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Newry and Mourne Business Networking Group are hosting Total Transformation Newry at Newry Conference and Banqueting Centre, The Mall Newry, tomorrow 6 October from 9am - 1pm and there are still a few places available.
Join acclaimed results coach Daniel Konieczny as he returns to Newry by popular demand for a morning of inspiration, motivation and transformation.
Daniel has a global client base and stellar reputation.
He works with businesses and individual to create powerful, tangible results that skyrocket their success.
He has travelled around the world to train with the best minds in the business, including Tony Robbins, Bob Proctor and Brian Tracey.
He works with companies, politicians, CEO's, high profile business leaders, peak performance athletes and individuals from all walks of life to increase profit, motivate staff and create better relationships.
Book now on Eventbrite - Last few tickets remaining.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/total-transformation-tickets-38366946570
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Bluezone Technologies were announced overall winners for Best Innovative Business Award and Best New Business Award, as well as picking up a Highly Commended award for Best Use of Technology at the 2017 Greater Newry Area Business Awards which took place last Thursday 28 September in the Canal Court Hotel Newry, with over 500 guests in attendance.
Stephen Sheridan, Bluezone Technologies’ Business Development Executive, commented on the night “With a very high calibre of competition, it was an achievement to be shortlisted for 3 awards. We feel very honoured to have our achievements recognised by the judges with 3 accolades tonight.”
Bluezone Technologies have developed an innovative software specifically for the management of health and safety within the built and compliance environment, which helps ensure your people are safe and healthy and your building portfolio compliant.
Adrian Byrne, CEO of Bluezone Technologies, commented: These Awards are acknowledgement from the business community and underpin the quality of our product Bluezone manager, as well as the energy, ability and ambition of the Bluezone team. We are particularly proud to have come out on top in the Best Innovative Business Award as we believe our offering is a market leader in the management of compliance, health & safety and training.”
The Award wins coincide with the a recent rebrand for the company as well as the launch of their revamped website. The redesigned site showcases the range of modules currently on offer with easy access to essential information.
Commenting on the website Adrian said; "We commissioned Eyesparks digital design agency, Belfast to create a world class website and we believe this brief is reflected in the new site. The site will allow our visitors to have a very informative experience and keep up to date with the developments of Bluezone as we continue to grow and increase our market presence."
The new website will be updated on a regular basis with news of product launches, business activity, corporate milestones, events, and press releases. Visitors are encouraged to explore the website and sign up for the company newsletter at www.Bluezonetechnologies.com
Follow Bluezone Technologies on LinkedIn or Twitter @BluezoneTech1
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Interior Fit-out company MJM Group has welcomed six new apprentices to join it’s expanding team of joiners and craftsmen at its 100,000 sq ft state-of-the-art Production facility in Newry.
The six young men who have just left St Colman’s College, St Joseph’s High School, Kilkeel High School and Rathfriland High School have begun an apprenticeship programme in Specialist Joinery and Furniture Production with MJM Group.
Elizabeth O’Connor, MJM Group, HR & Legal Director, welcomed the 6 apprentices: “MJM Group introduced our Apprenticeship Scheme two years ago primarily to future-proof our business by ensuring we have a continuous supply of highly skilled craftsmen within our company to meet the needs of our growing customer base but also to provide training and employment to young people within the Newry area. Our Apprenticeship Scheme offers an excellent opportunity for young people to earn as they learn, develop life-long skills and embark on a career path with endless opportunities. Indeed, many of our joiners have come through the company and are holding key roles within our management structure.”
MJM Group’s Apprenticeship Programme is offered in conjunction with Southern Regional College whereby the Apprentices work four days in the MJM Group Production facility and attend SRC for 1 days.
John Fisher, Apprentice Programme Manager for MJM Group oversees the programme and acts as a mentor to the Apprentices. “The MJM Group Apprenticeship Programme offers a wealth of opportunities for these young people. They have just turned 16 and are already earning a weekly wage but more importantly they are being trained by our joiners and craftsmen who are among the best in the business and have access to the most technically advanced machines and equipment.”
MJM Group is a world leader in interior fitouts, refurbishments and refits operating within the marine and land-based sectors. Among their customers are the world’s major cruise companies including Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruises and P&O Cruises.
“We have worked on some of the world’s largest cruise ships and our work takes us to every corner of the globe,” adds John. “For the Apprentices who have just joined MJM Group, they have the opportunity to progress through the ranks of the company and join our teams who travel to jobs around the world. From Italy to Singapore, from Australia to the Bahamas - the world really is their oyster.”
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An Economic Impact Report just published by Warrenpoint Harbour Authority (WHA) has cemented Warrenpoint's position at the second largest port in the province.
2016 was a record year for the port, handling 3.5m tonnes of freight, valued at £6.2bn. The report highlighted that currently over 200 people work in the port every day with the Harbour Authority employing 65 directly. The multiplier effect further generates significant job numbers in the local economy. In 2016 alone, the port generated £7.3m in Gross Value Added for the NI economy through on-site activity, via its local supply chain and employees wage expenditure. In additional, companies that trade through the Port generate a further £25m of GVA for the local economy plus benefits for the Irish and UK economies.
The report carried out by independent economist, Ryan Hogg, working alongside Richard Johnston, an Associate Director in the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre and Board member of WHA, concludes that over the last decade the port has generated over £61m of GVA and sustained over 1550 full time equivalent job years for the local economy. GVA also grew at a compound rate of 4.1% in this same period compared to a NI average of 0.27% highlighting the growing resilience and importance of the port to the region.
Speaking about the report, Stan McIlvenny, the Chairman of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority said “We are delighted to report the significant and growing contribution that Warrenpoint Port makes to the local economy- both directly and indirectly. Importantly however, we are not standing still and the Board, staff, local stakeholders and industry experts are working together to develop shared plans for the future of the Port that will ensure that it thrives and grows, contributing even more to the economy of the future.”
The report also highlighted the strategically important nature of the port and its growing significance as a key component of Northern Ireland’s economic infrastructure. Local companies trade through the Port with customers in GB and Ireland, but also more broadly across the world including with Spain, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, the Ukraine and the Americas. It acts as a valuable gateway to export sales and as an import destination for goods from across the world destined for the island of Ireland. It also has made some inroads on the growing cruise tourism market – with each cruise ship visit to the port estimated to generate a potential £18,000 of GVA to the local economy.
The Port also promotes social initiatives by supporting charitable causes such as Mission for Seafarers and Carlingford Lough Sailability to helping those in need within the Marine Sector and Warrenpoint. Staff also take a key role in engaging with the local community through School visits, Sentinus Projects and by sponsoring several sports clubs and festivals.
The report also considers the challenges facing the port and chief among them is the fall-out of Brexit and what trading arrangements are established between the UK and the EU and other countries. Another challenge identified, to ensure the port remains competitive in the future, is the delivery of the Newry Southern Relief Road which would provide a more direct route for freight from across the island of Ireland entering and exiting the Harbour.
Peter Conway, the Chief Executive commented “The Port has been part of the fabric of society in Warrenpoint for hundreds of years and is an important catalyst for economic development in the region. It is a local business with international reach and the income generated from trading allows the Harbour and those working in the team to support a range of local initiatives and social enterprises, both financially and by giving their time. I’m keen that the Harbour develops and continues to support and grow the local economy and we hope that with strategic investment in projects such as the Southern Relief Road, we can continue to be a key component of the local and regional economy, whatever Brexit brings.”
The full economic impact study is available at: warrenpointport.com
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Newry based global technology specialist First Derivatives are taking on the commercial space market and the company has signed a letter of intent with the European Space Agency (ESA) to foster the development of disruptive applications in the market, based on its Kx technology.
Under the agreement, Kx and ESA’s Business Applications (formerly Integrated Applications) Programme will work together to assist innovative start-ups seeking to use Kx technology as a platform technology for big data analytics in the commercial space market.
First Derivatives Chief Executive, Brian Conlon commented: “The commercial space market is flourishing, leading to increasing demand for advanced technologies such as Kx to analyse the data generated by the rapid growth in the number of satellites in orbit. Kx’s ultra-high performance capabilities are ideally suited to meet these challenges and we look forward to working with ESA to support the development of commercial space applications.”
ESA is at the forefront of efforts to utilise satellite data to benefit European and global citizens and has identified support for key enabling technologies, such as analytics, as a priority to achieve its goals. Kx’s ability to analyse large volumes of historic and streaming data in real time makes it ideally suited as a platform for use cases ranging across sectors including transport, energy, safety, development and agriculture. The agreement with ESA strengthens Kx’s presence in the space market, following recent announcements such as a collaboration agreement with Airbus and the selection of Kx as its real-time analytics platform by Earth observation specialist 3DEO.
Kx and ESA have had preliminary discussions over multiple opportunities to work together, and with third parties, to address specific data challenges. Over the coming months Kx and ESA Business Applications will foster the development of innovative applications based on Kx and seek to raise awareness of Kx technology within the commercial space market. Kx and ESA will also discuss opportunities to collaborate on Earth Observation analytics, where ESA provides multiple applications including disaster management to alert first responders on floods, major fires and natural disasters such as hurricanes.
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An application for planning permission has been lodged for the refurbishment of the ArmaghDown Bar in Monaghan Street in Newry and the provision of a micro distillery, visitors centre, function room and restaurant.
The application under the name of Matthew D’Arcy & Company Limited, plans to tell the story of Newry Whiskey, bringing Newry back to it’s heyday when distilleries were commonplace and whiskey with names like Hand in Hand, D'Arcy's, The Blackthorn and Killeavey Cream were drank throughout Ireland and further afield.
The proposed project site is the former site of a 19th century distillery and it is planned to keep existing features from that time. The rear of the site runs along the side of Corry Square Car Park, Catherine Street.
As well as the micro distillery element, plans for the site include a victorian bar, wine tasting area, shop, multimedia visitors centre, function room/ theatre and bistro.
The man behind the project is local businessman and present President of Newry Chamber of Commerce, Michael McKeown. Michael also Chairman of the Old Newry Society is somewhat of an authority on local history having being involved in compiling The Book of Newry several years ago and more recently he has extensively researched the history of distilleries in Newry and the manufacture of Newry Whiskey locally. If anyone has any Newry Whiskey memorabilia Michael would love to hear from you.
The new initiative will tell the story of Newry Whiskey, once the third most popular Irish whiskey and quite possibly even a candidate for Ireland’s oldest whiskey with the posibility that the Cistercians were involved in distilling way back in the 12 century.
Bushmills Distillery legally registered in 1784 was liquidated in 1886 and the new company The Old Bushmills Distillery Co Ltd had Samuel Duncan as a director. The self same man of Duncan & Alderdice’s Bonded Store fame with it’s premises on Monaghan Street in Newry.
The fact that Samuel was also a former President of Newry Chamber of Commerce might suggest that history perhaps DOES repeat itself ...
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Over the course of two days Newry Junior Chamber (NJC) members plan to cycle 2,478 miles, the distance from Newry to the North Pole on spin bikes in the Quays Shopping Cente.
Funds raised from entry fees and donations will be donated to Newry based charity, Space NI and NJC’s own annual Christmas Secret Santa Appeal.
Space NI provide family support services throughout the South Down area in times of difficulty or crisis. Our own Secret Santa Appeal initiative was launched to tackle the financial challenges that Christmas creates for many vulnerable families, and is now in its twelfth year. Working with local charities and aid organisations, we aim to ensure that all local children can experience the joy of having gifts to open at Christmas. By participating in this challenge your sweat will result in smiles in many homes over the festive period!
This intense indoor spin cycling challenge will take place in the public areas of The Quays Shopping Centre on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th December.
To cycle the distance it is estimated that 112 enthusiastic (or otherwise coerced!) participants are necessary to make up 28 teams of 4 cyclists. The cost to enter is £100 per team. Each team will be tasked with covering a target of 88.5 miles between them over a one hour time slot and will compete against another participating team to see who can cover the most ground during that time. Each team will receive a certificate upon completion and prizes will be awarded to the teams who cover the most miles (to be announced on our Facebook page after the event).
Teams can be mixed gender and participants must be aged 18 or over. We would also ask you to ensure that all participants have a reasonable level of fitness to avoid any injuries and to ensure the health and wellbeing of all participants. We welcome teams from local companies, gyms, sports teams, as well as teams of friends and family members who are up for the challenge!
Your opponents will be chosen at random, or alternatively you can request to take on another participating team. We will do our best to accommodate you, provided your preferred day and time slots will allow it. You can also opt to have more than one time slot.
Eight spin bikes will be operating in The Quays shopping centre from 09:00am – 18:00pm on Saturday 9th and from 13:00 – 18:00pm on Sunday 10th December. Participating teams will be supported by cheerleaders and bucket collectors from Newry Junior Chamber for moral support. If getting on a spin bike is not for you, this won’t prevent you from getting involved. We’d welcome volunteers to assist with collecting donations throughout the shopping centre on both days. If you could spare even one hour of your time to help with this, it would be greatly appreciated.
We would like to thank our event sponsors, PRO PT Gym in Warrenpoint, without whose support this challenge would not be possible. Declan Trainor from PRO PT Gym has kindly agreed to lend us their spin bikes for the event. No doubt this will be a fun and exciting couple of days!
Contact garethtinnelly@tinnelly.com to request a copy of the team entry form. These should be completed and emailed/returned to Gareth by Friday 24th November, along with the entry fee.
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A revenue increase of 21% compared to the last accounting period saw Newry firm First Derivatives increase their revenue for the six months ended 31 August to £87.8M.
The company have already hired 386 graduates this year so far, an increase of 66% on last years numbers.
Seamus Keating, Chairman of FD, commented “We have continued to position the Group to target several high-value addressable markets, while maintaining our financial discipline. Through our conversations with existing and potential customers and partners, we remain convinced that demand for ultra-high performance analytics capability will continue to grow and that Kx technology leads this market in terms of its performance and lower total cost of ownership.
"Our managed services and consulting activities are also in high demand and we are addressing this through record levels of recruitment of high-calibre graduates. We have signed a number of high value contracts in the first half and there is momentum behind our commercial discussions across the Group. We therefore anticipate a strong full year financial performance, slightly ahead of the Board’s expectations.”
A strong growth in software revenue, up by 32% to £52.2m with recurring software revenue up by 44% to £19.6m played a major role while strong demand and strategic progression in Managed Services and Consulting saw revenue grow to £35.6m.
FinTech revenue rose by 18% since H1 2017 to £66.8 courtesy of a 32% increase in recurring software revenue within their global banking client base, while MarTech revenue was up 30% to £18.3m compared to H1 2017 following the launch of the latest version of their predictive analytics platform.
Red Bull Racing
In a busy growth period for the company First Derivatives also announced this week that it has been selected by Red Bull Racing as a team supplier for the use of its Kx technology to analyse sensor data from its Formula 1 vehicles.
Initially, Kx will be deployed for the analysis of wind tunnel data, a critical element in the development of faster, more competitive F1 cars.
Brian Conlon, Chief Executive Officer of Kx, commented: “We at Kx are delighted to work with Red Bull Racing. Both companies are associated with power, speed, precision engineering and innovation. Over the years F1 has proven itself as an ideal testing ground for disruptive technologies and we look forward to bringing the power of Kx to bear in high-value complementary markets.”
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Newry Chamber of Commerce will once again host the Newry Business Christmas Charity Dinner on Thursday 7 December at 5.30pm in the Canal Court Hotel with the famous Toy Mountain a feature in the foyer of the hotel on the day.
With over 700 guests expected to attend, it's the perfect way to kick start the Christmas festivities and all local and regional business are encouraged to support the event.
This year's Christmas Charity Dinner promises to be another great occasion where the business community comes together to celebrate Christmas with friends and colleagues and to show their support for local charities.
The famous 'Toy Mountain' will again be a key feature of the event with all attendees encouraged to bring an unwrapped new toy; these toys will be distributed to local families through the networks of St Vincent de Paul and The Salvation Army. This year, toys from the 'Toy Mountain' will also be distributed through the Newry Junior Chamber Secret Santa Appeal.
Ticket price is £55 plus VAT per person and includes a 3-course Christmas dinner and table wine. Individual tickets can be purchased or tables of 10 or 12.
To date over £1.2million has been raised for local charities, testament to the generosity of the local business community.
You can book through their online booking system www.newrychristmascharity.com or email Jessica at admin@newrychamber.com
All bookings must be paid for in advance so that monies can be distributed to the nominated charities on the night!
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