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Finding out how to grow your business with the help of social media and digital marketing were the items on the menu at the Canal Court Hotel in Newry on Friday morning for a Digital Marketing Masterclass organised by Newry Chamber of Commerce. The event started with breakfast and finished with a question and answer session.
Speaking at the event were Declan Murtagh, Digital Marketing Consultant, Brilliant Red Digital spoke on social media trends; Suzanna Vallely, Owner IF Consulting and Marketing spoke on digital marketing to grow your employer brand; Richard Reynolds, Owner RR Marketing spoke on digital paid advertising and Niall Parfitt, Director of Atlanticus Digital spoke on harnessing inbound marketing trends.
It was just one of many planned events for Newry Chamber of Commerce quite a few of them open to non members. On 24 February they are holding a Meet the local Media event for members with Newry.ie represented on the panel. On 9 March they celebrate International Womens Day with a Killeavey Castle Estate event. Business tours are also planned, including trips to STATSports, Kukoon Rugs, SRC, MJM Marine, Two Stacks Irish Whiskey and Gray Design.
Check www.newrychamber.com for more information and updates on events.
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Shelbourne Motors is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with the launch of a £3m capital investment programme across its multi-franchise retail sites in Newry and Portadown.
The multi-million-pound investment will see the family owned business undertake a major programme of renovations and upgrades. The renovations commenced with the Nissan dealership in Portadown adopting the Japanese car manufacturer’s new visual identity. This included the erection of new signage featuring the brand’s new logo and the updating the showroom into a striking and modern retail space.
The capital investment programme will continue across the vehicle retailer’s Newry and Portadown sites with the transformation of their Toyota, Renault, Kia and Dacia dealerships in line with each manufacturer’s retail and customer service concepts.
Renovations will focus on modern, flexible, and sustainable-focused designs that will include updated state-of-the-art showrooms with the latest technologically advanced features, new car handover bays, enhanced customer service facilities and electric vehicle (EV) charge points.
Paul Ward, Director of Shelbourne Motors, said: “This is a significant investment in the future growth of our business as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary.
“Our customers and staff will start to see changes across our multi-franchise dealerships in Portadown and Newry as we future proof our business and further strengthen our position as one of Northern Ireland’s largest family-owned vehicle retailers.
“This £3m capital investment programme will allow us to continue to focus on delivering a quality customer experience across our excellent franchise network and creating jobs across all areas of the business that supports the local economy.”
Shelbourne Motors was founded by the Ward Family in 1973 when owner Fred Ward converted his former forecourt business into a used car sales unit.
Led by the second generation of the Ward family, the business sells over 5,000 new and used cars annually and currently employs a growing team of over 150 staff across multi award-winning dealerships in Portadown and Newry.
The business operates the longest established Toyota franchise in Northern Ireland, alongside franchises for Renault, Nissan, Kia, Dacia, and MAXUS, as well as its own Used Car brand, Autoselect, and vehicle rental division, Shelbourne Vehicle Rental.
Paul added: “This is an incredibly proud moment for everyone associated with Shelbourne Motors.
“We have come a long way since our Father, Fred Ward, launched our first car dealership in 1973 and over the last 50 years we have prided ourselves on being a family run business built upon a commitment to offering exceptional choice and excellent customer service to our strong and loyal customer base.
“With an excellent reputation spanning five decades, we are firmly established as one of Northern Ireland’s largest family-owned vehicle retailers with an impressive portfolio of global vehicle manufacturers, and we are always looking to the future as we strive to continually evolve and invest in our customer service offering.”
For more information on Shelbourne Motors please visit: www.shelbournemotors.com
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Re-Gen Robotics has appointed a new Managing Director to lead the development of the company which uses no-man entry, explosion proof robots to clean a huge variety of storage tanks in the oil and gas industry.
Aidan Doherty is a founding member of the Re-Gen Group which employs over 300 people and has a group turnover of £58 million and previously held the post of Commercial Director of Re-Gen Waste and latterly Re-Gen Robotics. He will be the driving force in developing Re-Gen Robotics as it enters the European and US markets.
Speaking of his new appointment Aidan said: “I’m delighted to take up the role at Re-Gen Robotics at an exciting time when we have been recognised as revolutionising safety in industrial oil tank cleaning.
“We’ll be focusing on our excellent customer service and problem-solving expertise, offering realistic and cost-effective alternatives to our customers in order to reduce accidents and fatalities in confined spaces.”
Re-Gen Robotics has been working with some of the world’s oil majors including Phillips 66, Shell, Valero and Vermillion and Aidan believes that the sector is now seeing the many benefits of using robotic equipment to complete industrial tank cleaning.
Mr Doherty said; “I believe that the greatest ethical investment a company can make is to the health and safety of its employees. Our system significantly reduces the man hours involved in cleaning tanks, and accompanying reductions in accidents and health and safety incidents.”
Since 2019, Re-Gen Robotics has contributed to eliminating tens of thousands of hours of confined space cleaning and is seen by the oil majors as the safest tank cleaning option.
He added: “Our R&D department has been working hard on improving all aspects of our equipment especially in terms of reliability and productivity and I can see many opportunities in developing our talented team over the next five to 10 years as we take our service to global markets.
“I would also like to thank former Managing Director Fintan Duffy who led the company from 2019 to 2022. Fintan steered the company’s international recognition in health and safety, innovation, and was responsible for gaining globally acknowledged safety technology awards for the company.”
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CEO of Newry-headquartered food-to-go specialist Around Noon, Gareth Chambers, has been announced as an ambassador for UK wide campaign, the Big Education Challenge, set to transform education and learning in the UK. The campaign will reward a £1 million prize fund to young people and experienced innovators with bold ideas with the potential to transform education and learning in the UK.
The Big Education Challenge, offering a £1 million prize fund, is led by Big Change, a charity that catalyses change in education by supporting new initiatives that set up young people to thrive in life, not just exams. The challenge is open to young people and more experienced innovators and will seek to use the lived-experience of innovators, including young people themselves, to transform education and learning. The deadline for application entries is midnight on the 22nd February 2023.
Gareth, born and raised in Newry, has grown the food-to-go company Around Noon significantly, following a management buyout in 2026. Around Noon, who supply a broad range of high-quality sandwiches, wraps, salads, fruit pots and cold pressed juices, has witnessed exponential growth and now produces food across more than 20 major brands, employing over 500 people between Newry, Dublin and London.
The initiative coincides with the release of new research demonstrating widespread frustration across society with an education system that is not adequately preparing young people for their futures. Almost three-quarters (73%) of people in Northern Ireland believe the UK needs a bold, long-term vision for education that all parts of society contribute to.
Like the rest of the UK, the Northern Ireland education system faces challenges, including underfunding, underachievement in some sectors, and social and economic division. According to a recent UN report, highlighting a range of issues faced by children and young people, there is widespread regression in children's rights in Northern Ireland compared to when the UN committee examined them six years ago.
CEO of Newry-headquartered Around Noon and ambassador for the Big Education Challenge, Gareth Chambers commented: “I am delighted to be an ambassador for the Big Education Challenge. This is an excellent opportunity for the young people and experienced innovators of Northern Ireland to share their bold ideas, be listened to and make a difference to the future of education. I would encourage anyone who believes that they have what it takes to make a difference to apply to this fantastic opportunity.
It’s clear that our current UK education system is not working for everyone and too many young people are being left behind and who better to catalyse and accelerate change in education than those who have experienced it most recently.”
Holly Branson, Trustee and Founder of Big Change said: “The current UK education system is too exam-focused and I strongly believe that the lack of diversity in the curriculum narrows the mind.
“The exam-based, ‘one size fits all’ approach, does not work for too many young people and those who support them. It does not support diversity and individuality, and teenagers’ wellbeing too often comes at the cost of doing well in high-stakes exams.
“It’s so important that we work towards transformation of education – to a system where individuality is not only permitted, but valued as part of success. Young people themselves must be given the power to change a system that’s not working - this is exactly what the Big Education Challenge hopes to achieve.”
The Big Education Challenge is made up of two prizes:
The challenge will support bold new ideas that help young people to thrive and prepare for their futures. These may include ways to make learning more inclusive, relevant and joyful; new projects that give more agency over education to young people and teachers; ways to integrate learning and assessment; and involving the wider community in supporting education and learning.
Entries must be submitted by midnight on the 22nd of February 2023. Finalists for both prizes will be announced at the beginning of April 2023.
For more information and to find out how to enter the prize go to www.big-change.org
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A new business support programme set to transform how local SMEs sell and interact online has been launched. As part of the NMD Growth Programme, the six week ‘Sales and Digital Marketing Bootcamp’ is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth and Jobs Northern Ireland (2014 -2020) programme. It is designed to provide participants with the basic skills and understanding to communicate more effectively with their customers online.
Participants on the programme will receive one-on-one mentoring from experienced digital marketing experts. The mentors will provide guidance and support to empower small business owners with the knowledge and skills to implement the strategies and techniques they learn during the course to reach customers and drive sales to grow their businesses.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Michael Savage explained why those eligible for the programme should participate saying, “The last number of years have seen an exponential growth in the role of social media, online shopping and virtual meetings and events - it is not always enough to solely run your business offline or in-store now.
Cllr Savage continued, “This is the perfect time of the year for SMEs to review the way they work and to enhance their skills within the business. Owners and managers who wish to access the tools and resources they need to succeed in the digital world should get in touch. You’ll learn invaluable new skills and take away crucial advice from some of the most experienced mentors in the business.”
The ‘Sales and Digital Marketing Bootcamp’ is open to businesses based in the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area, employing less than 50 staff and who have not yet availed of support from NMD Business Growth. Please note that the deadline to register is Friday 17 February and all mentoring time must be completed before 31 March 2023.
We expect that demand will be significant for this Programme so early registration is advised. For more information on all NMD Business programmes, including the Six Week Sales and Digital Marketing Bootcamp, visit www.nmdbusiness.org or contact business@nmandd.org.
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Full fibre broadband operator Fibrus has launched Northern Ireland’s fastest broadband service at 2 Gigabits per second (Gbps) with customers in Rathfriland being the first to be able to avail of the service. Premises on Drumarkin Road and Iveagh Park Road are now connected and Fibrus is currently updating its website with the 2 Gbps package details and addresses able to avail of this new broadband package in Rathfriland.
Access technology provider Nokia plans to release its upgrade roll out schedule in due course to allow consumers a view as to when they can upgrade to the new services.
The provider has been busy rolling out its upgrades that will see its network now support a staggering 10GB per second, some *50 times faster than Northern Ireland’s average speed.
The new network will use XGS-PON technology, which will further future proof its services in an age when streaming, high definition, 5G and other emerging technologies are continually pushing bandwidth demands. The technology is also a major boost for businesses for enabling multiple solutions including continuity services, real-time backup recovery, and replication of critical business applications across multiple sites.
Fibrus Sales Director Mark Woolner said “Offering our customers the best in class broadband services is what we pride ourselves on as a company. The demand for higher speed services is growing and we see consumers connecting more and more devices and consuming much more data.”
* Source for average NI broadband speed: https://www.speedtest.net (FIXED)
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Local businesses CRASH Services and JMK Solicitors have announced they will be supporting Belfast based PIPS Suicide Prevention Ireland (PIPS Charity) as their chosen charity partner for 2023.
Jonathan McKeown, CEO at CRASH Services and Chairman of JMK Solicitors said “Each year, our staff nominate a charity that is close to their hearts. After two rounds of voting, our team felt it was important to concentrate our efforts on mental health awareness and to raise as much money as possible for this fantastic service. We are therefore delighted to announce that our new charity partner for 2023 is PIPS Suicide Prevention Ireland.
We are committed to raising much needed funds through a series of events planned throughout the year such as team members being sponsored to run the Belfast Marathon as well as other internal staff events. We look forward to the year ahead and doing what we can to help PIPS support individuals when they need their services most.”
Renee Quinn, Executive Director at PIPS Suicide Prevention Ireland, added: “PIPS Suicide Prevention Ireland Charity are thrilled to be selected by CRASH Services and JMK Solicitors as their charity partner for this year.
At PIPS Suicide Prevention Charity we provide expert, free, unlimited face to face counselling services to those families, friends and colleagues touched by suicide. We provide support right across all of N. Ireland through our hubs in Belfast, Derry~Londonderry and Enniskillen and we provided 15,057 sessions to clients during the last year.
PIPS Charity focuses on providing free counselling which is accessible for all, we provide a crisis walk-in service with no restrictions on the number of sessions for clients in need and this model helps us to make the biggest difference, ensuring no client’s future is limited. We support families with their emotional and psychological needs to ensure they have the skills, confidence and strength they need help during those dark times - which can be a lifeline for many.
That’s why we’re so pleased to announce our new charity partnership with CRASH and JMK Solicitors. Together, we have a shared vision to tackle the ever-increasing mental ill-health demand and with this new partnership it will us to continue saving lives.”
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Newry-based Surefreight were on hand at the Packaging Innovations show at the NEC to endorse the sustainable packaging message of partner Greiner Packaging (GPUK). Surefreight parked a truck carrying Greiner’s “We love sustainable packaging” message at the entrance to the Birmingham exhibition space.
“It’s great to know that thousands of visitors to this important UK packaging event saw Greiner’s message,” says Surefreight Business Development Manager Stuart Ferris. “Greiner Packaging is a valued partner, and we are proud to promote its sustainability message as it so closely aligns with our own environmental values. We understand the value of getting people to think about packaging and sustainability, and half a dozen of our trailers now help to tell this important story.”
“The six new 13.6 m long trailers each have a 26 pallet capacity, or 52 pallets when double-stacked,” says GPUK Warehouse & Distribution Manager Gavin Lee. “The lightweight nature of our packaging solutions means we can ship large quantities on each delivery, reducing the number of journeys required, which also contributes to our sustainability story.”
“At the start of the year we were proud to announce that GPUK is the first packaging manufacturer in Northern Ireland to gain the Sustainably Sourced Plastics (SSP) Certification, and the first Greiner Packaging factory in the world to be awarded Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) Chain of Custody certification,” says Paul Millar. “These certifications came only three months after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) approved the decontamination process used at our factory in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, to recycle post‐consumer PET into food contact materials.”
“As a leading packaging producer, we are committed to delivering innovative products. We aim to maximize plastic reduction, introduce reusable systems, incorporate recycling content, and strive for the best recyclability for our products working towards a circular economy.”
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InterTradeIreland recently welcomed both Social Enterprise NI (SENI) and Social Enterprise ROI (SERI) to its offices in Newry to discuss the opportunities available for cross-border collaboration and to demonstrate their commitment to growing the Social Enterprise sector across both Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Social enterprises have an important leadership role to play in the development of the economy in Ireland and Northern Ireland and the changing economic landscape is re-affirming the critical role that the sector plays and will continue to play in delivering regional, sustainable socio-economic growth.
Welcoming the meeting and reflecting on its strategic significance, Colin Mc Cabrey, Director of Trade at InterTradeIreland commented “We were delighted to welcome Social Enterprise NI (SENI) and Social Enterprise ROI (SERI) to InterTradeIreland. The Social Enterprise sector has an instrumental role to play in delivering jobs and skills while contributing to the anti-poverty and net zero agenda that both jurisdictions share. We’re looking forward to working in partnership with SENI and SERI to help profile and support the good work of the sector.”
Colin Jess, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise NI said “We very much value the commitment of InterTradeIreland to help our sector grow trade cross-border and in so-doing we and our counterparts in Ireland can work in closer collaboration to the benefit of all’.
“There are immense opportunities to share learning and research. We can jointly help policy makers and businesses make decisions to deliver against their Environmental, Social and Governance agendas” commented Páraig Hennessey, Board Member of Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland.
As private businesses are further pressed to demonstrate their commitment to environmental and social causes there is a greater expectation on social enterprises to have the adaptability, resource and capability to meet this growing need. It presents a great opportunity for the sector but the challenge will be whether the sector has the capacity and capability to deliver.
With almost 25 years’ experience supporting thousands of SMEs across the island, InterTradeIreland has a deep and practical understanding of how to help businesses address these challenges. Through InterTradeIreland, social enterprises in the manufacturing and tradable services sectors can access support to help them scale up and extend their reach in the opposite jurisdiction.
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