Robotic arms at work in an automation manufacturing lab.
Image: © Nataliya Hora/Stock.adobe.com

15 new jobs for Ulster as three SMEs respond to growing demand

22 Mar 2021

Global Automation, Inspired Tax Incentives and Birnie Consulting are investing in their businesses as part of growth plans.

Three SMEs collectively plan to invest more than £850,000 in mid-Ulster. Global Automation, Inspired Tax Incentives and Birnie Consulting will each work to drive business growth and create a total of 15 new jobs in the region.

These expansion plans are supported by £85,000 from Invest NI. The agency’s CEO, Kevin Holland, described them as “important investments” by three export-focused companies.

“Our western regional team has been instrumental in supporting each of these companies as they seek to grow sales in markets outside Northern Ireland,” Holland added.

Global Automation, which is headquartered just outside Dungannon in Co Tyrone, supplies software, systems integration and more to clients in the industrial automation sector.

Its director, Terry Mullin, said that the company will undertake a “major redevelopment” of its existing premises to create a technology innovation hub focused on innovation, advanced manufacturing and digitalisation. The company will be investing £570,000 in the development and will create eight new jobs.

At the moment, its careers page lists openings for software engineers and electrical engineers, as well as placement and graduate opportunities.

“We have been in business for over 20 years,” Mullin said. “Given the effects of the pandemic, we had to review our business model and look to see how we could sustain our business and grow. As a new digital revolution is well under way, demand for our products and services are increasing.”

Inspired Tax Incentives and Birnie Consulting are much younger businesses than Global Automation. Inspired Tax Incentives launched in June of last year and has been experiencing steady growth, according to managing director Eugene O’Neill.

It has already hired for six new employees. “Our new staff are helping us grow sales in the construction, engineering and manufacturing sectors primarily in the UK and the Republic of Ireland,” O’Neill said.

Birnie Consulting, which was set up in 2017, has secured several new contracts in the UK. Its managing director, Dr Jonathan Birnie, said the company works with organisations in the agri-food sector to help them realise their development potential.

“We recently participated on Invest NI’s Accelerating Growth programme, which gave us a dedicated mentor to help develop our business growth strategy,” he added. “This has been vital in increasing our confidence and its new offer of support for two new staff and market development activities will help us to grow our business at a faster pace so we can capitalise on identified opportunities and grow our business further in export markets.”

Lisa Ardill
By Lisa Ardill

Lisa Ardill joined Silicon Republic as senior careers reporter in July 2019. She has a BA in neuroscience and a master’s degree in science communication. She is also a semi-published poet and a big fan of doggos. Lisa briefly served as Careers Editor at Silicon Republic before leaving the company in June 2021.

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