A group of 16 local companies have taken part in a near market trade mission organised by Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) in partnership with Ulster Bank.

The mission to Glasgow, which is part of NI Chamber’s Learn Grow Excel initiative, is among a series of trade visits led by NI Chamber and Ulster Bank to help local firms exploit opportunities in larger cities in Great Britain.

The delegation comprised companies from across a range of sectors including, construction, manufacturing, business services, wholesale retail and innovative technologies.

During the two day visit, which included a networking reception hosted by Glasgow and Ayrshire Chambers of Commerce, firms met representatives from some of the UK’s largest companies such as Multiplex, a leading global contractor with expertise across the entire property sector; The Wheatley Group, Scotland’s leading housing, care and property-management group; Sir Robert McAlpine, a leading UK building and civil engineering company; and Morgan Sindall, a leading UK construction and regeneration group.

Commenting on the visit, Sandra Scannell, Head of Business Services at Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said:

“Following two very successful visits to London and Birmingham last year, NI Chamber was delighted to take a delegation of our members to Glasgow for the latest in a series of near market trade visits with Ulster Bank.

“Glasgow is a great introduction for businesses who want to export, and is a market where NI Chamber has an extensive and established network via the British Chambers of Commerce and member companies who already have a presence there.

“As the largest city region in Scotland, it boasts an established economic strategy which has at its heart a £1.13 billion City Deal.  This will fund major infrastructure projects; create thousands of new jobs and assist many unemployed people back to work; improve public transport and connectivity; drive business innovation and growth and generate billions of pounds of private sector investment.”

Nigel Walsh, Director, Commercial Banking at Ulster Bank, said:

“We are very pleased to be supporting this initiative and to play our part in supporting local businesses to develop the knowledge, networks and confidence to expand. As a bank, our aim is to provide meaningful help to Northern Ireland’s exporters and those businesses that are looking to scale-up through sustainable growth, working with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry is an excellent way for us to do that.”

Companies who attended the trade visit to Glasgow included Armatile, Calibro, Construction Services Ireland, Dawson Hinds, Delap & Waller, Desk Warehouse, Environmental Street Furniture, Hunter Apparel Solutions, The Lava Group, McCue Crafted Fit, Mivan, Sperrin Metal Products and Taranto.

The near market trade visit is one of eight elements that form part of NI Chamber’s ‘Learn Grow Excel’ initiative – a dynamic and powerful suite of business support initiatives led and resourced by the private sector.

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