In Focus: Newry

Newry and Mourne District is an area of great significance to the NI economy. Here, some of its key players talk about why the region is rich in potential.

Invest NI’s most recent profile on the Newry and Mourne region illustrated a wealth of privately and locally owned enterprises reaching out to global markets.

It showed a fortune of advanced engineering and manufacturing, agri food and construction sectors as well as finance and professional services operations occupying its business landscape, with 96% of businesses there owned locally while some 40.1% of sales made there are done so with international clientele.

Its private sector is particularly buoyant according to that same report which revealed 75% of employment in the area is within the private sector.

And other stats show the region has a much higher than average one-year business survival rate of more than 90%.

In recent months Invest NI has pumped funding into some of the area’s mushrooming enterprises including Modern Tyres which benefitted from a £5.6m investment creating over 20 jobs.

It also put £4m into Warrenpointbased food manufacturer Deli Lites, which will create 45 jobs. Meanwhile, Newry-based modular bathroom pods manufacturer Connex Offsite Limited has been supported by Invest NI on its growth journey which will see it create 50 jobs to expand into international markets.

Invest NI’s most recent profile on the Newry and Mourne region illustrated a wealth of privately and locally owned enterprises reaching out to global markets.

It showed a fortune of advanced engineering and manufacturing, agri food and construction sectors as well as finance and professional services operations occupying its business landscape, with 96% of businesses there owned locally while some 40.1% of sales made there are done so with international clientele.

Its private sector is particularly buoyant according to that same report which revealed 75% of employment in the area is within the private sector.

And other stats show the region has a much higher than average one-year business survival rate of more than 90%.

In recent months Invest NI has pumped funding into some of the area’s mushrooming enterprises including Modern Tyres which benefitted from a £5.6m investment creating over 20 jobs.

It also put £4m into Warrenpointbased food manufacturer Deli Lites, which will create 45 jobs. Meanwhile, Newry-based modular bathroom pods manufacturer Connex Offsite Limited has been supported by Invest NI on its growth journey which will see it create 50 jobs to expand into international markets.

Chris Marsden, sales director at Connex Offsite, which makes pods for the residential, hospitality and care home sectors said: “Newry has a strong supply of highly skilled people which is the basis of a great business.

“It has had a long list of innovative and entrepreneurial companies which set the bar at a very high level.”

He says those businesses that have excelled set a benchmark that inspires and “filters down through most of the developing businesses in Newry”.

Northern Ireland’s only bathroom pod manufacturer Connex Offsite employs 68 people, with two subcontractors. It recently won one of its biggest contracts to date in London, a market where it is thriving.

Its quick success over its four-year history has seen it expand its manufacturing facility to 100,000sq ft.

Chris adds: “Our latest contract win is in central London for the main contractor Wates. We are proud to have broken into the London market over the last four years, working with contractors like Mount Anvil and Wates.”

Asked how he views Newry’s future as a business hub, he says: “There could be an opportunity for Newry being in a unique position as the gateway to Europe from the UK. Being ideally situated between Belfast and Dublin ports leaves transport ideal for developing into both areas.”

In the finance sector, PKF-FPM, founded in August 1991 in Newry, is now recognised as one of the largest independent accountancy and business advisory firms on the island of Ireland.

Fresh from celebrating its 30th anniversary, the 126-strong team at PKFFPM continue to serve businesses across all of Ireland with a “renewed energy and focus to create a legacy firm” says its Managing Director, Feargal McCormack.

“We’ve been positioning clients for success at home and in export markets around the globe,” he begins.

Feargal says the firm’s practice strategy of “investing in the best” is the backbone to its success and longevity.

He adds that it seeks to “retain the best people, through a talent-management programme and by connecting and inspiring staff”.

“This has enabled the firm to consistently provide services to exceed clients’ expectations, but equally facilitate the team to evolve into not just exceptional accountants, but exceptional business and community leaders.”

Chris Marsden

Feargal McCormack

Its strategy is paying off if its list of awards is anything to go by. In recent years it has beckoned titles including Transaction Team of the Year at NI Dealmakers Awards 2021; Large Practice of the Year at Irish Accountancy Awards 2020 and Best Company to work for – Sunday Times Top 100, among others.

“Greater Newry has established a great reputation for post-primary education excellence and has delivered an appropriate supply of talent and digital infrastructure to enable businesses like PKF-FPM service the island of Ireland and beyond,” adds Feargal.

He says the talent pool, the rich education system and “easy access to Dublin and Belfast via roads and rail, and access to global markets via Warrenpoint Port and three airports” are key to opportunity in the region.

At Southern Regional College (SRC), the talent pool is only too evident, says its head of Business Engagement, Tracy Rice, who works closely with the Newry business community.

The college’s Business Support and Innovation Centre houses a range of specialists from different sectors. They reach out to those on the ground to identify needs and provide solutions. This covers everything from prototyping to engineering, food product development and tourism.

“We carry out an audit with each of our clients to ensure we can tailor our skills programmes to their needs. With a strong business development team engaging with our local business sector daily, we are very aware of the needs of our businesses and we quickly pick up on common issues and skills gaps within industry sectors which we address immediately by developing appropriate solutions which are delivered flexibly to suit business needs,” says Tracy.

Specialisms at the college include Life and Health Sciences, for which it is a hub across the further and higher education sectors.

“Over the last five years, we have developed a solid Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLA) offer in line with local industry needs. HLAs are a great solution to addressing skills gaps,” adds Tracy.

“The business sector in Newry is very strong. Newry is a great place to live, work and study and all the key stakeholders in Newry are committed to working together to deliver that message.” Environmental and waste services firm, Re-Gen Group, agrees.

Joseph Doherty, managing director there, says: “There are numerous opportunities for a company based in Newry. There is a highly educated flexible workforce, and employees with a ‘can do’ attitude. We also have excellent shipping facilities from Warrenpoint Port for international exports and, with direct access to the main road on the island, Newry is halfway between the two largest cities on the island.”

Eighteen-year-old Re-Gen has been at the forefront of delivering more sustainable waste solutions for households to multinational petrochemical giants. It works with local authorities across GB and Ireland on everything from waste procession to recyclables extraction. It also manufactures waste-derived fuelstock for high efficiency combined Heat & Power Plants which is exported to Norway, Sweden and Spain via Warrenpoint Port. Set up by engineering brothers Joseph, Aidan and Colin Doherty from Lislea, the Group is now looking to develop new and innovative waste-derived products, targeting the electronics, chemical processing and agricultural sectors – “a far cry from ‘simply’ sorting and reselling household recyclables – paper, cardboard, glass, metals and plastics”.

It also has a fleet of 20 lorries and managing its own logistics is very important for business activity.

The company is a true Newry success story, employing 300 staff across two sites; one in south Down and another in south Armagh and there are more triumphs ahead.

Joseph continues: “Re-Gen will be bringing an additional £25 million a year to the Northern Ireland economy as a result of its plans for a £22 million Circular Economy Resource Park. The park on an 8-acre site at Carnbane Business Park will be self-funded.”

Like the latter employers, he says Newry is an environment conducive to doing good business. He adds: “There are numerous opportunities for a company based in Newry. There is a highly-educated flexible workforce, and employees with a ‘can do’ attitude. We also have excellent shipping facilities from Warrenpoint Port for international exports and, with direct access to the main road on the island, Newry is halfway between the two largest cities on the island.”

Tracy Rice

Joseph Doherty

“We’ve been positioning clients for success at home and in export markets around the globe”