised by positive influence and impact is determined by how the muscle is exercised. Taking the pandemic crisis as the ‘gym of adversity’, for small business leaders seeking to grow, here are five ‘leadershifts’ (as defined by Maxwell, 2019) that will help exercise the leadership muscle. 1. Mind-muscle connection: just as fitness experts understand muscle growth is stimulated by the brain and body working closely together, business leaders recognise the necessity for a mental shift in navigating recovery from this crisis. For small business

3. Stretch enables agility: just as strength training without stretching will constrict the expansion and growth of muscles, leadership without learning will prevent the ability to see and respond quickly to the opportunities in this crisis. Agile leaders are navigating the change by stretching and challenging what they already know by intentionally setting aside time for acquiring new knowledge by reading, researching, and networking. >

SME & FAMILY BUSINESS

4. Habits ensure consistency: just as science tells us the frequency and consistency of exercise builds the muscle, it is well recognised small decisions and actions performed every day form habits, often unconsciously, but determine the leader’s permanent state of being. Self-aware small business leaders are making a conscious effort to understand their natural strengths and abilities, as well as what needs to improve, committed to developing new habits such as empathy and white space in order to ensure sustained growth for the business. 5. Exercise improves creativity: research shows exercise reduces stress and improves emotional states, which in turn, helps

induce the flow states foundational to creative thinking. In a similar way, small business leaders are utilising design thinking tools

To avoid staying stuck at a point of failure, leaders are making the shift from avoiding fear of the future to embracing the disruption of the crisis and the learning therein in order to forge a way forward for the business

(eg empathy map) to reduce rigid thinking, increase convergent and divergent thinking, and enable the experimentation with different solutions to respond competitively to the ‘wicked’ problems presented by Covid-19. We are starting to see some small business leaders take responsibility for their leadership ability, exercising their muscle in the ways we have described, and in doing so developing some level of confidence in the face of great challenge. This confidence over time marked by small wins of change will fuel greater risk taking and create momentum necessary to grow business despite the economic challenges post pandemic. ■

Belfast City Airport on cloud nine following Leaf partnership

IT & TECHNOLOGY

eorge Best City Airport has agreed a new three-year partnership with local, cloud-first information technology company, Leaf, to strengthen the airports digital transformation programme. The collaboration between the two Belfast-based organisations, which will increase internal process efficiencies and enhance the overall customer experience at the airport, has already resulted in a 50% reduction in IT operational support costs.

Brian Roche, Belfast City Airport and Steven Goldblatt, Leaf

Brian Roche, Belfast City Airport director of IT, said: “Leaf, with its 15 years’ experience and results-driven approach to digital solutions, is the perfect partner to join us in our journey, having excelled through the competitive tender process due to its innate understanding of the airport’s needs, innovative services and future-proofing foresight.”

Steven Goldblatt, chief executive, Leaf, said: “Belfast City Airport has placed their trust in us to deliver reliable and scalable IT. Our team will bring an innovative approach to the airport’s transformation towards cloud and we are looking forward to assisting the team in utilising world leading technology to improve processes at the airport and deliver exceptional customer experience.”

The airport, which has just signed a contract for the installation of 5G, setting it on a path to becoming one of the most highly-connected transport hubs in the UK, will work with Leaf to prioritise a wide range of major areas.

In addition to a fully managed IT service, Belfast City Airport will also lean on Leaf for the procurement of all future hardware and work closely on the exploration and implementation of emerging IT technologies. For more information visit www.leaf-it.com

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SME & FAMILY BUSINESS

The BGF team: David Gammie, Gemma Hamilton, Euan Baxter, Paddy Graham, Graham Clarke and Fiona Dornan

Why family businesses should consider giving investors a seat at the table Family businesses will be crucial to the recovery of the economy post Covid-19, but many will need new capital to grow. BGF talks about how it is supporting SMEs right across Northern Ireland

here are unique challenges facing every family business, but when it comes to realising growth aspirations the same conversation around how to fund that growth will inevitably come up. There is much more knowledge about equity funding among Northern Ireland family businesses than there was even five years ago, but it is still the case that many familyowned firms who need capital are reluctant to entertain the idea of giving an outside partner a seat at the table.

Much of that hesitancy often comes down to a lack of understanding about the options that are available As with any partnership in life, looking for the right match is essential and family businesses do not have to settle for an ‘unhappy marriage’ in order to fulfil their growth potential, according to Paddy Graham, head of Northern Ireland and central Scotland at BGF, one of the UK and Ireland’s most active equity investor in growing businesses. BGF strives to create an alliance with its

portfolio companies that makes it is possible to achieve significant growth without losing the DNA that made their business so successful in the first place. It does that in part by taking a minority stake in the companies it invests in, acting as a junior partner alongside management teams and shareholders. “We want to offer SMEs a different approach, which is why we are always minority stakeholders. Culturally, that is very important to us. We want to provide management teams with access to capital in order to fulfil their ambitions,” Paddy says.

SME & FAMILY BUSINESS

team at BGF came to us with a long-term approach and understood the culture of a family-centred business. The relationship established with BGF complimented our growth plans which is why the follow-up investment was even more ambitious. Like every business, there are ups and downs but when you have a genuine partnership, the complexities that arise can be solved as a team. BGF’s input to the business has been invaluable for our development.”

Eamon Donnelly, Paul Donnelly and Simon Oliphant from Uform

“At BGF we typically back companies with revenues from £1m right up to £100m plus, and across all sectors. We initially invest between £1m and £15m, with follow-on funding invested as required. “We don’t want to be meddling in day-today operational matters – our role is to offer strategic oversight and leverage the power of our network to help drive growth and value creation. But equally we’re not looking for a quick exit like many investors. We don’t set exit deadlines or have drag rights. Exit timeframes are driven by the shareholders, not BGF.” BGF has invested over £50m in Northern Ireland since 2015 in companies across a range of industry sectors including housebuilding, hospitality, waste management and manufacturing and technology – the majority of which are family-owned businesses. Despite the challenging economic backdrop of Covid-19 last year, BGF invested in Decora Blind Systems/Mzuri Group, a family-run manufacturer of window coverings. Since taking on investment, the management team at Decora has acquired five more businesses and continues to expand into the US and European markets. Growth has continued with its recent acquisition of the TCMM Shutter Group, one of the largest interior wood shutter distributors in the UK. “Decora is a great example of how a wellmanaged family business can quickly start to accelerate and achieve its growth ambitions following investment,” Paddy says. “It was

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already a hugely successful company and BGF’s aim was not to change its day-today operations, but with the right funding in place, and the addition of experience from our network, it has now been able to strengthen its offering by adding a series of complementary businesses to the group and maximising their potential.” Stuart Dickson, managing director of Decora, said: “It is highly beneficial to have external shareholders to help structure the board for the next phase of growth. They provide knowledge and experience which enables us to face upcoming challenges such as acquisitions or restructuring. BGF is also there to act as a sounding board for the directors, to help discuss hurdles, challenge plans and provide strategic direction.” A fundamental question for family-owned businesses considering equity investment is, what is life like with an external investor after the deal has completed? Derry-based housebuilder Braidwater became the first company in Northern Ireland to receive investment from BGF in November 2015. Braidwater, a family-own business, has been designing and building high quality family homes across Northern Ireland for more than 40 years. In 2018, the construction firm secured a multi-million pound follow on investment from BGF. Joe McGinnis, managing director at Braidwater, said: “It is difficult to know what to expect when taking on equity investment but the

BGF’s investment approach is also flexible to the needs of the business as they can invest alongside bank debt and co-invest with other partners. In 2019, Antrim-based kitchen door and component supplier Uform secured a multi-million pound funding package from BGF alongside funding from Danske Bank. Founded by Eamon Donnelly, his brother Paul and late father Eddie in 1993, the company was first backed by BGF in late 2018 and currently employs around 340 people. “In a fast-changing sector which is very attuned to the performance of the economy, the support of BGF and its network has already proved valuable,” Eamon Donnelly said. “We’re extremely proud of the operation we’ve built from the ground up, BGF understands that, and their presence on our board has played a vital strategic role in our recent expansion. In a close-knit team, it has also grown our network, and therefore the opportunities that have arisen. Paddy Graham says: “There are some fantastic family businesses in Northern Ireland. We understand the challenges they face, and we want to help them succeed. We would encourage those companies who wish to explore funding from BGF to get in touch with me or a member of my team.” While there have continued to be challenges for business at the start of this year, there will also be opportunities for family businesses with growth aspirations as the economy opens up again. Having a partner like BGF on board can provide the means to achieving those goals without compromising your company’s culture. It’s just a case of adding another seat at the table. ■

ECONOMY

Spotting the warning signs While signs of economic revival are on the horizon, there will undoubtedly be corporate casualties throughout 2021 and beyond. Spotting the warning signs in good time is key to survival, writes Gareth McGonigle, restructuring and insolvency director at ASM Chartered Accountants

he impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been devastating for many businesses. According to recent research released, the UK may be one of the hardest hit economies and could take the longest time to recover. If history repeats itself, Northern Ireland may feel the impact of this more so than other regions. Having said that, the expected number of formal insolvencies has not materialised, largely due to the level of government support through the furlough scheme, various loan schemes and deferrals of certain HMRC liabilities. As these schemes wind down and repayment dates arrive, the extent of the damage from the pandemic will start to become clearer. In any event, being able to spot the warning signs of potential insolvency is key for directors and shareholders in the coming months and years. What are the warning signs?  Cash: While companies are often judged on their balance sheets, cash remains the number one priority at a time of uncertainty. Having a clear view of what cash is coming into and going out of a business, and when, is critical to allow management to plan. Being flexible in forecasting models allows tweaks to be made at short notice depending on reopening dates.  Balance sheet reality: Reality plays a huge part in determining the true position of a business. A book value may be significantly different to the actual value of an asset. Overdrawn directors’ loan accounts which show as an asset on a balance sheet may not be able to be repaid with dividends as normal due to a depletion of reserves. It pays to be critical of your own balance sheet to get an accurate health status of the business.  Customer insolvency: The domino effect of customer insolvency is commonly seen, particularly where a business is over reliant on one customer. Maintain regular contact with customers, review credit limits, check for movements in credit ratings and ensure you keep on top of cash collection. How do I know if my business is insolvent? What options do I have? Two tests are used to determine whether a business is technically insolvent. The first is the balance sheet test which is failed where liabilities exceed assets. The second is the cash flow test which is failed where a business cannot meet its liabilities as the fall due. Should either of these tests be failed, a company is deemed insolvent.

ASM directors Caroline Keenan, Gareth McGonigle and Michael Nixon

At that point, directors have a statutory obligation to protect company assets for the benefit of creditors and not to worsen the position. There is no doubt that the impact of Covid-19 will result in many businesses facing insolvency. Should this be the case, directors need to be aware of their options, particularly if there is a trading business to be saved. In order to rescue or restructure, early professional advice is essential to ensure as many options as possible are available. This may include informal arrangements with creditors or formal procedures such as Company Voluntary Arrangements. The new Moratorium and Restructuring Plan procedures, introduced under recent legislation, have potential to be useful tools in the toolkit of restructuring and insolvency professionals going forward. Regardless, burying the head in the sand never works – if professional advice is sought at the eleventh hour, the options are limited. ■ Gareth McGonigle is restructuring and insolvency director at ASM Chartered Accountants and is a chartered accountant and licensed insolvency practitioner. If you require restructuring or insolvency advice, please do not hesitate to contact Gareth on 02890 249 222 or at gareth. mcgonigle@asmbelfast.com

ANALYSIS

Ryanair’s big city return More than a decade after leaving Belfast City Airport, Ryanair has returned. But the carrier now has two bases close to the city, spreading its route range across both. John Mulgrew looks at the latest announcement and what could come down the line

John Mulgrew speaks to Michael O’Leary in 2016 when Ryanair announced it was coming to Belfast International Airport

“W

e continue to work closely with Belfast International… we continue to have a good relationship with the airport,” Ryanair’s marketing chief, Dara Brady, tells me. What prompted that answer? What’s the budget airline’s relationship with Aldergrove, after announcing a host of summer routes from Belfast City Airport – somewhere it used to call home here, more than a decade ago. It came somewhat out of the blue. A couple of rumours, a tweet or two from aviation buffs, and then details of eight new routes, including Malaga, Mallorca, Faro, Alicante, Barcelona, Ibiza, Milan Bergamo and Valencia. Ryanair still operates several routes from Belfast International Airport, including three into Poland. However, there’s now some duplication with its summer schedule. So, is it sustainable to have operations from both airports? Ryanair pulled out of Belfast City Airport in a flurry of news surrounding a lack of progress on a planned runway extension – something which has been on the cards for more than 10 years, but delayed due to a host of challenges and a public inquiry.

Then, in 2016, Michael O’Leary flew back into Northern Ireland to unveil his airline’s grand return to the region, this time at Belfast International Airport. I was there at Belfast’s Europa Hotel to interview him – shortly after he stood on a ledge, several floors up, posing for the cameras with his inimitable aeroplane impression. It was a huge win for the airport, which saw passenger numbers soar in the years which followed – buoyed by Ryanair’s return. But it’s now come to an arrangement with rival Belfast City. “Belfast City Airport has recognised (the need) to stimulate tourism… recovery incentives need to be put in place,” Dara says. “The new routes team did a wonderful job getting a good deal for Belfast City and Ryanair. “We have seen very strong demand in the first couple of days – very strong bookings across

places like Malaga, Alicante and Faro. There is a pent-up level of demand.” A successful summer here, and at Belfast City Airport, could spell the good news the airline, and the airport, are after. But it’s still unclear what a long-term schedule would look like, operating from both airports. “Clearly we are focused on the core of getting operational from June,” Dara says. (There will be) ongoing discussions in the next few weeks about what we may, or may not do, thereafter. “We have a short lead in time to get promoting, and to get awareness for customers. “We take every airport on its merits and commercial viability… we operate in almost every airport, from very large to very small airports. To us, it doesn’t make a difference. As long as it’s commercially viable… we are more than happy to be flying.” ■

Business start-up

BUSINESS START-UP

Jennifer Neff and Leeann Monk Ozgul

The female entrepreneurs leading the way One of the most challenging economic climates in our living history, the pandemic, has played havoc with how businesses operate. But it hasn’t stunted the entrepreneurial drive of some female business leaders, from the new to the experienced. Emma Deighan chats with four female bosses who are thriving against the odds Jennifer Neff, ELEMENTAL

Elemental, an award-winning software firm that enables individuals, families, and their carers to better connect with community-based programmes, services and interventions that make a positive impact on their lives was set up by Jennifer Neff and Leeann Monk Ozgul.

The business idea came about in 2013, hitting the market in 2016 and has now removed the paper intensive prescription and organisation of social links and health services. In 2021, the Derry-based business signed its biggest contract to date with the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, which looks over 2.8 million patients.

“We went into a tender process for that and won. It’s a massive contract that has enabled us to grow,” Jennifer says. The team has grown from five to 30 in the past year while revenue, since its inception, has risen by 500%. Talking about her journey to success, Jennifer says: “We are a team of passionate community impact individuals.

BUSINESS START-UP

“The first time we pitched the company was in a competition at a Derry’s City of Culture competition and while we didn’t win, it was an opportunity that allowed us to present our vision and solution.” She says the winner of that competition, Maurice Mulvenna from Ulster University, gave her his £500 winnings which was instrumental in helping the duo take their next step. “We spent years testing and refining the software and then we launched at the NHS Expo 2016. We showed the platform for the first time and did around 80 demos over two days. That got us five clients including Mersey Care Foundation Trust.” Today, Elemental provides a host of trusts with access to community referrals. It also allows them to gather data. “We are real advocates of females in business, and we look back on our story and while there have been some difficult days, we’ve learned a lot and we want to be mentors to those who are following the same path. “I think that’s one piece of advice I would give to anyone starting out on their own, find a cofounder. Leeann and I gel together. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and while there are tough days, it helps having a co-founder. It keeps you focused and resilient.”

Suzie McAneney, LEMONADE

Suzie McAneney’s employment status has changed three times over the past year. In 2020, she was a contracted employee at a PR firm, she was then furloughed and today is self-employed running her own marketing agency and collaborating with other marketing professionals. “Self-employment certainly has its peaks and troughs and navigating that with the right mindset is a huge challenge,” she says. She says business at her agency is “booming” even though many firms have cut marketing spend. “Since the pandemic began, organisations have realised they have to

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Suzie McAneney

position themselves in a more thoughtful and considered way to gain cut-through – and PR and marketing is the ideal means to do that. Lemonade is working with some great clients including Xero UK, Cloud 360 Accounting, Fathom and Squarebox HR and Training Consultancy.”

set my mind to it, it wasn’t as daunting as one might think.”

The plan now is to grow the agency into a “leading marketing and PR agency”, taking on staff and continuing to work with her current suppliers from the worlds of design, UX and web development. The pandemic has allowed Suzie to relocate to the north west, where her husband also works in marketing.

“However, I do believe there is work to be done regarding female representation at board level and the gender pay gap.”

Discussing the move to go it alone, she says: “I was left in a position where I had nothing to lose, so I decided to go back to my agency roots and start my own consultancy. I had belief and faith in myself that I could achieve this if I

She says: “The pandemic forced businesses into a survive rather than thrive mode which drove cuts, a lot of companies chose to focus on other areas of the business to deliver short-term sales.” >

Looking at the female-led business community here and its future potential, Suzie credits many of the start-up support groups that open doors for like-minded individuals.

Suzie’s plans are to build on her client base as marketing resumes its role of being an essential element of operations post-pandemic.

BUSINESS START-UP

Aimear Lynch, MY PET LAMB

“Starting a business is an eye-opening experience and the initial challenge was having the nerve to take the plunge and launch,” Aimear Lynch of My Pet Lamb clothing company says. “It can also be lonely when trying to run every aspect of the business. However, the highs far outweigh the lows. I had a busy first Christmas of sales and diversified into an adult range having started with children’s wear only. “The best feeling is to have realised a dream that I had for 10 years in the making.” After 10 years working for a large UK retailer, Aimear decided to pack up her life and move back to Donegal to make My Pet Lamb happen. As buyer and merchandiser, she said she recognised that the fast fashion model “was broken”. With a masters in sustainable design, she knew the fast fashion model could no longer slide. Instead of approaching retail irresponsibly, My Pet Lamb aims to showcase the very best of natural Irish heritage knitwear and classic cotton staples. Today the company is benefitting from a growth in online retail sales. “However, I must admit we are a slave to social algorithms which is a challenge when trying to promote digitally. My first year is going as planned, and we are focused on a growth strategy.” The company works with a network of women in rural communities ranging from 60-80 years old and the aim is to grow this network across NI. “The leap has been big, leaving the security of a job is daunting but I also had to consider my own sustainability and quality of life,” Aimear says about going alone. “Pursuing something I’m passionate about, using my skills and making my dream a reality far outweighs any of the negatives. “From my own experience I feel there has been a real awakening over the past few years for female founders, particularly since the pandemic – Enterprise North West has never been busier.” Aimear says the pandemic has limited networking opportunities for new start-ups like hers and looks forward to fewer restrictions.

Becca Hume, TAPSOS

which could deliver £180bn to the economy.

Developed to provide an inclusive solution to allows everyone to contact emergency services, without barriers, TapSoS was set up by ex-silversmith and jewellery maker Becca Hume, in 2016.

“We’re looking at eye-gazing technology and a number of other innovations that will challenge what we’re already doing,” she says.

Today the service is growing its user base, which can contact 999 without the need to vocalise the emergency. This includes those who are deaf, hard of hearing and many of the 800,000 people living in the UK who don’t have English as a first language. “People automatically think it is just for deaf people, but there are many others who benefit. For example, a person who is choking, having an asthma attack or an allergic reaction also benefits. This is for everyone,” Becca (pictured on the front cover of this feature) says, who was recently the only NI businessperson to win a £50,000 Innovation Award. The new funding is part of the Government’s flagship Women in Innovation Awards, delivered by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which seeks to boost the number of UK female entrepreneurs,

The company currently employs three staff members but also works collaboratively with several other contractors. As a woman in business, Becca says she has received a lot of support over the years but believes there still remain funding gaps for females. “I have received a lot of support. Ulster Bank’s Accelerator programme has been very beneficial as too has being part of Women in Business and the Institute of Directors. We have a lot of strong business networks and as a female I do feel really supported. On the funding front, it’s clear that women receive less backing. I’ve had a lot of conversations about this, and I would like to see more commitment to female-led businesses. “There are so many female founders here and their businesses are fantastic, but they may not be getting the finance they deserve.” Looking to the future of the business, Becca has plans to expand beyond the UK, the Republic, and internationally. ■

ENTERPRISE

Entrepreneurship and enterprise will drive our recovery By Michael McQuillan, chief executive, Enterprise NI

Michael McQuillan

he team at Enterprise NI and across the Local Enterprise Agency network, work with thousands of entrepreneurs and enterprises every week. During the past 12 months this engagement has intensified as we have been, for thousands of businesses, the natural go-to for help and guidance around Covid-19 support, how to survive through the restrictions, and how to adapt and now recover and rebuild. We have, like many businesses, adapted how we deliver our programmes of support. Delivering Exploring Enterprise and Go For It start-up programmes, we develop awareness of enterprise and support the development and business planning of entrepreneurial ideas. Through focused services we support, mentor and signpost businesses through survival, growth, and scaling stages. We have invested in technology and in the development of our business advisors, with all engagement now deliverable through hybrid online and safe face-to-face delivery, ensuring this vital support remains accessible. Access to finance remains a key issue for enterprises. Enterprise NI is the official start-up loans delivery partner and also the delivery partner of the NI Small Business Loan Fund, providing funding access to micro/small businesses, experiencing funding challenges. Financing recovery, beyond Covid-19, is critically important to early-stage businesses. The Enterprise NI network has 28 member agencies with 44 locations, where more than 2,000 tenant businesses benefit from flexible tenancies, advice and signposting, high-speed broadband, and meeting facilities. Many locations have flexible high-spec co-working spaces, providing remote workers with safe meeting or workspace for an hour/ day or longer.

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Recently we launched Eniplus – a powerful business platform providingessential services, resources, advice, learning, benefits, substantial cost savings and a voice for thousands of micro, small and self-employed businesses throughout Northern Ireland. The NI Enterprise Barometer (December 2020), was, again, the biggest survey of small businesses, across all geographies and sectors. Findings are influencing policy around support for small business, as we plan recovery and importantly start to shape the upcoming Programme for Government. Throughout history, global crises have been the catalyst for economic change. The 1920s followed the Spanish Flu pandemic. Developing during the latter stages of the First World War, our ancestors could have been forgiven for being negative about their futures. However, in the early 1920s entrepreneurs emerged to rebuild their communities. Known as the ‘Roaring Twenties’, many of the decade’s inventions have contributed to our world as we know it today. Inventions prolifically spun out of entrepreneurial creativity to transform

lives with such things as television, the vacuum cleaner, convertible cars, traffic lights, and the cheeseburger. This pattern is evident after the Second World War, when the following decade saw early computers, the jet engine, mass production of penicillin, passenger jets, the barcode and the first McDonald’s. The present coronavirus pandemic will arguably not be an exception; entrepreneurs will rise to the challenge and will drive recovery. Ensuring recovery and growth support for our businesses is crucial but unless, simultaneously, we get our start-up and early-stage support ecosystem organised and delivered coherently and effectively, we will choke progress and miss the potential entrepreneurial surge, that historically comes on the back of a global crisis. We must be ready for this. Failing to embed enterprise and entrepreneurship at the centre of recovery will put economic and societal growth into a downward spiral for years to come. ■ For more information, visit www.enterpriseni. com for more information

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THE BUDGET

The Budget: Covid cash, consequentials and a corporation tax curveball Yes, we got at least a degree of the additional and much-needed Covid-19 business support, an extension on the hospitality VAT cut, recovery loans and assistance for home-buyers. But Chancellor Rishi Sunak also revealed a sting in the tax tail for the most profitable businesses here, as John Mulgrew reports

n his Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said a lot of things many people and businesses in Northern Ireland were happy to hear in regards to continued Covid-19 support. Around £410m in additional cash for Northern Ireland – based on the Barnett consequentials. However, we later learned much of that is directly Covid-related. But there was also a bitterness with the sweet. An already trailed increase in corporation tax rate – initially thought to be 23% – was revealed at a whopping 25%. That’s double that of our neighbours in the Republic. First and foremost though, an extension to the furlough scheme was key – it’ll now run to September, with employers upping their contributions to 20% in August and the following month. A fourth and final grant for those who are self-employed, a 30% handback in super deductions for companies investing, and while the bounce back loans are out, ‘restart grants’ will begin from April. And a new ‘recovery loan’ system could see firms borrowing between £25,000 and £10m, up until the end of 2021. The Chancellor also announced a continued business rates holiday until June, while the

remaining nine months of the year will be discounted by two thirds. However, it remains to be seen how Northern Ireland will follow suit in implementing its own changes here.

we are hoping, is that record levels of savings among those who have been able to amid the lockdown, will re-enter the economy, once we reopen.

It had to be a balance of fuelling recovery, especially among those firms still struggling to get back on their feet, while regaining some much needed income.

Danske had an additional £2bn in deposits last year – a record for the bank in its more than 100 years here.

It’s been about stimulating the economy, while still offering assistance to those in need of it. The 5% mortgage deposit support is a good example of that.

The Chancellor revealed UK Government borrowing will sit at £355bn for the year. The forecast for the economy as a whole will grow 4% this year, and get back to its pre-pandemic size six months sooner than previously expected.

While we aren’t in the same situation we were in following the 2008 crash, which was property led, this is a means to ensure those at the beginning of their home buying journey can still do so.

That will see it rise by 7% the following year, before settling back to modest growth of 1.7%.

Budgets of old and in more normalised times saw people interested in whether the price of pint was going to go up in their local. This is a very different budget. One about recovery, keeping business afloat and assisting in regaining the billions in lost revenue.

For hospitality, England will see a £5bn fund to assist firms and we’ll soon see what impact that additional funding could have at Stormont, as part of the Barnett consequentials. There will also be an extension to the 5% VAT rate for hospitality.

The economy shrank by as much as 12% here in NI last year. But we did see a lift of about 15%, quarter-to-quarter, following the end of the summer – buoyed by a gradual reopening of the economy.

That is something which the sector has largely not been able to actually benefit from, due to restrictions and a series of lockdowns, so it’s positive to see that being extended.

What the UK is hoping, and closer to home

It’s just the little, or not so little things, like this

THE BUDGET

that can help our pubs, restaurants and hotels, to try and claw back much of that lost revenue over the last 12 months. As expected, there’s a free on booze and fuel duty, while personal tax thresholds are also being kept where they are. But back to the elephant in the room. A 25% rate of corporation tax on company profits really does throw out any realistic prediction that a devolved rate for Northern Ireland could be on the table any time soon. That will mean it’s double that of the Republic. Regardless of political and financial stability – two elements required for a devolved rate to

APRIL 2021

be introduced here – could Northern Ireland afford the tax shortfall? Probably not. “There should be careful consideration of economic and social priorities,” Dr Esmond Birnie, senior economist, Ulster University Business School, says. “Does the Executive still regard achieving a competitive economy as one of its top priorities or is it in fact now more concerned about preserving the size of the NI funding block? “That they might opt for the latter would be very understandable given all our various social, educational and health needs but in the long run this could be a self-defeating policy.”

He says while cutting our rate here from the previous 19% to 12.5% – the rate longproposed by much of the Executive here – could fail to yield a net benefit, due to the shortfall in the Block Grant. “However, it does not follow that we should be indifferent to an increase in the NI (and UK) rate from 19% to 25%,” he says. “It could well be that the additional ‘harm’ from going up 6% points will be a lot more than the ‘benefit’ associated with any cut from 19% to 12.5%. “As economists would put it, the effect of a tax increase may be asymmetric and non-linear to a tax reduction.” ■

ALAN FOREMAN B-SECUR

How is business? At the beginning of February, we reached a major milestone for B-Secur, announcing that we had just secured Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance in the US for our advanced HeartKey technology. Securing FDA clearance is really important for B-Secur and for heart health innovation worldwide. This allows companies making consumer wearable technologies or equipment for the medical industry to generate advanced medical-grade wellness and health data from everyday devices. Heartkey embedded in smartwatches, fitness trackers and other wearable tech enables consumers to proactively manage their own heart health and live healthier lives by using the data it provides. It uses the electrical signal generated by the heart (electrocardiogram or ECG) to determine who you are and how you are at the same time and can save lives. How did you get started in the industry? Prior to B-Secur, I studied engineering and computer science in Glasgow and had only one job for nearly 20 years working for technology consulting giant Accenture. I was managing director for Accenture’s Life Sciences business in Europe which included bringing innovation and technology to the world’s leading biomedical companies and healthcare systems such as NHS. It was this passion for technology and innovation which set me on the path to B-Secur. Typically, who are you customers or clients? B-Secur’s customers are some of the world’s largest manufacturers of wearable devices as well as leading semiconductor companies that develop the hardware and sensors for these devices. Our software is groundbreaking and since gaining FDA clearance for HeartKey, we have many exciting new partnership and customer opportunities in the pipeline.

Entrepreneur of the Month Do you enjoy what you do, and what in particular? I left Belfast almost 30 years ago to go to university and pursue my first career, so I am proud that we have been able to build B-Secur in Northern Ireland due to access to the highest quality of talent anywhere in Europe in my opinion. It is an exciting time for the company and a stimulating environment to work in, and I couldn’t be more thrilled at being part of the technology ‘renaissance’ in Northern Ireland. We have a hugely talented team which we have been able to draw from the two incredible universities in the city, and there is a great culture of knowledge sharing at our base in the Catalyst Innovation Centre in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast. And it is our people that are driving B-Secur’s success. What is the most difficult part of your job? We are developing a completely new

technology that has implications for people, businesses, and governments globally. To do this properly you need Silicon Valley vision and investment. The UK market is not used to this, so we have had to break norms to bring our business to life. What are the challenges facing your sector, and the economy in general? Like most companies, the Covid-19 disruption initially caused uncertainty in our markets and amongst the customers that we sell our technology to, who have been through a very tough period. This has been particularly true for the automotive market, which has taken a downturn as a result of the pandemic, with car manufacturers tightening budgets around research and development. However there have been new opportunities which we have been able to capitalise on and react with agility to over the last year. Hence, we’re growing again in 2021 and very positive about our prospects ahead. ■

Branding & marketing

BRANDING & MARKETING

Building back a brand as the economy reopens We’ve all been spending more time at home, demands have pivoted and many firms in front-facing sectors have been severely impacted by lockdown restrictions. So, how does a business get its name back out to its customers? Ulster Business speaks to two advertising experts about what firms can do to assist recovery and building back

Mark Irwin,

MANAGING DIRECTOR, ARDMORE

s local businesses begin to recover from the immense personal and professional challenges of the pandemic, many will rightly be considering their strategy for bouncing back and maximising the opportunity of the anticipated surge in consumer spending. When it comes to thinking about marketing and advertising strategy as the restrictions begin to ease, it’s important that businesses recognise that consumers have also faced a

huge amount of change and upheaval. New individual and collective habits have been formed to adjust to the realities of a year in lockdown that need to be understood first if they are to be changed. This may appear to state the obvious, but good marketing is all about understanding where exactly your customer is in their own lives – what they want from you, what they want to hear from you and how they want to hear it. In this context it’s important not to assume. Going back to the way things were before may

be the right way to interact with customers, but it also may not. The temptation for local businesses, understandably, will be to rush out of the blocks with their marketing to try and capitalise on the inevitable rush, but it’s hugely important to take the time to understand where customers are at, identify whether anything has changed and adapt the strategy accordingly. It’s not just a case of trying to understand

BRANDING & MARKETING

Valerie Ludlow,

CHIEF EXECUTIVE, ASG & PARTNERS

where they are now in isolation, but also how they got there and, more importantly, where they might be going. There is no doubt that a digital transformation, which was already underway, has been significantly accelerated in almost all areas of the economy. However again, it is important not to simply assume people always want more innovation in their consumer experience. In the context of the economic uncertainty we will inevitably face for some time yet, trust is important. A good marketing strategy, therefore, should consider a mix of trusted sources of media, which may be more traditional in nature, as well as responding to new channels and trends. The temptation will be to rush out of the blocks to try and get ahead, but the smart, sustainable play from an advertising perspective is to act quickly but having invested time and effort in listening in the first instance.

APRIL 2021

Brands advertise to raise awareness, increase sales and build loyalty, using media appropriate to each specific objective. In general, small and medium-sized enterprises are more dependent on channels that drive customer engagement.

shopping, dining, socialising and much more – a year where new habits have been formed and helped to keep consumers safe.

Covid caused massive shifts in the media landscape because confinement measures were instantly introduced, impacting the audience reach of out-of-home and cinema advertising, and print to a lesser extent.

With the prospect of a post-lockdown world feeling more likely, local business will now need to rethink marketing strategies to encourage consumers back to the high street or into restaurants, persuade them of the advantages of real world experience over online convenience, and rebuild confidence around safety.

Advertising spend was quickly replanned and channelled to in-house media, which as a consequence of lockdown grew exponentially.

They will also need to revisit media plans and start to consider how to re-capture more mobile audiences who are no longer homebound.

TV viewership has climbed, but digital consumption has increased even more; the use of social platforms and streaming services have risen; gaming has also grown dramatically.

Some aspects of marketing such as events and experiential may be slower to get back to ‘normal’, but with schools reopening and the return of employees (in one form or another) back to the office, advertising must re-adapt and re-form to the new needs that audiences will expect in this post-lockdown world.

The consequences of the past year have helped audiences adapt to new ways of

BRANDING & MARKETING

Harnessing the power of communications and effective storytelling can grow business

“C

ommunications should be front and centre of your strategic thinking and operations,” says Rachael Harriott of Belfast-based communications consultancy Harriott Communications.

Keep it authentic, consistent, and informative. Do your research, create engaging content, ensure you use the right platforms – but this is only just the start of the story.” Harriott Communications’ client approach is adaptable, flexible and focusses on being an integral and connected part of the team. Its aim is to ensure that clients are provided with best fit solutions that achieve results.

When Rachael established the consultancy in 2010 she had a clear mission to help educate clients to understand the transformative power of communications. She believes that if harnessed in the right way it can achieve fantastic results. One of the key communications techniques Rachael encourages clients to explore is storytelling. She believes if used appropriately it can be an effective strategic approach that achieves results.

For further information on Harriott Communications visit www. harriottcommunications.com or follow Rachael Harriott on Twitter @rcb35 or LinkedIn at Harriott Communications.

Rachael Harriott

“Storytelling is a powerful way to connect with your audiences and stakeholders,” Rachael says. “Stories can help to visualise your values, your mission, your journey, your message.

HARRIOTT

C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

The importance of effective HR advice

ne of the key aspects of any high performance organisation is an effective approach to human resources.

HR is key to supporting companies and managing changes in the workplace. With constant change around us, organisations must rethink, reimagine and reconsider how they foster talent, deliver services and strengthen their organisations. Organisations are complex and the attraction, recruitment, retention and management of people is a big challenge – how do you deliver the most compelling work experience? The issues are complex – including employee support, leadership development, pay and benefits, not to mention keeping on the right side of ever-changing employment legislation and employee rights. This can all be done through a forward-thinking HR service. Baker Tilly Mooney Moore has many years’ experience supporting organisations with people and organisation issues – our consulting offer is well known and highly respected. Throughout that time, we have provided ongoing support on HR issues and now is the time to develop that support into a service that we know organisations

APRIL 2021

Donal Laverty

require – a trusted, flexible, professional and cost-effective resource to support them in ensuring their people function and policies support organisational growth. The right HR service can make the difference between a compliant organisation and one that ends up in tribunal, the difference between attracting the right people into the right kind of roles or an organisation that keeps losing staff, or the difference between a progressive place, where people want to work, rather than somewhere where vacancies are difficult to fill. To find out more contact Donal Laverty, consulting partner at donallaverty@bakertillymm.co.uk or telephone 028 9032 3466

The column with an ear for experience...

What have you found the most challenging during your years of business, so far? I’ve experienced a few challenges along the way in my 20-year career in the bank. However, I would have to say responding to the Covid-19 pandemic has been the most challenging experience of my career to date. Not just from a business perspective; it has impacted how we all live our lives and will have a lasting societal impact. However, it also presented an opportunity for us to think differently, and at an unprecedented pace. As Northern Ireland’s biggest bank, we needed to move quickly to enable colleagues to work from home and have no impact on our customers. We also needed to act with speed to deliver much-needed financial support. To do this we mobilised agile teams and accelerated our digital and automation plans. For example, within one week we created a new online application process to give customers access to the government supported Bounce Back Loans, which typically would have taken months of development. How would you describe your management style? I don’t think there is one trait that defines my style. I would say I am approachable and genuine with a real desire to want to see others develop and get the most out of their career. I am keen to drive change and see the benefit of that change in practice; whether that be for our colleagues, customers or supporting the wider society of Northern Ireland. I’m the executive sponsor for our race equality network, Origins. Equality and inclusion is very important to me and as an organisation it is important that we represent the diverse society

Name: Liam Curran Position: Chief operating officer, Danske Bank we operate in. With inclusion comes creativity, innovation and better business performance. No matter how well prepared people of colour are, they won’t get a seat at the table unless those at the table allow them to pull up a chair, and that’s something that I feel very passionate about.

with opportunities. It was up to me to take advantage of these opportunities. Most importantly, I have a very supporting family who have encouraged me along the way – particularly my wife who has developed her own career and looked after the kids while I was travelling with work.

What would you change if you could go back and do it all again? I don’t think I would change anything. Of course, I have made mistakes, but I have learned from them, which enabled me to develop, improve and grow. At different points in my career, I’ve considered moving to other organisations to try something different, however, given the scale and growth of our organisation there has always been plenty of challenge within to keep me inspired and provide me with plenty of stretch. As a result, I have tended to move roles every two years or so, and have led teams across Ireland, England, Scotland and across the Scandinavian countries.

How would you like your business to be remembered? When I do retire, I would like to look back at a business that has developed its colleagues and provided opportunities for them to be the best they can be. A business that promoted diversity and one that has made a positive impact on society. Obviously we all want our businesses to do well financially, but having a broader company purpose has a more lasting legacy.

Have you done it all on your own? Absolutely not. I have worked with some good managers who have provided me

What piece of advice would you give to a 20-year-old you? Don’t be too impatient. I wanted everything ‘today’, and didn’t tend to celebrate success as I was too busy thinking of the next opportunity or next role. It is important to be in the present and enjoy the time you have with your colleagues, as a person’s career can go by all too quickly. ■

Motoring By Pat Burns

APRIL 2021

MOTORING

New models for Octavia

koda has added a third powertrain option to its new Octavia vRS line-up with the introduction of a new 2.0 TDI model priced from £32,260 OTR. It joins the 2.0 TSI petrol and 1.4 TSI PHEV models already unveiled recently and introduces the option of four-wheel drive for the first time on the fourth-generation range. As a result, vRS buyers now have the biggest ever range of engine variants and drivetrains to choose from. The Octavia vRS 2.0 TDI features the most powerful diesel engine ever offered in a vRS model with a peak power output of 200PS – a 16PS increase over the outgoing model. The engine is one of the latest generation of Skoda Evo power units, and features an aluminium cylinder block with aluminium pistons with low-friction piston rings. The turbocharger is water-cooled for improved temperature regulation, and its compression ratio is higher than on other Evo diesel

engines. Power is delivered to the wheels via a seven-speed DSG gearbox. The all-wheel-drive system – which is available on the vRS 2.0 TDI 200PS DSG 4x4 model distributes power via a new, electronically controlled sixth-generation multi-plate clutch. The control electronics of the all wheel drive system react to changing driving conditions with fractions of a second and boost the driving dynamics. The system transfers part of the driving torque to the opposite wheel when the load on the inner wheel is reduced, and maintains traction. In terms of design, the diesel-powered Octavia vRS models are identical to their petrol and iV plug-in hybrid siblings. Both hatch and estate models feature unique front and rear bumper designs. Inside, the new vRS combines sportiness with comfort and a generous quota of technology. The new multifunction three-spoke leather steering wheel is equipped with DSG paddles

and new knurled wheels in a chrome design. The heated front sports seats feature integrated headrests and are upholstered in black fabric while a black headlining further enhances the sophisticated interior ambience. The new seats, along with the steering wheel, armrests and Alcantara-padded instrument panel all bear the vRS logo and distinctive red stitching. Carbon optic decorative strips, LED ambient lighting and aluminium pedals complete the vRS’s interior design package. The vRS models have always showcased the latest technologies and the fourth-generation model is no exception. Skoda’s Virtual Cockpit instrument panel is fitted as standard and offers an additional Sport layout. Other technologies fitted as standard include full LED Matrix headlights with AFS (adaptive front light system), adaptive cruise control and front and rear parking sensors with manoeuvre assist. ■

MOTORING

Electric luxury B

entley is taking the next step on its journey to a sustainable future with the launch of the new Bentayga Hybrid – a model that Bentley predicts will become the best-selling member of the new Bentayga family. Following the recent launches of the new Bentayga V8 and Bentayga Speed, the new Bentayga Hybrid becomes the third model in the most successful luxury SUV portfolio the segment has ever seen. Charles Hurst Bentley, the only Bentley dealers in Ireland, have already received orders for 24 new hybrid Bentaygas. The new exterior and interior design emphasises Bentley design DNA across the entire model range. The new Bentayga Hybrid offers the ultimate in electric luxury, with smooth and silent progress through urban environments, whilst having the grand touring capability to escape the city and explore further. Customers of the Bentayga Hybrid can escape the noise of the city through the refined and acoustically-isolated serenity of the cabin without engine interference, using up to 31 miles of electric-only range (NEDC), before physically leaving the city behind with the comfort of a total combined range of 536 miles. Delivering the same level of comfort and luxury, yet with a quieter and more refined driving experience, the Bentayga Hybrid brings a selection of new technologies and connected car services, positioning the new product as

APRIL 2021

the most technically advanced Bentayga to date. Introducing the very latest on-board technology and an even more cosseting cabin, the new Bentayga is significantly revised both inside and out from the previous generation. Conversion of stored energy into smooth, effortless performance is via the 94 kW (126 bhp) E Motor which can produce up to 258 lb ft (350 Nm) of torque. The E Motor is housed within the transmission between the gearbox and internal combustion engine and can deliver full torque instantaneously from stationary, providing silent and rapid vehicle acceleration. A 3.0 litre twin turbocharged V6 engine supplements the E Motor when additional torque is required or when the speed exceeds 84mph. To warn pedestrians of the vehicle’s near silent movement, a dedicated speaker emits an exterior sound at low speeds. The Bentayga Hybrid not only has different

drive modes but can also use the information stored through the Bentley Hybrid efficiency navigation system to achieve the very best efficiency, with feedback through the throttle pedal. The Bentley Hybrid efficiency accelerator pedal provides a pressure point when in EV Drive to denote the boundary between pure electric and hybrid power. This encourages the driver to stay in EV Drive for as long as possible but can also be disabled if required. EV Drive mode is engaged as soon as the car is switched on, and maximises the electric driving experience. This is ideal for city driving and for shorter journeys. Two versatile seating configurations are available in the new Bentayga Hybrid. The standard five-seat benefits from an all-new seat frame, doubling the travel of the rear-seat recline angle, and the optional four-seat layout features two individual rear seats separated by a centre console. Prices start from around £135,000. ■

MOTORING

A Swace odyssey S

uzuki has launched a stylish and versatile hybrid estate car called the Swace. It is one of two new vehicles to be supplied to Suzuki by Toyota under a collaborative business agreement between the two companies. It is based on the Toyota Corolla Hybrid Estate platform and is manufactured in the UK with exports to Europe. It is powered by a 1.8 petrol engine and a 53kW motor and drives through a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Total power output is 122bhp Standard specification is high and for the SZ-T model includes seven airbags, dual zone automatic air-conditioning, seven-inch LCD colour information screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto device connectivity, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, eight-inch centre dash touchscreen and dynamic radar cruise control. SZ5 adds smart door locking, simple-intelligent park assist, front and rear park distance sensors, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic

alert and centre console tray with wireless charger. A ‘less-is-more’ approach has been taken inside the Swace, with an elegant yet simple interior design that focuses on spaciousness, comfort and practicality. The Swace is equipped with an eight-inch multimedia audio system with DAB radio and Bluetooth controls on the steering wheel. The system is compatible with Apple CarPlay for iPhone, as well as Android Auto and MirrorLink for compatible smartphones. For the SZ5 model, a Qi wireless charging pad is available as standard in the front console to charge smartphones and both SZ-T and SZ5 models have two USB terminals as well as an AUX terminal within easy reach of the driver and front passenger. Fitted as standard equipment on both SZ-T and SZ5 models, S-Flow air conditioning optimises comfort and fuel efficiency by using a detection control function to ensure that air con is only provided to occupied seats. It also takes the set temperature, ambient temperature, interior temperature and sunlight

into account to maintain cabin comfort. The large 596 litre luggage compartment provides ample room for a variety of luggage or recreational items. The compartment can be easily expanded into a fully flat space by using the remote folding lever to fold down the second-row seats, which creates a total loading space of up to 1,606 litres. The hybrid system combines a powerful electric motor with a 1.8 litre petrol engine exclusively designed for hybrid system use, delivering a smooth drive as well as excellent fuel economy and low emissions. The hybrid system optimally drives the Swace with the motor, engine or both depending on driving conditions. The Swace is equipped with an EV drive mode function. The Swace is equipped with three modes – Normal, Eco or Sport. The Swace 1.8 Hybrid CVT is now on sale priced at £27,499 for SZ-T and £29,299 for SZ5 and has a WLTP combined fuel consumption of 64.2 mpg and WLTP CO2 emissions of 99g/km. ■

PODCAST

The Ulster Business

Podcast with

The Ulster Business Podcast with Bank of Ireland UK remains one of Northern Ireland’s leading business podcasts. We take a look at some of the recent highlights EPISODE 41 – AUVEEN SANDS

usic and the arts will likely be the last sector to get up-andrunning here as lockdown eases, it’s been claimed. Auveen Sands, chief operating officer with the Ulster Orchestra, says it doesn’t see a return to concerts or performances – even at reduced levels – until September or October this year. The orchestra, like many others across Northern Ireland, effectively shut down live performances around a year ago as the pandemic began to take hold here. “I think it (the orchestra) has coped well,” she said. “We were just starting Covid about 12 months ago and we immediately went into advanced planning. “We were beginning to cancel concerts before governments began closing venues. That first period, we were in extreme lockdown. Everyone was at home, players were at home. “How we responded to that was we launched a ‘let’s play at home’ series. Every day at 3pm players were producing content that was going out into houses every single day. We did that up until the summer period. For us all, it just meant that we felt that we were still contributing to the community, and that players and staff were able to engage and work.” She said planning for relaunching and reopening began in August last year. “We got a complete run-through from August to December without any breaks in that. “We hired out the Waterfront, stripped out the seats on the lower floor so that we were able to spread out the orchestra. We started with small numbers but were able to increase. We had extremely strict protocols in terms of social distancing and temperature testing. It allowed us to come back as an organisation. We were able to do some wonderful projects – working with the BBC to do some recordings for radio broadcast.” The Ulster Orchestra employs around 70-80 people, across a range of roles. It also works

PODCAST

rationale… recognising that there were some extra challenges in this part of Northern Ireland that had to be met. “I’ve been hugely impressed with the businesses which I have met during my visits in recent years. Businesses such as Elemental, which are growing fast in the north west and have been able to sustain themselves through the pandemic. “These (city deals) are one aspect… we are committed to progressing a comprehensive set of city and growth deals across Northern Ireland as soon as possible.

EPISODE 39 – MINISTER OF STATE, ROBIN WALKER MP

with additional musicians on a casual basis. She said the pandemic has had a “massive” impact, in particular, on freelance musicians. “We will be one of the last sectors to reopen,” she says. “I don’t see us being back to live concerts indoors (for some time). We would like to think from September/October onwards we would be back to live audiences. What that will look like, it’s hard to know. “The budget at this stage has about 10 different scenarios. The most optimistic at this stage is 60% occupancy rates and scaling back down to a third occupancy rate, then having to do double concerts to offset that loss in income. “There is great uncertainty as to what that will look like. Northern Ireland wasn’t able to get back to concerts with live audiences before this lockdown since Christmas, whereas our counterparts in the UK had been able to have concerts with live audiences. “Their feedback had been positive. The audiences which came in felt they were safer at these concerts than they were than going to their local supermarket.”

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here remains a strong case for Northern Ireland to be a “jumping off point for investment” in the UK and beyond, post-Brexit, according to one Government minister. Minister of State, Robin Walker MP, was speaking to the Ulster Business Podcast with Bank of Ireland UK, as he helped unveil the signing of the head of terms for a new Derry and Strabane City Deal. Some £210m in funding is being provided equally by the Executive and the Westminster Government, as well as a further £40m investment from Derry City and Strabane District Council. It is set to support the new Graduate Entry Medical School at Magee as well as projects in digital communications. Mr Walker said he’s confident Northern Ireland will have a “strong recovery” post-Covid in building back the economy. “I think it absolutely can. That was part of the

“We have already committed to £617m to the city and growth deal across Northern Ireland. And the fact that that is being match-funded by the Executive means it’s a really significant investment. “The Belfast City Region Deal is the largest of those, but it is also important that we now move forward with projects elsewhere in Northern Ireland. “By backing some of the industries of the future, there are real opportunities for Northern Ireland and particularly in the tourism space. I think Northern Ireland and the north west have some unique advantages.” Speaking about Northern Ireland’s position in the business landscape, post-transition period, he said: “I think there is that strong case to be made. I think Northern Ireland has an opportunity to be both a jumping off point for investment in the UK, and selling into the single market. “But also for investment in the quality of its people, its workforce, which is hugely valued by employees who come here.”

Listen to the podcast at www.ulsterbusiness.com/interview, on Spotify, SoundCloud and iTunes

APPOINTMENTS

Thalia Bejar is now project implementation specialist with Pinnacle Growth Group. She leads, manages and oversees strategy and growth projects supporting companies across the Pinnacle Growth Group portfolio to improve and adapt to market challenges. Brian O’Dwyer is now a partner in financial services advisory with Grant Thornton. he joined the firm in 2015, as a director in business consulting and is now a consulting partner within financial services advisory. Radius Housing has appointed Andrew Lennon as a development officer. He joins Radius after more than a decade at Colliers International, where he provided strategic property advice to clients and financial institutions.

Andrew Lightburn has been promoted to director with DWF and will lead the employment team in Northern Ireland. He undertakes both contentious and non-contentious matters and specialises in TUPE, large scale redundancy and restructuring projects. John McCague has been promoted to software consultant manager at WorkPal, where he previously held a senior software consultant role for 19 months. He will be responsible for the development of UK and international markets. SGN Natural Gas has appointed Mark Davidson as its new head of engineering. A familiar face in the Northern Ireland gas industry, Mr Davidson previously worked for Phoenix Natural Gas.

Hannah Williams is now finance and funding specialist with Pinnacle Growth Group. She works with clients to identify and access grant funding and finance from local, regional and national funders. She has more than 10 years’ experience working with SMEs. Cormac O’Brien has been appointed technical account manager at WorkPal where he will be responsible for managing all of the business’ customer accounts. He will deal with any inbound queries that customers may have about the system and provide additional training. Charles Hurst has announced Jeff McCartney as its new group operations director. With more than three decades of service and experience within the Charles Hurst Group, the key appointment comes at an important time for the business.

APPOINTMENTS

Northern Ireland IT managed services company Leaf has appointed Sherna Gomes as accounts technician for the Belfast firm. Johnny King has joined the cloud solutions team at IT managed services company Leaf, as a cloud solutions consultant. Cliona McAnally has joined Leaf’s finance team as accounts assistant. Leaf is an IT managed services company which is based in Belfast.

Loma Wilson has been appointed as the new director of communities at Radius Housing. She joins Radius having more than 23 years’ experience in social housing management, most recently as an area manager for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. Gareth Cosgrove is now a partner with Grant Thornton. He joined the corporate finance team in 2014 and has over 16 years’ experience in professional services, providing advice to both SME and larger clients. ASM Chartered Accountants has appointed Gareth McGonigle as director of insolvency and restructuring at its Belfast office. He brings a wealth of experience in corporate restructuring.

David McNeice has been promoted to partner at DWF. He currently heads up the construction and infrastructure team at DWF in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Alex Barboza has been appointed junior landline engineer at Barclay Communications. Mr Barboza will be responsible for conducting site surveys to assess any additional infrastructure needs to ensure installation processes are as streamlined as possible. Charlotte Sythes has joined Radius Housing as development manager, having previously worked for Grosvenor Estates in London, where she managed the acquisition, design and delivery of a number of large scale developments in Cambridge and Oxford.

APRIL 2021

1 PHOTOCALL

1. Pat Dixon and Judith McCarter representing the Energy for Children Charitable Trust with Ms Fionnuala Gervin, Clarawood School at the new outdoor sensory space for pupils which has been funded by the Energy for Children Charitable Trust.

2. Launching this year’s Women in Business Awards are Seamus McCorry, Virgin Media, Pamela Ballantine, awards host, and Roseann Kelly, Women in Business chief executive.

3. Maxol and its customers have raised £15,000 during the annual Christmas Coffee Cup fundraising campaign 2020 with all proceeds going to their local charity partner, AWARE. Pictured is Cool FM presenter and AWARE ambassador, Paulo Ross.

4. Sarah McKay, Concentrix, Aidan Sloane, Belfast Met, Mark Miller, Concentrix and Martina Quinn, Concentrix. The college has been working closely with Concentrix as a critical partner during a period of strategic growth and workforce development planning.

5. Pictured are father and son Declan and Colin Murray announcing 40 new jobs and a company expansion plan for their courier service business Zendfast.

6 PHOTOCALL

6. Economy Minister Diane Dodds (centre) has launched her department’s Economic Recovery Action Plan which sets out a road map to rebuilding the economy. She is pictured with Joanne Stuart and Angela McGowan.

7. Patricia Shiels, Waterside SureStart, Bronagh Norris, Action for Children, and Kyle Porter, Ebrington Holdings. UK children’s charity Action for Children recently announced its new premises within the site.

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8. Arts & Business NI has announced Forestside Shopping Centre as the new headline sponsor for the Arts & Business Annual Awards. Forestside’s Lee Cutler is pictured with Mary Nagele of Arts & Business NI.

9. Magherafelt’s Bloc Blinds has marked its expansion into America and Canada, with its first transatlantic shipment of over a quarter of a million units of the company’s new patented product, The Bloc Wand. Pictured is managing director Cormac Diamond.

10. Tesco Ireland is now stocking a range of convenience meals by Simply Fit Food, owned by Newry’s Around Noon. Pictured are Luke Judge and Evelyn Garland, co-founders of Simply Fit Food.

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11. The Henry Group has partnered with Keith Bigger of RE: Health & Fitness and mental health charity, AWARE to provide its employees with a new six-week programme ‘The Fitness Factor’.

12. Pureis CBD has received dual validation from European Food Safety Authority and Food Standards Agency UK. Pictured is Chanelle McCoy and Caroline Glynn with their new Pureis product line.

13. East Belfast Community Development Agency (EBCDA) has announced the launch of the Health Hub East Belfast app. Pictured is Richard Maguire of the East Belfast Community Development Agency.

14. Ballymena Business Improvement District (BID) has a unveiled five-year plan, with excess of £1m, to assist the economic recovery strategy for Ballymena town centre. Pictured is chairman Stephen Reynolds.

15. Affidea Group, a leading European provider of diagnostic imaging, outpatient and cancer care services has announced the acquisition of Northern Ireland’s Orthoderm. Pictured is Barry Downes, chief executive of Affidea Ireland.

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16. AbbeyAutoline has announced an extension of its partnership with Ulster Rugby. The deal will see the insurance broker continue with exclusive naming rights of the Family Stand at Kingspan Stadium. Pictured are Ulster Rugby’s Ian Madigan, Jordi Murphy and Kieran Treadwell.

17. George Best Belfast City Airport has agreed a new threeyear partnership with local, cloud-first information technology company, Leaf IT. Pictured are Leaf’s Steven Goldblatt and Brian Roche of Belfast City Airport.

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18. Almac Sciences, a member of the Almac Group, has completed a £5m investment in a new two-storey centre for biocatalysis, flow chemistry technologies and peptide research and development.

19. Charles Hurst has announced Jeff McCartney as its new group operations director. With more than three decades of service and experience within the Charles Hurst Group, the key appointment comes at an important time for the business.

20. Lucy McGonigle, Regent House Grammar School, Sport for Good ambassador and Commonwealth gold medallist Rhys McClenaghan, and Angela Connan, Lidl. It’s investing £120,000 in sports equipment for schools.

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21. NIE Networks has launched its Apprenticeship Programme for 2021 with online applications now open. Pictured are apprentices Ryan Morgan, Molly Guy, Neil Freeburn and Jack Hoy.

22. Pictured at SuperValu King’s Square in Belfast, the first SuperValu store to open in Northern Ireland, are Raymond Barr, Patricia McIlroy and Nigel Maxwell from SuperValu.

23. Two leading fashion retailers which use the IRP Commerce platform to sell their collections online have seen a combined increase in sales of almost 400% in the past few weeks. Pictured is Philip Macartney of IRP Commerce.

24. Marking International Women’s Day, Action Cancer, has announced that new appointments are now available for free breast screening. Pictured are Laura Scott from Its4women and Leigh Osborne from Action Cancer.

25. Lidl Northern Ireland has officially opened its new store at Hillview Retail Park. Pictured are Lily Irvine, Edenbrooke Primary School, Thomas McFarlane, Lidl store manager and Pearse Osborne, Holy Cross Boys’ Primary.

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26. Ryan Belshaw (centre) with Alderman Jim Dillon MBE, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council (left) and Martina Crawford of Lisburn Enterprise Organisation launching its ‘school of rock’ to train aspiring young musicians for careers in the music industry.

27. Artemis Technologies’ chief executive Dr Iain Percy OBE unveils the world’s most advanced marine simulator at the company’s base in Northern Ireland.

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28. Stephen Meldrum, president of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF), launches The Tourism Summit ‘The Road to Recovery’ which took place on March 9.

29. Northern Irish firm CDE is first to benefit from a new product that helps overseas buyers access government financial support to boost demand for UK exports. Pictured is chief executive, Marc Jennings.

30. The site of the former Tyrone County Hospital in Omagh is to be redeveloped with plans in the pipeline for a 170-unit housing development. Pictured are Martin Mallon and Seamus Gillan, South Bank Square.

CORPORATION TAX

Has the ship turned back towards the business levy? It’s a ship which has sailed many times in the last couple of decades, the latest bump in the road, the collapse of power-sharing, followed by Covid. But with Chancellor Rishi Sunak announcing UK corporation tax rising to 25% – twice that of the Republic – there are fresh calls for lowering the rate here to make us more competitive with businesses south of the border, writes John Mulgrew

was one of those packed into a room six years ago in Lisburn, when the then Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, unveiled that the Northern Ireland Assembly would soon have the power to set its own rate of corporation tax. Much of the remit and stipulation around that being allowed included Northern Ireland being on a politically stable footing, and financially, the books being balanced. We’ve come a long way since then – including an embarrassing three year political stasis that meant a lot of what we had planned was put on hold. Since the re-establishment for the Executive at the beginning of last year, there was some visible division as to whether reducing Northern Ireland’s rate (to at least 12.5%, bringing it in line with the Republic) was still on the table. Economy Minister Diane Dodds had signalled, before the pandemic hit, that it should remain part of the toolkit. Whereas, Finance Minister Conor Murphy had previously said he was not actively pursuing it, while also recently, following the Chancellor’s Budget, proposing an independent commission to explore more tax powers for Stormont. But tax and banking leaders here have now reignited the conversation around the business levy itself – pointing to the additional

Diane Dodds

CORPORATION TAX

Johnny Hanna

attractiveness for Northern Ireland, post-Brexit, with a lower rate. The issue for Stormont is the potentially huge shortfall in the block grant, should we deviate considerably from the new 25% UK rate being proposed from 2023. AIB’s chief economist Oliver Mangan said Northern Ireland’s unique access to both the EU and UK markets could make it a “real competitor” for Ireland. “Certainly, if Northern Ireland were to have a look at its corporation tax rate and opt for a lower rate – keep the rate at 18% or go even lower – and it has unfettered access to the UK and EU single markets, it would become a very attractive destination for foreign direct investment and certainly a real competitor to the south.” He said the upping of the UK rate from 19% to 25% “will make it a lot less attractive destination for foreign direct investment”. Meanwhile, at a joint event organised by the Newry and Dundalk chambers of commerce, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the protocol

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provides “real opportunities” for Northern Ireland. There are real opportunities for Northern Ireland in its implementation, with access to Great Britain but also to 450 million European Union consumers,” Mr Martin said. “As we all adjust to the new trading circumstances, every effort will need to be made within the framework of the protocol to meet and resolve challenges. It is in all of our interest to make it work as well as possible.” And Johnny Hanna, partner-in-charge of KPMG in Northern Ireland, has said Northern Ireland has the opportunity to stand out from the crowd in the race for international investment if it is able to lower its corporation tax rate from 2023 “There is no doubt that a 12.5% corporation tax rate on trading activities in Northern Ireland from 2023 (by then half the UK tax rate and on a par with that in Ireland), if it could be delivered and justified on a compelling cost-benefit basis would significantly enhance the attractiveness of Northern Ireland as an investment location when coupled together with its unique position as a gateway to both the GB and the EU markets.”

He said the planned tax hike in 2023 gives credence for the case for an independent corporation tax cut by the Executive. “While an increase in the corporation tax rate from 19% to 25% (a sudden reversal of UK policy) feels counter-intuitive given the strong desire post Brexit to ensure continued attractiveness of the UK for foreign direct investment, it has been justified as a necessary first step towards more sustainable public finances. And it is entirely possible that this approach could be replicated by other governments later this year for similar reasons. “This provides Northern Ireland with an opportunity. Leveraging the power to set corporation tax would give this region a competitive edge over the rest of the UK and many other major economies and would also level the business tax playing field on the island. “Add to that the unique position – as a gateway to both GB and Europe – which Northern Ireland currently enjoys post Brexit, and the draw for international investment becomes compelling.” ■

TRAVEL

There’s something in the air on an Athens adventure When author Megan Nolan travelled to the Greek city, she found happiness and the solitude to write her novel

lying into Athens, I was brought to tears at the aerial view of this city I had no connection to, no history with, had never been to before. I intentionally cued up a song that made me emotional – Cat Stevens, I think – to play as we began the descent. I often find flying makes me feel cinematic and theatrical and I like to lean into that impulse, indulging the grandiosity, staring out the window, crying in a way which is neither sad nor happy exactly, just from the intensity of how it feels to move freely about the earth. Travelling to Greece for three months in that autumn of 2016, I felt this sensation of lucky freedom more than ever, arriving as I was with a new purpose. I was going to write a book. I had lived in London for a little over a year and was making very little money scraping together stints of temp work and remote admin jobs, but this did seem to mean I was seeing more of the world than I had when I lived a comparatively steady and regularly-waged life back in Dublin. As long as you didn’t mind occupying whatever storage space your long-suffering friends could spare you and living mainly out of a suitcase, there were lots of places you could go to live for free or very cheaply. I looked after cats, mainly, or just the houses themselves, in Scotland, Germany, Switzerland, Amsterdam, and found that it suited my openended confusion about how to live. It felt less desperate, more directional, than doing the same thing stuck in London, unable to afford

most of the things which make it an appealing place. When I was awarded a grant to work on a book from a foundation in my hometown of Waterford, the Ted and Mary O’Regan Arts Bursary, I knew I could use it to its best advantage outside the UK. The grant was enough to live comfortably in London for perhaps four or six weeks at a push, but there were many places it would last three times that. I chose Athens more or less at random, having chatted to a friend weeks earlier, an Athenian who divided her time between there and London. I sourced a well-priced sublet in a not especially desirable area, gave up my room in London and packed a bag. I packed 10 books I hoped would serve as inspiration and influence on my own writing and a thin blue rug which I brought everywhere I went, inspired by a Jeanette Winterson quote. Immediately, stepping out of the airport into the midnight heat, I loved Athens. I loved that the quality of even the actual air felt different and denser than any I had known elsewhere in Europe. I loved my neighbourhood, rundown and lacking in remarkable attractions as it was – my heart sang gently at the sight of elderly men sitting on the pavements outside their homes playing checkers and drinking and smoking. Finally, a place whose temperament and schedule suited my own, where I could wake up at 10am without feeling I had wasted the day, and sit out reading and writing until the early hours of the morning.

And I loved that I did not know anything here, not even the language beyond the most basic of necessities, so that I had to pay attention and be present, so that I couldn’t retire within myself in public places as I was able to do elsewhere. I spent much of my spare time walking the city over and back, becoming misty- eyed and sentimental at the ruins as the sun was setting, trying to learn the patterns of meandering neighbourhoods. Even the most absolutely touristic areas and moments – the square in Monastiraki packed with vendors of hot nuts and squeaky toys and postcards and flags, all illuminated by the lights of the Acropolis above – still felt relaxed and worth being around. I found an outdoor cinema and waited for its second showing of the night, stepping into what felt like a large family garden to watch

TRAVEL

The Champ. I bought popcorn and a beer and lit a cigarette and thought, “I am perfectly happy”. I was learning to be on my own, which was a part of learning how to sustain the momentum of writing a whole novel. I had some friends visit over the three months, but for the most part, I was by myself. Being by myself was a concept I had previously found alarming, borderline unbearable even, and that was one reason I’d decided to come here where there was no real chance to socialise even if I wished to. My need to be out and seeing people all the time stopped me from writing in a material sense, taking my time and energy, but it also made it mentally more difficult. Trying to keep distracted and in constant momentum prevented the sort of slow-burning

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contemplation and insight I knew I needed to access to write the book I wanted. Now, with nobody else to see, I spent time with myself and the work. I didn’t beat myself up if I didn’t get out the desired number of words in a day. I sat with what was there and tried not to demand too much of it. I woke in the mornings and ate yoghurt on the balcony and read and made notes and got an hour or two of writing in before my walking would begin. I would return to my work in the long, lazy evening, sometimes taking it with me to a cafe down the street where they served an outrageously generous array of complementary sandwiches and fruit with your coffee. A few days a week I made my way to an inconveniently located little English language bookshop on a dusty street in the middle of empty office blocks and loaded up on reading material. I brought that with me on the tram

that went to the coast and alighted on a beach which was unremarkable to locals, nothing compared to the islands, but which was beautiful to me. It made me feel peaceful and content, the cheap food and beers at the snack stand, how much light there was and how it fell so wonderfully, the swimming and the low murmur of sunbathers chatting to each other across deck chairs. It had given me so much this place – the solitude I needed to work well, but also the happiness that I needed to be strong enough to write what I was writing, to reflect on past mistakes and suffering. It meant so much to me that I wanted to give my narrator some of what I was experiencing too, and on the beach one day I had a thought and began to write, saying to myself, “I think she ends up in Athens”. ■

TECHNOLOGY

Pin-demic? Adrian Weckler speaks to Pinterest’s Milka Kramer about how Covid lockdowns sparked surge in users and quadrupled the firm’s value

s Pinterest having a moment? Its value has quadrupled during the pandemic, culminating in Microsoft reportedly mulling a $51bn (£37bn) offer for the company a few weeks ago. Why? Because we’re all sitting around at home looking for nice things online to cheer us up. Sure, Zillow and MyHome.ie are grand. But that’s just pure escapism with not much of a convertible business model. Amazon is fine but is all a bit efficient and functional. Enter Pinterest – a place where you can (and do) browse cool, cute, affordable things, hobbies and lifestyle choices for hours on end. Increasingly, it’s a place where all of this browsing now leads to an online shopping path. Logically, this is inevitable; there is no single more apt place to monetise searches and browsing than an app where people literally go to search out things they would love to have. With global revenue up 48% year-on-year, Pinterest has more than doubled its cashflow from outside the US in the last year. According to its recently-appointed country manager for the UK and Ireland, the company is on a mission to make every pin shoppable. “When you come onto Pinterest to imagine your living room or your fashion outfit, our goal is that you can buy everything you see on the platform, or that we can help you find something just like it,” Milka Kramer, formerly a Microsoft executive, says.

“We want you to actually be able to buy it and make it real and bring it into your life. It starts with a couple of buttons for your wedding that no one else can do.” Whatever the reason for its surge in popularity, Pinterest’s formula appears to be working. “We added 100 million users worldwide in the last year. This is the most we’ve ever added and they’ve come during the pandemic for various things, how to cook, what to wear and all sorts of other reasons. “We see behaviour around planning forward important life events much earlier than anybody else. We can showcase inspiring companies – that already exists on the software.” The company has the statistics to back this up its “ultimate vision” of buying anything you see on Pinterest, or receive personalised recommendations for something just like it. It claims that 83% of weekly Pinterest users made a purchase “based on content they saw from brands on Pinterest”.

Will Pinterest’s 450 million users take as comfortably to the platform become more commercialised?

On top of this, its own research claims that 97% of the top searches on Pinterest are unbranded, with people looking for things like ‘blue sofa’.

Would some prefer it to hold on to the simpler hobbyist pleasures of looking at ideas and nice things away from the noise and hard sell of other social networks – something the company claims is responsible for 90% of its users describing it as an “online oasis”?

“People aren’t looking for a specific brand,” says the company. “They’re looking for inspiration, which gives businesses of all sizes an equal chance of being discovered.”

Because it’s a publicly traded company, the pressure is continually on to simply improve the bottom line, regardless of how that is achieved.

TECHNOLOGY

But despite its plans to try and commercialise more activity, Ms Kramer insists that the core appeal of the platform will remain around ideas and planning.

past year. “It’s about 60% female overall,” Ms Kramer says. “We’re very proud that so many women love it. But we’ve also seen a significant number of male users too.”

working from home in another country while attached to the Dublin office, something that goes against what most tech giants do here for legal and taxation reasons.

“Pinterest has always been about inspiration,” she says. “People come to plan their big moments and their small moments in life. You know, what do I want my home to look like? What can I cook for my kids?”

Ireland is a central part of Pinterest’s fortunes, with its European headquarters located in Dublin. The office here has doubled in the past year, with almost 150 people working and another 80 open positions in engineering, sales and operations.

However, Ms Kramer says that the reason the base is in Dublin is primarily because of the workforce available locally.

Not that it matters too much to the business model, but Pinterest remains skewed toward female users. However, there has been a 24% rise in Pinterest’s male audience over the

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During the pandemic when people are less able to travel, this opens up the possibility of workers from other EU countries temporarily

“Our commitment to the country is because of the talent in Ireland,” she says. “The shifts in behaviour, such as in the way we work and whether we’re present, will be a consideration. But the reason we’re in Ireland is because it works.” ■

Uncovering the 9-5 NAME: Brona Moffett POSITION: Head of experience and enterprise at National Museums NI

6.40am Years of early rising with the my two kids means that my body clock is set to get going early, despite being a night owl. I check my emails over porridge and enjoy a fast walk with my husband and I’m at my desk by 8.30am. I joined National Museums NI just before the pandemic to lead the experience and enterprise team. I work across the four sites in the portfolio – Ulster Folk Museum, Ulster Transport Museum, Ulster American Folk Park and Ulster Museum – some of the most amazing spaces Northern Ireland has to offer. While it’s Zoom for now, I look forward to getting back on-site in the coming months. 10am I’ll typically have a catch-up meeting with the visitor services managers or general manager of the sites which will include an update on visitor plans, including pre-booked visitor numbers, construction works or planning for major event days. National Museums NI is publicly-funded, and as a registered charity we are proud that our self-generated income supports the positive social impact we deliver to our audiences. 12pm Our retail team is talented at sourcing local artisans products so I’ll review updates on range plans and shop refits with the retail manager. Retail is an important part of the museum experience, as our national collections are reflected in a take home format. Then it will be on to a meeting about developing our ‘Craft Demonstrator Apprenticeship Scheme’. We are proud of the traditional heritage skills we demonstrate to visitors from across the world, so succession planning is at the forefront for these skills.

2pm In and around lunch at the moment I’ll check in on home-schooling. Our senior management team meets weekly to review the impact of Covid-19 and the adaptations we’ve made to our organisation around staff and visitor safety. We are proud of our ‘Good to Go’ accreditation at all our sites and look forward to reopening safely. 3pm Partnerships are key to securing our social impact so I’ll meet with the Now Group, the catering partners across all our sites. We’ll discuss how we can create further social impact together through the development of programmes such as Plot to Plate at the Ulster Folk Museum. 4pm I’ll join a tourism industry catch up call with

Tourism Northern Ireland and other industry partners. We share plans around rebuilding the tourism sector – bigger and better in 2021. 6.30pm Pre-pandemic it might have been an industry networking opportunity or hosting a tour operator at one of our museums. Connecting with our tourism partners is vital to ensure National Museums NI’s profile. 8pm A swift check of emails helps unwind the day and get ahead on tomorrow. Free time. Walking the stunning coastlines of Northern Ireland or scaling Redburn Country Park a few times a week. I’m also reinstating a dry-stone wall and rockery in my garden at the moment but outside of lockdown I spend quite a bit of time as taxi driver for my teenagers. ■