Thu 4th Feb 2016
Putting a spark into diversification

Ballynahinch’s Nitronica hosted 30 members of the local business community at an event by Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) and Ulster Bank yesterday (3 February 2016).
The event formed part of the NI Chamber and Ulster Bank Connections programme which provides direct support to growing companies within Northern Ireland, creating a network of local businesses who share common goals and challenges.
Speaking at the event, John Mellon, Managing Director of Nitronica, shared the company’s inspirational story and provided advice on how to grow a business through diversification.
Explaining how Nitronica has moved from operating in one sector with 3 customers back in 2002, to now operating in 12 industry sectors with 55 customers, Mr Mellon said:
“Change doesn’t come easily to most companies, but planned diversification can reap fantastic rewards. We’ve seen this with many Northern Irish companies that we’ve worked closely with – it’s not something that local businesses tend to shy away from.
“The NI Chamber Connections event provided a fantastic opportunity for peer to peer learning and I was delighted to share our story of how diversification has become the bedrock of Nitronica’s success whilst also hearing the experiences of the other participants.”
Nigel Walsh, Director, Commercial Banking at Ulster Bank, said:
“Ulster Bank is pleased to partner with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry to deliver the NI Chamber Connections programme. Part of building a successful business involves learning from best practice, and this series of events is an excellent platform for that kind of collaborative thinking – encouraging both innovation and export. It helps break down the barriers to entering new markets – both real and perceived – and highlights how some local companies are making great strides internationally.
“The event provided an interesting insight into the approach taken by Nitronica, which has grown and developed its business through diversification into new markets.”
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