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Features

August 2022

Bloc Blinds group expands into US as sale soar to £101.9m

While the parent group Fourds Ltd, on this year’s list, may be far from a household name for many, the consumer arm certainly is.

Haldane Fisher continues to grow and joins Ulster Business Top 100 at 59 spot

It’s a brand many of those working in construction and beyond will certainly recognise, and it’s a business which has also continued to witness steady growth and expansion.

Martin Property Group: from revamping a Derry retail stalwart to developing a host of major buildings in Belfast

Whether it’s buying a host of major Belfast assets, the revamp of a £15m office stalwart or developing the Richmond Centre in Derry, the last few months have certainly been busy for one of the most active property businesses here.

Ulster Business Top 100: Agility helping commodities giant W&R Barnett post strong results

W&R Barnett firmly remains one of Northern Ireland’s most successful and biggest family-owned and run businesses.

Patek Phillipe: 2022 brings forth a future classic and revamped icon

It’s very much love at first sight for me with any salmon dial Patek Philippe. The 5270P Perpetual Chronograph is piece you’d consider selling your house for and John Mayer’s unique made-to-order 5004G is a jaw-dropping spectacle of engineering, craft and balanced beauty.

July 2022

Jans Group: ‘We want to grow to 500 people and hit £50m in sales next year’

Putting the foot down and growing the arms of an already very fresh business during a global pandemic may not immediately seem like the right move.

June 2022

AI: changing the way we think and operate

The predictions of what the use of AI and automation could have on Northern Ireland’s economy look pretty positive.

The Northern Ireland investment landscape in 2022

Jonathan Dobbin, head of UK regions, Julius Baer

Business Showcase with Ulster Bank: Meeting the home-working demands amid Covid

Robert Eadie saw first hand the initial impact of Covid-19 as he and his team worked at Craigavon Area Hospital just as the pandemic hit.

From battling mental health issues to eyeing a five gym empire

Rory Girvan has his sights set on expanding his gym business to include up to five locations across Belfast and beyond.

May 2022

‘Sorry, we’re closed today’: Dealing with an industry wide staffing crisis

‘We’re closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and that’s purely due to demand and staffing,’ says one of our leading chefs and restauranteurs.

Andrew Cupples pictured at Belfast City Council’s Royal Avenue cultural hub

NIE Networks: Data and digitalisation helping shape the future of energy

Andrew Cupples and the rest of the network development team are focused on what they want to achieve to ensure Northern Ireland’s electricity network is at the forefront of technology and ready for future burgeoning demands as we transition to net zero.

Review: Tissot PRX is the vintage sports watch we all need

Who would have thought a watch harking back to the darker days of the Swiss industry pivoting to quartz would the piece which reverberated around affordable horology.

‘Firms want a lighter touch with NI Protocol… but they have moved onto issues of 2022’

‘The impression I get is the NI Protocol was a problem in 2021, but companies are dealing the issues of 2022 now,’ Stephen Kelly of Manufacturing NI tells me.

CBI chief Tony Danker: ‘It’s a problem every time sausages cross the border we have to bring down the Executive’

Belfast-born CBI chief Tony Danker says businesses want the NI Protocol to work and we must see a return to a fully-operational devolved government as soon as possible.

Our island of exports: the businesses adapting to changing trade across Ireland

For many years, the world was an oyster for HigenX. This Galway-based firm, which specialises in hygiene monitoring solutions, sold its products as far afield as South America, but in recent times it has also seen a boom in localised exports. “And we’ve definitely seen an increase in trade to Northern Ireland,” Mike Mahoney, the company’s manager, says.

M&A and investment: will the strong year continue?

When the pandemic struck, there was far from a clear picture as to how it could impact investment and deals being done by firms of all shapes and sizes across Northern Ireland.

Is a root and branch review required of planning in Northern Ireland?

Three publications followed in the space of just a handful of weeks which shone a critical spotlight on what is arguably one of the most important elements fuelling our economy here.

EY: Ambitious growth plans in a fresh working environment

Rob Heron has ambitious plans for EY in Northern Ireland and he’s taken over at the helm at a time when the professional services giant is very much in growth mode.

April 2022

The green dollar: why firms are flexing their sustainable credentials

Climate change and going green has never featured more prominently across our media – from news, to entertainment, print media and online.

Business start-up: record numbers and the outlook ahead

It’s been tough to grasp just how Covid-19 has impacted our business landscape and companies as a whole.

Sinead Cross, Patrick Cross and Dr Terry Cross OBE

From whiskey to telecoms and potatoes: The Northern Ireland family firms helping to grow our economy

Northern Ireland’s family business success stories are plentiful.

Next 200 profile: Bedeck

For a long-running family-owned company such as Bedeck, it pays to take a long-term view on business.

Next 200 profile: Telefonica Tech

It’s been something of a whirlwind journey for what is now one of Northern Ireland’s fastest-growing and best-established giants of IT.

Next 200 profile: Hannon Transport

It’s a fair assessment that the logistics and haulage sector was among the hardest hit in terms of the sizeable seismic changes felt amid the full force of Brexit.

Review: Tudor’s leftfield dive watch the Pelagos FXD a future classic

When Tudor refreshed its entire brand line several years back now, the Pelagos felt like something of a sleeper.