LaunchPad and Peoplesafe set up shop in Derry, creating 16 new jobs

LaunchPad and Peoplesafe, two highly successful software companies that were founded in England, are establishing new offices in Derry and plan to create a total of 16 new jobs in the city over the next 12 months.

LaunchPad, a London-headquartered startup that develops video recruitment software, is establishing a European centre in Derry and will be recruiting ten new team members to fill customer service and software development vacancies. LaunchPad creates data and video interviewing and screening technologies that help recruitment and HR professionals make smarter and more objective hiring decisions.

Peoplesafe, a Sheffield-headquartered tech firm that develops digital devices, smartphone apps and online platforms designed to ensure the safety of lone workers, is planning to establish offices in Derry and recruit software developers for 6 new software development vacancies. Founded in 2004, Peoplesafe has now developed a full portfolio of safety solutions for lone workers across a range of sectors.

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The news of the inward investment came as part of a wider announcement by Invest NI of 100 new jobs created in the Derry area. Northern Ireland’s Economy Minister, Simon Hamilton MLA, said: “The 100 new jobs being created span a range of roles and industries including software development, engineering, marketing and finance, and once in place will contribute over £2.5million in additional salaries to the local economy.”

Source: SyncNI

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New business success and real trade links success for Ireland North West delegation

The announcement of the establishment of a Boston office for Derry firm GoWalkTalk and a joint partnership between Gartan Technologies from Donegal and US firm Adashi Systems, and the ongoing commitment to strengthen economic development links between Massachusetts and the North West region were some of the early successes of the Ireland North West delegation who travelled to the United States last week as part of a trade visit.

Making the announcement of the new Boston office for GoWalkTalk, the Mayor of Boston, Martin Walsh, speaking at the Golden Bridges Conference, said the investment by the Derry based healthcare management applications and solution’s company was evidence of the ongoing positive partnership arrangement with Massachusetts and the North West region of Ireland.

The Ireland North West delegation, the first of its kind to travel to Massachusetts, was cross border and cross agency led by the Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Mayor Alderman Hilary McClintock and the Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Terence Slowey, with the Chief Executives of both Councils John Kelpie and , Seamus Neely, Council officials, representatives from Udaras na Gaeltachta, Ulster University, Letterkenny Institute of Technology and the North West Regional College, and 17 local businesses, all travelling to promote the region for investment and build and develop strong links and relationships between both regions.

An inspiring “Gateway for Growth” promotional video and brochure was officially launched during the visit and businesses and officials in Worcester, Springfield and Boston about the unique opportunities that existed for investment in Ireland North West.

John Kelpie, Chief Executive with Derry City and Strabane District Council said: “We told delegates about our unique offering and the fact that Ireland North West, that includes the fourth largest city on the island of Ireland, is a very attractive location for international business partnerships because of its hugely talented skills base, competitive operating costs, advanced telecommunications infrastructure and excellent education and business linkages. A key selling point for us was our unique location and our close connectivity to Europe, our very youthful and talented population, and excellent skills base.

“We were very forthright about our ambitious plans for the future and told them about how we are investing multi-millions of pounds in our road, rail and air infrastructure and connectivity over the next five to 10 years, that will see the expansion of our university, the development of a graduate medical school and major redevelopment of the city sites including investment in housing, office and retail space and leisure service provision. We outlined our strong commitment to building on our existing strengths in terms of our youthful and well educated population, our talent and creativity and skills base to promote ourselves as a city and region that is willing and able to do business.”

Seamus Neely, Chief Executive with Donegal County Council said that the potential US investors were very interested to hear that Ireland North West is ranked in the top 10 economies in the world for ease of doing business and starting a business, and to hear about our strong and diverse SME base and real spirit of entrepreneurship.

“What was very evident from our visit was how the US businesses were interested in our location and our closeness to Europe. We went out there with a very clear message that our unique location is our strength and how we provide the only region that has a land border between the UK and the rest of the EU.”

“Our young, well educated population with their strong worth ethic, and the fact that 31% of our school leavers are educated to degree level and have right skills for employment were very much of interest to the businesses we spoke to.”

Another top selling point for the delegation was the region’s extremely cost competitiveness for prime office rent space compared to Boston or Dublin and the attractive financial support packages and ongoing aftercare support for potential investors that are on offer, in addition to our universities and institutions that are driving our technology and knowledge industries.

 

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John Kelpie said these impressive selling points make Ireland North West a highly attractive and competitive location to do business and he is confident some real linkages and connections were made.

Mayor Alderman Hilary McClintock said the visit was very significant not only in terms of forging links and relationships but in giving the companies that travelled as part of the delegation a real insight into the US market and the opportunities that exist for development and expansion.

Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Terence Slowey said feedback on what Ireland North West has to offer has been very positive and that people in the US were genuinely very excited about what the region has to offer.

For the 17 companies that travelled as part of the delegation there is a lot of follow up work to do with the connections and links made during the visit.  Eleanor Hanna from Donegal based Hanna Hats felt that the trip was very beneficial for her business and said that “we have made some great contacts with high end fashion stores in the US and we are planning to meet up with them in the New Year to pursue these opportunities further”.

While Orla Ward from O’Neill’s, Ireland’s largest sportswear manufacturing company, said the visit was really worthwhile and she is following up on a number of very positive leads with colleges and universities in Boston who are interested in their quality performance playing kits.

Source: Derry City & Strabane District Council News

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Largest ever North West trade delegation to visit Boston later this month

Civic leaders, businesses and officials from the North West will be embarking on their largest ever delegation to Boston, Massachusetts later this month.

The delegation, which is being jointly led by the Mayor of Derry, Cllr. Hilary McClintock, and Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr. Terence Slowey, will see 17 businesses from across the North West region participate in the overseas trade mission with a view to expanding or further expanding their business in the US market.

The mission will comprise of a week long programme of events and meetings culminating with attendance at the Golden Bridges conference on the 18 November.

Along with both Councils, other participating organisations include Udaras na nGaeltachta, Invest NI, Enterprise Ireland, Ulster University, Letterkenny Institute of Technology and the North West Regional College.

A new video showcasing the region as a prime location for business has been commissioned especially for this mission and this will be launched along with a new brochure to promote all aspects of the region.

John Kelpie, chief executive of Derry City and Strabane District Council, said the North West region had a “compelling and attractive proposition for investors.”

He added: “We have a strong and diverse SME sector with a global outlook and our location on the island of Ireland means that we are the gateway to one of the world’s largest markets.

This promotional material will help us tell our story and share with our counterparts in Massachusetts all that our region has to offer.”

 

The delegation will include the following businesses:

  • GoWalkTalk
  • Gartan Technologies
  • Irish Gap Year
  • Irish Fish Canners
  • Qubizm
  • SLM Connect
  • Consilium Education
  • Oideas Gael
  • Hanna Hats
  • Sendmode
  • Kelsius
  • Kinnegar Brewing
  • Modern Democracy
  • Studio Donegal
  • O’Donnells Bakery
  • Randox
  • Donegal Socks
  • O’Neills Sportswear

The delegation will include representatives from the following organisations:

  • Donegal County Council
  • Derry City and Strabane District Council
  • Letterkenny Institute of Technology
  • Ulster University
  • Udaras na nGaeltachta
  • North West Regional College

Source: Derry Now

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Boran – Mopack invests £2.4million and creates 10 jobs in Strabane

A Strabane manufacturing company has created 10 new jobs and invested £2.4million in a bid to double its export growth over the next two years. Boran-Mopack manufactures and supplies packaging to a broad range of sectors. Invest Northern Ireland offered the company £250,000 to support its investment in new machinery and equipment to support its growth strategy. The business has also extended its warehouse to cope with expected uplift in orders.

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Welcoming the investment, John Hood, Invest NI’s Director of Food said: “This important investment has enhanced Boran-Mopack’s production capabilities and positioned the business to reduce its lead times and secure sales in new markets and sectors. “Invest NI’s support is underpinning the growth of this business. The ten new production jobs created in Strabane as a result of the investment is welcome news for the town, and a positive boost for the food and drink manufacturing industry.”

Boran-Mopack Limited was formed in 2003 and is part of the Boran group of companies which includes Boran Plastic Packaging Ltd. based in Naas, Co. Kildare. Managing Director, Mairtin Boran, said the investment signals their commitment to drive the long term growth of the business.

Source: Derry Journal

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Mayor to welcome Clipper Race crew to New York

The new Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Alderman Hilary McClintock, will head up a special delegation travelling to New York this week to engage with prominent members of the Irish Diaspora community and the crews of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, as they prepare for their Trans-Atlantic journey to the city next month.

The Mayor will attend a series of cultural and business related events accompanied by council officials and representatives of Invest NI, to promote the region and further strengthen links between the two cities.

Two local companies will also travel as part of the delegation, with the opportunity to establish new trading opportunities and develop relationships with potential investors in the US. Joanne Doherty, founder of cultural gift company Piecemakers, which offers a range of bespoke heritage based pieces created using the latest laser technology, and Troy Armour, entrepreneur and founder of the Patral Group which includes a range of companies such as Trojan Technologies, youth fashion company Junk Kouture and creative digital agency Wurkhouse, will have the chance to meet with influential business figures during a series of engagements and networking opportunities on the trip.

The Mayor will also meet with the Clipper Race teams, and join members of the Derry~Londonderry~Doire crew as they arrive in New York before they embark on their final ocean voyage and a spectacular homecoming welcome during the Foyle Maritime Festival.

Speaking ahead of the trip, the Mayor said she was looking forward to promoting both the Foyle Maritime Festival event and the North West as an exciting tourism destination.

“As July fast approaches there is a great sense of anticipation about the Foyle Maritime Festival and this trip to New York presents a great opportunity to promote both the festival and the region as a whole. We have already established strong links with the city and I look forward to reaffirming these relations during our engagements, which include meetings with key members of both the business and cultural communities.

“I’m particularly looking forward to catching up with the Derry~Londonderry~Doire crew who have been so successful in the race challenges to date. The team is expecting a huge welcome on arrival in New York with many family and friends and a large number of Irish Diaspora travelling to the stopover location to welcome the team into port.”

During the visit the delegation will engage with local business and political figures and attend a series of meetings geared towards generating investment and trade links. The Mayor will also address a keynote lunch event hosted by Invest NI, Tourism Ireland and the NI Bureau to mark the race stopover and promote the North West as a great place to visit and invest.

The cities’ shared histories will be a strong focus of the trip, and local Genealogist Brian Mitchell will give a number of talks on local ancestry highlighting the strong historic ties between the North West and the New York Diaspora.

The trip will also include a visit to the New York Irish Centre where the Mayor will launch the ‘Derry’s of the World’ exhibition exploring the city’s legacy in other locations across the world which have adopted the same name.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to encourage people in New York to come to Derry and find out more about our shared culture and history,” she stressed. “The Foyle Maritime Festival celebrations provide the perfect opportunity to showcase the region and the positive change which has revitalised the city and the district.

“I look forward to sharing more about the positive work we are doing to develop our Community Plan and how we are actively involved in lobbying for investment in our University and our bid for European Youth Capital Status in 2019.

“I hope to further develop the relationships already established with the Diaspora in New York to ensure they continue to act as ambassadors for the city and region and help promote what we have to offer,” she added.

Source: Foyle Maritime News

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Businesses invited to Clipper information event

12 January 2016
Next week local businesses will have the opportunity to attend a special event to find out how they can get involved in the massive Clipper Race 2015-16 homecoming celebrations set to take over Derry in July 2016.
This is the third time the city has been asked to host one of the stopover visits in what has become one of the most significant global sporting events, followed by millions worldwide – the Clipper Race.
In 2014 the Foyle Maritime Festival generated visitor numbers of almost 150,000, as the riverside was thronged with spectators who greeted the arrival of the 12 strong Clipper 70 fleet.
This year’s festival will take place from July 9 – 17, and will include a packed programme of both quayside and river based events, presenting major opportunities for local businesses particularly those in the tourism and hospitality sectors, but open to all sectors.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor Elisha McCallion commented “Our partnership with Clipper Ventures has been of major significance for the local economy, providing the opportunity for us to stage a world class festival and be a part of a major global sporting event.
“It has opened us up to new audiences and, building on the success of the previous two homecoming events, we have the opportunity to attract even more visitors this year. I would recommend that all local businesses find out more about the programme and their chance to play an active role in what promises to be the biggest event in the North West for 2016.”

In 2014 the Foyle Maritime Festival generated £3,183,208 throughout the city and district, providing a significant boost to the local economy.clipper

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Derry merger generates £1m jobs investment

13th January

Two leading creative companies based in Derry have joined forces as part of a global expansion by Wurkhouse.

Creative design company Blue Splat has been subsumed by the rapidly growing Wurkhouse in a merger deal which will see an investment of £1m and job creation in Derry.

The fusion of the digital firms is regarded as having cemented the Wurkhouse stable as the largest creative agency in the North West.

As a result of the merger Wurkhouse now employs 16 people at its Derry base in the Northern Ireland Science Park’s Innovation Centre.

As part of a £1m investment, the firm has plans to rapidly expand its Derry workforce in the next three years through sustained growth, particularly in export markets, notably in the US.

Managing Director Andy Sheen, founder and former director of Blue Splat, describes the merger as “a perfect fusion of skills under the roof of a truly complete creative agency”.

“Our headquarters in Northern Ireland is buzzing with creativity and digital know-how. Our new office in London is ready to go and our New York office is set to open for business in early 2016 – setting in motion our big push to expand our export capabilities to the US. We currently have a great team of people at our headquarters in Derry and our three year plan for growth envisages doubling our workforce here by 2019,” he adds.

Wurkhouse is currently in the process of acquiring a company in the US as part of its expansion programme.

“We are actively working on other mergers and acquisitions and hope to close something in the US in the coming months as we push to expand into that market,” he explains.

Wurkhouse has its headquarters in The Innovation Centre, Northern Ireland Science Park, Derry. The company creates, develops and markets brands both online and offline.

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New Ryanair Base at Belfast International Airport

7th January

The announcement that Ryanair will open a new base at Belfast International Airport has been warmly welcomed.

Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Jonathan Bell said: “The announcement that Ryanair will open a new base is very positive news for Belfast International Airport and for the whole of Northern Ireland. Ryanair’s decision to base three aircraft at Belfast International Airport sends a very positive message that Northern Ireland has a lot to offer airlines and Belfast International Airport is to be congratulated on securing this important investment.

“Ryanair’s new Gatwick service will be important for both business and leisure passengers and I am encouraged by the airline’s intention to open five additional new routes before the end of 2016. This investment by Ryanair is not only important for Northern Ireland’s connectivity; it will also result in the generation of new jobs and revenue.”

The Minister continued: “I have met with Ryanair to discuss route opportunities and will continue to take a keen interest in how we can maximise this important investment by both Ryanair and Belfast International Airport. Air connectivity is an important driver for economic growth and I have a strong commitment to developing the economy through prioritising business travel and inbound tourism connectivity for Northern Ireland. Work to progress an Air Route Development Fund for Northern Ireland is ongoing and I intend to be in a position to announce the way forward before the end of the financial year.”

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Foyle Maritime Festival Begins Promotional Campaign at London Boat Show

06 January 2016

Visit Derry, in partnership with Derry City & Strabane District Council, Foyle Port and the Loughs Agency preparing for a busy year of marketing the destination and this year’s Foyle Maritime Festival, starting with exhibiting at the London Boat Show, 8th – 17th January 2016.

The countdown is on to the highly anticipated Clipper Round the World Yacht Race stopover and Foyle Maritime Festival which will be hosted in the city from 9th – 17th July 2016 and the London Boat Show is the ideal platform to kick start the festival’s promotional campaign to a captive audience with a keen interest in sailing.

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Elisha McCallion says the London Boat Show provides the perfect opportunity to showcase the festival and the city and district as a tourism and maritime destination. “The Boat Show attracts a huge audience of people who are interested in maritime activity and is the ideal location for us to promote our tourism offering, our maritime facilities and our up and coming Foyle Maritime Festival.”

John Pollock, CEO Loughs Agency, welcomes the prospect of Clipper returning to the Foyle, and Captain Bill McCann, Harbour Master at Foyle Port also commented “There is no doubt that the city’s Clipper Round the World Yacht Race Stopover and Foyle Maritime Festival has firmly established itself as one of the best in-port events on the global Clipper circuit. We look forward to welcoming the race and festival back to Foyle Port Marina this summer.”

 

 

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Mayor Hosts Reception for Families Home for Christmas

Mayor, Cllr Elisha McCallion welcomed home local Diaspora who are living and working away from home and who travelled back to with family over the festive time, to be her guests at a special reception in the Guildhall on 22nd December.

The event was part of the Mayors new Diaspora initiative, aimed at reconnecting with the Diaspora community across the world and inviting them to come home, share their experiences and help to tell the region’s positive new story.

The Mayor opened up her chambers to local people who had travelled home from Rome, Florida, Miami, Canada and parts of the UK as they enjoyed a warm welcome from her over mulled wine and mince pies.

The event was a huge success and the Mayor is hopeful that it can become an annual event.

Local diaspora are encouraged to register they contact details at diaspora@derrystrabane.com so that they can be kept informed of forthcoming Council events and initiatives.

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