Northern Ireland – Built for Business

Northern Ireland is a region which offers an exceptional investment location for companies looking to expand their operations and export ready world-class products and services. All combined with Northern Ireland’s unique position of having tariff-free market access to both Great Britain (GB) and the European Union (EU)

 

Place – the perfect location

Over 1,500 international companies have set up operations in Northern Ireland. The reasons for this include a young, well-educated, highly skilled, English-speaking workforce, and the result of a first-class education system. Moreover, government departments work closely with industry and academia to ensure the workforce is equipped with the skills that local businesses and investors need.

Northern Ireland also has a cost-competitive business environment, offering companies much lower overheads than many other European countries. And significantly, it’s the only place in the world that offers seamless tariff-free access to both Great Britain and European Union (EU) markets. This offers a unique advantage to businesses located in Northern Ireland.

64% of new inward investors go on to reinvest and companies like Terex, Citi, Baker McKenzie, Ernst & Young, and Seagate, have found that establishing an operation in Northern Ireland is so advantageous to their success that they have reinvested and strengthened their presence here.

Northern Ireland has built up clusters of excellence across several sectors including Tech, Life and health sciences, and Advanced manufacturing and engineering. We have a strong manufacturing heritage and have always been home to great engineers and a pioneering spirit, and that centuries-long tradition is still going strong. Our engineering DNA and world-leading tech sector expertise, in areas such as cyber security and software development, make Northern Ireland the ideal location for international business expansion.

There are also reliable and experienced supply chains, with over 100 companies within a one-hour drive of each other that link supply chains in key sectors including Aerospace, Materials handling, and Food and beverage. Businesses benefit from seamless shipment to GB and EU markets, free from tariffs, customs documentation and declarations. Companies also benefit from access to UK trade agreements.

It’s also a region committed to a sustainable future, promoting eco-friendly practices across industries. Northern Ireland is a leader in the connection of distributed renewable energy to the grid with over 49% of all energy used in the region coming from a renewable energy source.

The Peace Bridge, Derry~Londonderry

World-class innovation

Northern Ireland has a rich heritage of innovation stretching back to at least the nineteenth century when Lord Kelvin created the absolute temperature scale and John Boyd Dunlop invented the pneumatic tyre. Since then, innovators have created products and services that have driven progress across Fintech, Cyber security, Aerospace, Materials handling, Financial and professional services, Life and health sciences, Green technologies and Construction.

Northern Ireland companies export their goods and services to over 100 countries around the globe and many have become internationally recognised brands.

Wrightbus created the world’s first double-deck hydrogen bus, and the world’s most efficient double-deck electric bus, helping to green public transport and advance sustainability. Wrightbus supplies hydrogen buses to Germany and earlier this year announced a new deal to provide a further 46, ordered by Cottbusverkehr GmbH to serve the city of Cottbus.

Pharma companies Randox and Almac have made a significant impact in the areas of diagnostics and drug development and are recognised worldwide as leaders in their fields, helping to create the healthcare of the future.

In Fintech and Data analytics, FD Technologies is working with some of the world’s largest Finance, Technology, Automotive, Manufacturing and Energy institutions to help them optimise business performance. Added to these are thousands of other Northern Ireland companies that are exporting innovative products and services worldwide, from award-winning Food and drink to Materials handling and Recycling equipment, as well as sophisticated cameras that have been used to find planets.

Wrightbus, the world’s first hydrogen double decker bus

Unparalleled collaboration

Northern Ireland’s compact size makes it ideal for collaboration between industry, academia, and government. Its two world-class universities – Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University – are internationally recognised for the quality of their research and provide investors and local businesses with high-calibre research and development partners.

Invest Northern Ireland, the local economic development agency, provides comprehensive support and works alongside companies as a trusted business partner.

Financial and advisory support offered by the agency ranges across all aspects of business operations from increasing productivity and efficiency to improving skills, developing products and services and finding new markets.

Find Out More

To find out more about how Northern Ireland can support your business ambitions visit investni.com/Europe-And-Great-Britain.