The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey Expands To New Markets

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The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey Expands To New Markets.

Quietman Irish Whiskey

Quietman Irish Whiskey


Niche Drinks in Northern Ireland has won business in Russia worth £340,000 for its Irish whiskey, The Quiet Man, as well its Irish cream liqueurs.

Based in Derry, Niche Drinks is building a new distillery for whiskey and other spirits on a site near the city, once home to Ireland’s largest whiskey business.

The new distillery is expected to begin producing spirit in mid 2018. It will be the first distillery in Derry for more than a century.

The Quiet Man company, owned and run by Ciaran Mulgrew, the managing director of Niche Drinks, has been selling whiskey for over a year and currently exports to around 40 markets worldwide including the US where the whiskey is distributed by Luxco, a marketing business which owns the Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream Liqueur brand that is produced at Niche Drinks in Derry.

Robin Young, finance director and company secretary of Niche Drinks, commenting on the latest exports, says: “We are very happy with our success to date. Our long term growth plans are progressing well and we continue to focus on building our export sales, particularly in the U.S and Europe markets.

“We recently secured our first Russian orders for our Quiet Man Irish Whiskey and both Causeway Coast and Shannon’s Irish Cream Liqueurs as a result of a visit to Russia at the beginning of this year and we continue to build distribution in the market there.”

The Quiet Man has won a series of international awards for its single malts and premium blend.

The new state–of–the–art distillery will feature a purpose–built visitors’ centre on the site, which is located at Ebrington Square on the outskirts of Derry city. It will shortly begin installation of two pot stills and is among a new generation of whiskey producers emerging across Ireland.

Northern Ireland currently has two whiskey distilleries – Old Bushmills in county Antrim and Echlinville in county Down. A further three are in the pipeline as the rebirth of the Irish whiskey gathers momentum.

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Primrose cafe to create 40 new jobs in Londonderry

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Ciaran and Melanie Breslin from Primrose Cafe

Ciaran and Melanie Breslin from Primrose Cafe


Primrose cafe to create 40 new jobs in Londonderry.
The Primrose cafe group is to create 40 new jobs as part of a major expansion in Derry. The family-run business is due to open its new premises on the Strand Road at the end of October 2018.The roles will be a mixture of full and part-time, including chefs, waiting staff, baristas and bakers.

The first Primrose cafe was opened in 2012 with four staff. The company now employs 38 people across two locations at Carlisle Road and Atlantic Quay. The husband-and-wife team behind it, Ciaran and Melanie Breslin, said it was an exciting new development. “Primrose is our life and soul,” said Ciaran Breslin. “Everything revolves around Primrose, so to see the new premises coming together is so exciting for us. “We’re constantly trying to evolve the business and stay ahead of trends, so we’re confident this will be the start of something completely new for Derry.”

The Breslins also own butchers shops at Whitehouse retail park and Lisnagelvin shopping centre in the Waterside.
“Derry’s become a real food destination, and it’s wonderful to be part of that,” said Melanie Breslin.
“The Strand Road has been very derelict these past few years, and with the new hotel under construction and two new bars it’s great to see a bit of life coming back into the area.”

Primrose has been supported by the North West Regional College’s Foodovation centre, which nurtures and develops food businesses across Ireland. Its general manager, Brian McDermott, said it was one of the centre’s success stories. “Any jobs in the hospitality sector have to be welcomed, and this goes to show just how vibrant the food and drink industry is in Derry at the moment,” he said.

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Derry Strabane Global – Sept 2017 Newsletter

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In this edition you will find interesting articles about what is happening in Derry City and Strabane District, bios of Derry Londonderry Dispora, human interest stories about Derry Strabane connections, a snapshot of jobs & key employers recruiting in the area, plus lots more.

September 2017 Issue

Read Derry ~ Strabane Global – Connecting With Our Diaspora

 

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12 new jobs being created by Londonderry manufacturer Carella Laminate Systems

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12 new jobs being created by Eglinton manufacturer Carella Laminate Systems.

Invest NI’s North West Regional Manager, Des Gartland (left) is pictured with Seamus Heron, Carella Laminate Systems.

Invest NI’s North West Regional Manager, Des Gartland (left) is pictured with Seamus Heron, Carella Laminate Systems.


Carella Laminate Systems is expanding its workforce in Londonderry to help secure new business in the interior fit-out markets across Great Britain and Republic of Ireland.

With support from Invest Northern Ireland, the manufacturer is recruiting 12 additional staff by 2019 and investing in all areas of the business including sales, production, management and service. The company has also expanded its facilities, recently developing bespoke premises in Campsie Industrial Estate.

Speaking about the plans, Managing Director Seamus Heron said: “We have seen a recent uplift in projects secured across Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland and want to continue to grow our market share, driving sales of our worktops and contract interior fit-out solutions. The bespoke site we developed at Campsie and our new machinery has enhanced our production capacity and improved the efficiency of our operations.
“The 12 additional staff we are recruiting with help from Invest NI will support the anticipated growth in workload. It will also give us the necessary capability within the team to tender for new higher value projects in our target markets.”

Carella Laminate Systems provides interior fit-out solutions for customers in the health, education and leisure sectors and also manufactures and supplies worktops and bonded boards for the kitchen and bedroom market.

Welcoming the investment, Bill Montgomery, Invest NI Director of Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering said: “Carella has an ambitious strategy to grow sales in Great Britain by 70 per cent over the next three years and is focused on positioning itself to achieve this objective.

“Invest NI’s support has already enabled the company to undertake research visits in its target markets, in a bid to establish new customer relationships. The £90,000 offered towards the 12 new jobs will ensure Carella has the resources its needs to avail of its identified business opportunities. The new roles will be recruited over the next two years and once in place will contribute £407,000 in additional salaries to the local economy.”

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£7million BioDevices Lab opens in Ulster University

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£7million BioDevices Lab opens in Ulster University.

Ulster University

Celebrating the opening of the new Advanced Biomedical Engineering Laboratory in Ulster University are (from left) Professor Brian Meenan, Ulster University; Tracy Meharg, Invest NI; Professor Jim McLaughlin, Ulster University; and Stuart McGregor, Randox Laboratories

The new Advanced Biomedical Engineering Laboratory officially opened today in Ulster University.

The laboratory is a strategic partnership between Invest Northern Ireland, Ulster University, Randox Laboratories and Heartsine Technologies. It will offer expertise and state of the art equipment to assist companies to develop prototypes for the biomedical, engineering, electronic device and aerospace sectors.

Welcoming the new lab, Tracey Meharg, Invest NI’s Executive Director of Business Solutions said: “The new BioDevices Lab is a welcome and exciting development for Northern Ireland’s Health & Life Sciences sector. The facility will open up opportunities for stronger innovation by hosting a suite of equipment which will allow companies to quickly develop prototypes and medical devices for testing.

“It is a great example of how partnerships between government, industry and academia can enhance Northern Ireland as a knowledge economy and boost the credibility and visibility of Northern Ireland as a global leader in connected health.”

The total investment is £7.3m. Invest NI has offered assistance of £3.7m through a Grant for R&D, with Ulster University contributing £2.9m and £716,000 invested through industry collaborations with Randox Laboratories and Heartsine Technologies.

Ulster University’s Professor Jim McLaughlin, overall project lead explains, “Developing technology platforms to help translate our world class science and discovery to a device format as promptly as possible is essential for the very best design and performance.

“In healthcare technology, Ulster University leads the way in the development of new patient monitoring systems, stimulation devices, wearable solutions and diagnostic sensing. The lab will enable our researchers to develop the strong leadership and innovation skills so critical to future industry growth, working in collaboration with our industry partners.”

Dr Peter FitzGerald from Randox Laboratories said: “As one of the UK’s leading life sciences companies, we are delighted to be a partner in this innovative collaboration and to promote Northern Ireland as a global life sciences hub.

“We believe the greatest improvements to patients’ lives are possible through the continuous development of new technologies. This unique laboratory will facilitate that, as it will allow the rapid development of test prototype devices and also assist us to expand our unique range of high-calibre analyser systems.”

Invest NI’s R&D support is part funded by ERDF under the EU Investment for Growth and Jobs Programme 2014-2020.

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Translink launches new Foyle Metro bus service in Derry~Londonderry

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New look Foyle Metro Buses

New look Foyle Metro Buses


Translink launches new Foyle Metro bus service in Derry ~ Londonderry with £3m investment

Translink has launched a new bus service in Londonderry. ‘Foyle Metro’ is a major development for the city’s public transport network. The new-look red bus fleet marks the end of an era for the Ulsterbus blue & white buses in the city. The new fleet of 19 buses represents an investment of more than £3 million. The service will operate from Friday across 14 bus corridors on a simplified route network.

Translink is working with the Department for Infrastructure and Derry City and Strabane District Council to deliver road infrastructure improvements in the city.

“The people of told us they wanted a modern and attractive bus service that reflects and supports the city’s prosperity,” said Translink Group Chief Executive Chris Conway. “We’ve used their feedback to design the ‘Foyle Metro’ experience, its new-look, routes and timetables. “As a major local employer delivering more than 270 jobs in the North West, Foyle Metro will also help secure a successful future for our business here.”

Tony McDaid, who has been a Translink bus driver in Derry for more than 30 years, said he had followed in the footsteps of his father, who worked as a driver, inspector and manager for 45 years. “I have been here since 1987 and the city was a lot smaller in those days. “In the old buses when I was driving they had no heat, no powered steering and hard plastic seats.”

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Derry tech firm, Elemental Software is scaling up its workforce

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Grainne McVeigh, Invest NI, is pictured with (L – R) Leeann Monk-Özgül and Jennifer Neff, Elemental Software.

Grainne McVeigh, Invest NI, is pictured with (L – R) Leeann Monk-Özgül and Jennifer Neff, Elemental Software.

Derry tech firm, Elemental Software is scaling up its workforce

Elemental Software, the ‘tech for good’ company operating within the health and wellbeing sector, is recruiting 10 additional jobs in Derry/Londonderry with support from Invest Northern Ireland. Elemental’s award winning Social Prescribing platform connects patients, health and social care professionals and community health and wellness providers.

Pilots of the platform garnered positive feedback from health and social care professionals, community providers and patients and resulted in Elemental Software securing its first contracts across the UK and private investment earlier this year. Now the firm’s founders, Leeann Monk-Özgül and Jennifer Neff, are expanding the team to help deliver a healthy pipeline of prospective customers and scale the business across the UK and Middle East.
Welcoming the investment during a visit to the company’s premises, Grainne McVeigh, Invest NI’s Director Life Sciences, said: “Elemental Software is a growing innovative digital health company at the forefront of Social Prescribing, an established model of integrated health and social care delivery. Its digital solution has vast growth potential globally and already its unique platform is rapidly being adopted across the UK and in Dubai.”
The platform makes it easier for any health and social care related professional to refer people with health risks to community based lifestyle interventions. Most importantly, it measures the impact of the referral so as to reduce demand in GP time and services and ultimately keep people out of hospital for longer.

“We have worked with this business from its inception. Elemental Software’s rapid progress is testament to the entrepreneurial flair and determination of the firm’s founders. Invest NI is pleased to support its investment in hiring 10 new key members of staff and implementing targeted market development. We believe this will enable Elemental Software to continue to scale and increase its market share,” added Grainne. Elemental Software’s founders have an ongoing relationship with Invest NI, participating in Propel as well as its Collaborative Growth Programme. The company has also benefited from Innovation Vouchers, research and development assistance to develop its digital platform, and trade support to undertake extensive market research. Discussing the company’s expansion plans, Co-Founders of Elemental Software, Leeann Monk-Özgül and Jennifer Neff, said: “Social Prescribing addresses one of the most pressing health and social care challenges of our generation and we have developed a solution that can support and empower lifestyle change for communities most at risk and those who play a key role in supporting these communities.

“We need to create a team which includes business and software development positions as well as marketing and communications and finance and administration roles to help take the business to the next level. Recruiting these key hires will give us the capacity to penetrate our target markets and enhance the functionality of the platform.

“Invest NI’s ongoing advice and support has been vital to progress to date. This support towards our planned recruitment and marketing investment will enable us to maintain the momentum being created as the ‘Go To’ platform for referrals into community based programmes and services that improve quality of life, establish a reputation in our target markets and secure new sales.”

Elemental Software is also the lead in a newly established Mental Health and Wellbeing network that will scope out the opportunities for NI companies in relation to developing skills, innovative solutions and services for preventative healthcare in mental health and wellbeing. Invest NI’s R&D support is part funded by ERDF under the EU Investment for Growth and Jobs Programme 2014-2020.

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Lithe IT chooses Londonderry for new sales and marketing team

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Des Gartland (left), Invest NI, is pictured with Brendan McNabb, Lithe IT.

Des Gartland (left), Invest NI, is pictured with Brendan McNabb, Lithe IT.


Lithe IT has set up a sales and marketing function in Londonderry to grow its business across Europe and North America.

Lithe IT provides a wide range of business process services and solutions targeted at improving a business’s effectiveness and efficiency. It specialises in providing process based software solutions aimed at addressing key business challenges across a number of industries. Customers include Transport for London and global businesses such as Canon, and Swiss Post Solutions. Its new Derry based team of four will include a Sales Director, Sales Executive, Marketing Executive, and a Software Engineer.

Welcoming the company to the city, Des Gartland, North West Regional Manager, Invest Northern Ireland said: “Lithe IT is growing its core Professional Services and Software Product businesses to meet the demand of its existing and new customers. The company considered a number of potential locations for its new sales and marketing team but chose Londonderry based on the availability of strong technical and industry specific sales skills. “They have moved very quickly to get the office up and running and have already recruited two people and will be looking to fill the remaining two roles by late autumn. The new roles have salaries in the £25k-£50k range and the company hopes to increase employment further in the future.”

Invest NI has offered Lithe IT £24,000 of support towards the new roles. Brendan McNabb, Chief Business Development Officer said: “This is an exciting time for Lithe IT in our ongoing global growth. We continue to invest in the business in response to the demand for our services and solutions primarily in the North America and EMEA regions.”Brendan McNabb is from the North West region and was a strong advocate for locating the project in Londonderry. “When we were considering where to place these new roles I was keen for Derry to be considered. As a local, I am very aware of the strong skill set here,” added Brendan. “We will be skilling up the team on new technologies and they will be working closely with me to identify new opportunities and provide support to our existing and new customers.”

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LacPatrick secures more than £1m in sales in the UAE

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The international dairy co-operative, LacPatrick, has secured over £1m of sales of its LP spray dried whole milk and skimmed milk powder in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), following participation at Gulfood in February 2017.

Steve Harper, Invest NI (right) is pictured with Enda Gallen, LacPatrick

Steve Harper, Invest NI (right) is pictured with Enda Gallen, LacPatrick

Welcoming the deals, Steve Harper, Invest Northern Ireland’s Executive Director of International Business said: “LacPatrick has used Invest NI support to make impressive strides in securing this new export business in the UAE. As well as exhibiting on the NI stand at this major food event, the company has worked with our in-market team for a number of years to help identify new trade opportunities.

“Our participation in events such as Gulfood reflects our strategic focus to assist companies to grasp the opportunities that are clearly available in international markets to achieve faster, more profitable and sustainable growth.“LacPatrick is one of several Northern Ireland companies who have had great success in the region, including Antrim Hills and White’s Oats.”

LacPatrick is one of Northern Ireland’s major manufacturing employers, employing over 300 staff across its Ballyrashane, Artigarvan and Monaghan sites. Enda Gallen, International Sales Manager for LacPatrick said: “The UAE is a very important market for our business and we are delighted with our progress to date.

“Relationships are a very important part of the Middle East culture and participating at Gulfood was an excellent opportunity to nurture existing relationships and meet with potential new customers. We had been working on an number of deals in the weeks leading up to Gulfood and being able to meet face to face with customers allowed us to get the deals successfully over the line. Invest NI’s support in facilitating and helping to set up these meetings was extremely beneficial.

“Securing new customers is a very important development for our business and has opened new avenues with which to sell our product ranges, particularly the high quality milk powders which are produced at our new state-of-the-art dairy technology centre in Artigarvan. We have also been able to secure significant further orders with existing customers, which is an excellent development and something we will continue to build on.”

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Turley “plans ahead” with City of Derry~Londonderry North West office.

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Turley “plans ahead” with City of Derry~North West office and new appointments: Planning consultants Turley have announced plans to open a second regional office to serve the City of Derry and North West, and the creation of three new jobs in Northern Ireland.

Left to right: Michael Gordon, Brian Kelly, John Davison of Turley

Left to right: Michael Gordon, Brian Kelly, John Davison of Turley


The national planning and design consultancy currently has offices in 12 locations across the UK, including an office in Belfast led by Office Director, Michael Gordon.

The new City of Derry~North West office is to be led by fellow Director, Brian Kelly a native of Donegal and the lead planner on several major projects including the Titanic Quarter, Odyssey Millennium project and Altnagelvin Hospital’s Radiotherapy Unit. He said:

“As a resident of the North West, I am delighted Turley is investing in a new office. This demonstrates a further commitment to our clients operating in the North West cross border region. We are responding to their demand, and a recognised opportunity to use planning to catalyse investments and deliver projects.

“Our own investment builds on a track record of high profile projects in the region, including the Radiotherapy unit, regeneration of Fort George and Ebrington Barracks, several social and private housing schemes, retail and other major employment & leisure schemes, including the Three Rivers development in Strabane.

“We see this as a next step in our growth at a time when there is new focus on the border region and opportunities that may be created following a ‘city’ or regional deal. There is simply no comparable ‘place-making’ planning offer operating in both jurisdictions in the North West region, and we look forward to working with clients and planning authorities throughout the area.”

The office investment will be followed by the appointment of three new posts. Michael Gordon explained:

“In recent years we have seen investor confidence returning. Turley has responded by continuing to develop our business to better support development projects. We now combine town planning, urban design, sustainability, economics and engagement expertise to help shape attractive commercially-viable places.

“Our team has grown to 14, the largest professional planning service on the island of Ireland. Market confidence has continued to return and has spurred our growth as we continue to secure significant permissions across commercial, residential and employment developments. We are now seeking to recruit three new positions to continue this growth and service the ongoing client work; with a senior planner in the North West, an assistant planner in Belfast, and a senior engagement consultant.”

Director of Engagement, John Davison added: “We have adapted to a reformed planning system that now sees local councils taking responsibility for local policy, and councillors in control of decision making. Planning has become increasingly local and community focussed. The emphasis now is on being engaged with local communities, locally elected representatives and to deliver economic growth opportunities. Our new office and these three new posts are a strategic response to maintain our growth and to service our clients.”

The new City of Derry~North West office is located at 37 Clarendon Street, BT48 7ER.

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