Business investment in Mid and East Antrim has more than doubled to £20m in the past year, according to Invest Northern Ireland’s 2025/26 performance results, welcomed today by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.
Invest NI offered over £4m of assistance to businesses in the borough to help with innovation and boosting productivity. This will result in 106 new jobs being created, with over 90% paying salaries above the private sector median.
The results reflect the strength of the longstanding partnership between Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and Invest NI, which provides local companies with a clear pathway of support to help them grow, innovate, export and invest.
Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon, said: “Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is committed to championing economic development, entrepreneurship and innovation throughout our local area. Whether it’s working at grassroots level, inspiring and encouraging the next generation of business leaders, or working with established companies trading around the globe, we have a strong network of support available.
“Through a coordinated approach to business support, we are helping companies become more innovative, more productive and more competitive. Our collaboration extends beyond direct business support into wider initiatives focused on manufacturing, innovation and skills development, including the MTF and the future i4C Innovation and Clean Technology Centre.
“It is very positive to see significant investment being delivered in our borough by Invest NI, offering excellent employment opportunities and creating the conditions for long-term economic growth across Mid and East Antrim. These outcomes demonstrate the value of partnership working and the strength of our local business community.”
Council and Invest NI work together through a client-focused approach that puts businesses at the centre of economic development activity. Under Amplify: The Integrated Economic Development Strategy for Mid and East Antrim 2018 – 2030, companies are supported to build capability locally before progressing to Invest NI programmes and growth opportunities.
Since 2018, Council’s Amplify business support programmes developed in partnership with Invest NI have supported more than 1,000 jobs and generated almost £32 million in economic value.
Iain Joannides, Head of Eastern Regional Business, Invest NI said: “Our strong partnership with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council continues to help businesses access the right support at the right time. By working together, we’re reaching more businesses than before and we’re helping them drive innovation, investment, and growth. Our close relationship ensures businesses engaging with Council programmes and demonstrating export potential get referred to Invest NI and can access additional support as they scale.
“Through programmes such as Ambition to Grow and the Business Innovation Grant, and our partnership with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, we have created a seamless support network that is helping more businesses than ever before to realise their growth potential and contribute to the local economy.”
A strong example of this collaboration is the Making the Future Network (MTF), established in 2018. Supported by Council and Invest NI, the network helps manufacturers share best practice, strengthen supply chains and improve productivity.
That collaborative approach is translating into growth on the ground. MTF member Demanu, which established in the Borough in 2024, has since moved into a larger unit at Woodside Industrial Estate in Ballymena, one of a growing number of local manufacturers scaling up with support from Council, Invest NI and the wider industry network.
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council will continue to work with Invest NI, partner agencies and local businesses throughout 2026/27 to support further growth, investment and job creation across the Borough.
Invest NI’s Client Performance Indicators (CPIs) show that it supported 92 Mid and East Antrim businesses in 2025, employing 7,450 people, to secure £1.6bn in external sales and £441m of export sales.
The £441m in export sales from Mid and East Antrim to outside Northern Ireland came from the advanced engineering and manufacturing (55%), agri-food (23%) and construction (15%) sectors.