Northern Ireland holds unprecedented investment potential for Singapore

It is attracting the most inward investment in the UK on a per capita basis.

Northern Ireland is an integral part of the UK with its own locally elected administration. Located in the North East of the island of Ireland, the region has a population of 1.8 million 55 per cent of whom are under the age of 40. 

High-quality products and services from Northern Ireland are exported globally and the region’s major exports include; Food and Beverages, Pharmaceuticals, Life Sciences and Research Instruments, Materials Handling Equipment and Financial Services Software. 

The region is also the best performing region in the UK for attracting inward investment on a per capita basis. Existing international investors include Bombardier, Citi, Seagate and Fujitsu. The region’s proposition as a compelling investment location was further enhanced with the announcement that the Corporation Tax rate would be reduced to 12.5% in the region in 2018. This has the potential to make Northern Ireland the most attractive location in Western Europe for new inward investment, based on a combination of tax, talent and value.

Northern Ireland has two universities, Queen’s University, Belfast and Ulster University. Both are research focused and industry linked and they sit within an overall education system that produces high school students with consistently higher grades than other parts of the UK. 

Invest Northern Ireland

Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) is the main economic development agency for this part of the UK promoting trade and investment through its network of global offices. 

It organises regular trade missions for Northern Ireland companies to develop sales and business networks in Singapore and other ASEAN markets. Invest NI also works with international companies seeking to expand their presence into Europe and the UK. 

Invest NI has a presence in Beijing, Singapore, Shanghai and Tokyo and also works with UK Trade & Investment and British Chambers of Commerce across the entire Asia-Pac region.

Northern Ireland’s relationship with the ASEAN market 

A large number of Northern Ireland companies are doing business in the ASEAN region. These include Wrightbus, one of the UK’s leading bus builders; Heartsine, who invented the world’s first portable battery operated defibrillator and FM Environmental, whose automatic fat, oil and grease extractor is installed in hotels, restaurants, fast food outlets, schools and hospitals. 

Northern Ireland is also the main international centre for the design and development of crushing, screening and recycling machinery for mining/quarrying and infrastructure projects. Industry leaders including Powerscreen, Terex Finlay and Sandvik, have supplied equipment to ASEAN customers. Emergency, standby and prime power electricity generating sets have been supplied by Caterpillar in Northern Ireland, Europe’s biggest manufacturer of such equipment.

Invest NI is bringing a delegation of 14 companies and organisations to Singapore, Malaysia & Indonesia from 16 – 22 March. Invest NI is organising a full programme of events and meetings for this visit so that companies from Northern Ireland can maximise this opportunity. For more information on the programme and companies attending, visit: investni.com/ASEANTM 

To hear more about what Northern Ireland can do for your business, visit: investni.com or send an email to: [email protected]