North Eastern Regional Office
Invest Northern Ireland is committed to working with our partners in the North East Region to help businesses create jobs, innovate and grow exports.
Our North Eastern Regional office is located in Ballymena and provides advice and support to potential entrepreneurs, start-ups and established businesses within the Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council and Mid & East Antrim Borough Council areas.
Successes
The region supports a breadth of sectors including engineering, food & drink, tourism, life & health sciences and ICT. Between 2014/15 and 2018/19 we have provided support of almost £83m, which will help secure over £373m of investment and the creation of 2,272 jobs.
Key inward investors located in the North East Region include Huhtamaki which announced a £12m investment and 100 jobs in May 2019, the global aerospace component firm RLC, who recently announced 80 new jobs and a £35 million investment, leading manufacturer of medical devices Terumo BCT and Ryobi who manufacture innovative aluminium components for the automotive sector.
Exports
The North East Regional Office works extensively with businesses seeking to sell outside Northern Ireland for the first time with a particular focus on developing customers in Great Britain and Republic of Ireland. We also work with local businesses to help them achieve export success in international markets.
Our support has helped:
- WG Buchanan and Son Ltd – invests over £1 million in factory and secures UK contract
- Gemat - secures first exports of new machinery to the USA and Republic of Ireland
- GB construction market growth prompts investment by Garage Doors
- Glens of Antrim Crisps - Ships its first container of crisps to a supermarket chain in Singapore
- Golden Popcorn - export success for Antrim popcorn firm
Working in partnership
We are focused on helping the North East maximise its economic potential by working in partnership with local stakeholders and other key local influencers to help drive economic activity within the region.
Stakeholders we work with include:
Community plans
Under local government reform, Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council and Mid & East Antrim Borough Council have greater responsibilities for economic development. As part of the Community Planning Process, we are working with these councils to develop and implement Community Plans tailored to the specific needs in each area. The plans will play a central role in developing the economy of the North Eastern region.
Regional Manager - Des Gartland
Des Gartland is our North East Regional Manager. He has been a Regional Manager since 2008 and prior to this, spent 13 years in the private sector.
Council Briefings
