FORTY new jobs are being created in Co Londonderry with the announcement yesterday of a £1 million expansion by Magherafelt firm Fire Glass Direct.

Specialising in architectural glass design products for domestic and commercial applications, the business is a market leader in fire and safety glass, mirrors, double glazed units, office partitions and movable walls.

It has also established a healthcare division, Mediglaze, producing products for use in critical care and isolation units and for which it currently holds nine worldwide patents.

This part of the business, first established in 2007, now represents around 40 per cent of revenues but the latest investment, which includes a five-fold increase in floorspace at the plant, marks a significant effort to develop the business and its export potential.

Fire Glass Direct was established in 2004 and the new jobs created by the investment will bring the company’s total staff count to 77.

“This investment marks a major expansion for us, almost doubling our workforce, and is a reflection of our confidence in the potential of our new products to significantly increase our turnover and market reach,” said company director Seamus O’Connor.

“Invest NI’s support is allowing us to put the jobs in place quickly and therefore take advantage of market opportunities.”

Up to 34 of the posts have been in place since before Christmas as the company completed a series of units now being installed at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, as manager Feargal McMullan explained.

“Eight isolation units are being installed at the moment. We have tested them extensively but now we have to see how they perform in field trials as it were.

“The units have been designed to be shipped anywhere in the world for assembly and we would very much be looking to the international market once the tests are completed.”

Des Gartland, Manager of Invest NI’s north-west Regional Office, said: “This investment marks the next step in the company’s strategic plan to substantially increase sales and consolidate its position in the market.

“Its new products, which were developed with Invest NI’s support, have opened up more avenues of opportunity for it and demonstrate that even in difficult economic conditions, companies can succeed by constantly innovating and seeking out new markets outside Northern Ireland.

“These new skilled jobs are very welcome in Mid Ulster where the construction sector in particular has been badly hit by the economic downturn.”

Invest Northern Ireland has offered Fire Glass Direct £160,000 of support through its Jobs Fund, which has a budget of £19 million to support the creation of 4,000 jobs by March 2014.

The Jobs Fund is part of Invest NI’s Boosting Business initiative and has been developed in response to the economic downturn in order to help businesses accelerate new job creation and boost employment.

TWO new products are expected to help pioneering Andor Technology to another successful year, the annual general meeting in Belfast was told yesterday.

The publicly listed company, a global leader in the development and manufacture of high performance scientific digital cameras for academic, industrial and government applications, held its AGM at its premises at Springvale Business Park in the west of the city, where Non-Executive Chairman, Colin Walsh, said business so far was good.

“On behalf of the Board I am pleased to report that, in the first four months of the financial year, trading has been in line with the Board’s expectations,” he said citing strong revenues from Asia Pacific and Europe.

Some initial problems meant a slower start for business in the US, but Mr Walsh said the forecast sales for the new equipment were encouraging.

“In January we released two major new products. Firstly, we launched the next generation iXon camera – the iXon Ultra.

“The iXon is the market-leading high-performance EMCCD camera and this latest version operates over 60 per cent faster than the current iXon 3. This is another market first from Andor and we expect to see strong demand for this product during the second half of the financial year.

“Secondly, we launched a new version of our sCMOS-based Neo camera. This aligns with our strategy of continued investment in sCMOS as the replacement technology for mid-priced scientific imaging cameras. This new camera includes feature enhancements and image quality improvements that have been well received by the market.”

Founded more than 20 years ago as a spin out from Queen’s University, Andor has enjoyed impressive growth even through the recession, and late last year announced plans to create 166 new jobs with an expansion to its facilities in Belfast.

Looking to the rest of the year Mr Walsh said the firm’s technology acceleration centre was also performing in line with expectations.

“This team was created to serve as an incremental engineering resource, challenged to deliver in a significantly reduced time to market,” he said. “Innovation and new product delivery is key to Andor’s continued growth. The team’s progress remains on schedule and we expect to launch product in the second half of this financial year.”

THE Ballymena-built heir to the iconic Routemaster bus begins service on the streets of London next week, manufacturer Wrightbus said yesterday.

The new double-decker, already hailed as a modern masterpiece by London Mayor Boris Johnson, is expected to bring back some character to the capital, while also being efficient and more environmentally friendly than predecessors.

One of the buses produced at the Wrightbus plant in Co Antrim is currently being used for driver training by the operator Transport for London and a second bus will begin carrying passengers from Monday.

Presenting a modern take on the Routemaster, the new bus also marks the return of the rear platform allowing passengers to jump off and jump on along the route.

The news emerged as the company confirmed receipt of an order for a further five single-decker buses from one of the leading UK operators Stagecoach as part of an ongoing supply contract for the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway system, opened in 2010.

The service already uses 10 Wrightbus vehicles and more sales are anticipated as the service grows. The route features a guided steering system that allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel.

THE Executive must lift its game if it is serious about its commitment to developing business, jobs and the economy as a whole, employers’ organisation the CBI said yesterday.

Launching its response to consultation on the draft Programme for Government, Economic Strategy and Investment Strategy, it called for more ambition with the programme and pledged its support to make change happen.

Key to helping the economy grow is finding ways to release funding for firms eager to expand, said CBI Northern Ireland president Ian Coulter, adding that the province was also trailing the rest of the UK in crucial areas such as employment legislation, procurement processes and the planning system. “The CBI welcomes the Executive’s strong commitment to the economy and job creation, set out in these documents,” said Mr Coulter.

“However, the Executive must raise its level of ambition on the delivery of several key strategic commitments within the next 12 months, to match the vision set out.

“The economy in Northern Ireland is facing acute challenges which require urgent and focused attention to protect and grow the private sector, improve public services, and help build confidence within the business community.”

The organisation is calling for the inclusion of several strategic commitments in the final Programme for Government, including a coherent strategy to tackle continuing business funding challenges, more incentives and capital to help finance fast-growth companies and increased capital investment in infrastructure.

“It’s not an easy subject; from bank funding to price finance guarantee schemes to R&D tax credits to venture capital funding and mezzanine funding; how do companies get the access to capital to grow and we do think that within the first five priorities of the programme for government should be developing a counter strategy to mitigate the problem,” he said.

“To me, this is the most difficult question facing any government in Europe at the moment. So what we are doing as part of this report is to come up with 10 or 12 things that could make a difference.

“Can we solve it? No, the only thing that’s going to do that is time, while banks recapitalise and recover but we’ve got to mitigate.

“It’s not a case of government being blind to it I don’t think that would be fair but they need help from business.

“If we have a role to play as a business organisation then it’s here coming up with solutions and if we don’t do it then we are failing in our role.”

The CBI is also calling for an urgent review of employment regulations and efforts to reduce youth unemployment and improve the basic standards of education.

“The draft Investment Strategy includes welcome commitments to exploring other financial models and to delivering a more “joined up” approach and better value for money,” said Mr Coulter.

“Now firmer timescales and more detail is needed to create confidence within the construction sector and allow it to plan for the next three years, which it currently cannot do,” he added.

‘Be a Saint – Volunteer!’ That’s the call from Business in the Community and Volunteer Now who are encouraging public and private sector organisations to release their staff to volunteer on Be a Saint Action Day which takes place on 16 March.

‘Be a Saint Day’ makes it easy for employers to get involved with a local community project. The tasks are all practical and include; painting, renovating or making over a green area – ideal for people of all fitness levels. The challenges benefit a variety of voluntary and community groups from cross-community playgroups to animal charities.

Wendy Osborne OBE, chief executive, Volunteer said: “Volunteers make a tremendous contribution to communities across Northern Ireland; many local organisations wouldn’t be able to deliver services deeply valued by many people without their time and dedication. This day of volunteering action is a great way for volunteers to make a difference in the community and have some fun at the same time.”

Encouraging businesses to sign-up, Sam Davidson, HR director, SPAR, the sponsor of Business in the Community’s volunteering programme Cares, added: “It is important for employers to support their staff to volunteer. It enables employees to engage with local communities and actively support the work they do. Last year’s successful ‘Be a Saint’ resulted in 400 caring volunteers giving 3,000 hours to local organisations, making a real difference in the lives of hundreds of local people.”

The closing date is Friday 2 March to register interest. If your organisation would like to sign up a team of saints, contact Roisin Smith on (028) 9046 0606 or e-mail roisin.smith@bitcni.org.uk.

Alternatively, if you are a voluntary and community organisation and would like to put forward a group volunteering opportunity, contact Lindsay Armstrong on 028 9023 2020 or email lindsay.armstrong@volunteernow.co.uk