NEWS

Pictured at The Ecos Hub are: (l-r): Dwain Steele of Hampton Conservatories; Paul Blahyj of Toyota Lean Management Centre; David Greer, Operational Excellence Manager at Invest Northern Ireland; Simon McKee, Operational Excellence Coach, Invest NI; Mark Hutchinson, CEO of Hutchinson Engineering; Ryan Black, Director of Growth and Major Projects at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council; David Watson, Chair of the MTF Network and Julian Ball of the Toyota Lean Management Centre.

Caroline Martin, Dale Farm pictured with Sixth Form pupils from Cullybackey College One of Northern Ireland’s best-known food producers has been strengthening its connection with young people in Ballymena through a year-long partnership designed to give pupils real insight into careers beyond the classroom. Through the ‘Adopt a School’ initiative run alongside Dale Farm and Business in the Community Northern Ireland, students at Cullybackey College have been given hands-on ex

Another major order for electric buses has been placed with Ballymena manufacturer Wrightbus, strengthening the company’s growing role at the centre of the UK’s transition to cleaner public transport and securing further work for Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector. Transport for Greater Manchester has confirmed an additional order for 125 electric buses for the Bee Network, with the fleet to be built by Wrightbus as the region pushes towards a fully electric bus network

A major new international deal has handed Ballymena bus manufacturer Wrightbus another boost in the global race for zero-emission transport, with the company securing a £7 million order from Hong Kong for its next-generation electric double-deck buses. The landmark agreement will see 20 of Wrightbus’s newly developed 6x2 StreetDeck Electroliner buses supplied to Hong Kong operator Citybus, marking the first global order for the new triple-axle model and strengthening the comp

Inside Wrightbus during Manufacturing Month tour of its Ballymena site Wrightbus’s rapid expansion and growing global footprint have been hailed as a major economic boost for Ballymena and Mid and East Antrim, as local manufacturing leaders and council representatives toured the company’s flagship production facility during Manufacturing Month. The visit brought renewed focus to the scale of Wrightbus’s impact on the local economy, with the Ballymena-based manufacturer now pr

Pictured during a visit to The JAQ Group’s rapidly expanding headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Randalstown, are Tom Wiggins, Chief Executive of Ballymena Chamber of Commerce, Peter Houston, President of Ballymena Chamber of Commerce and Connor Martin, Managing Director of The JAQ Group. More than 30 members of Ballymena Chamber of Commerce were given a first-hand look inside one of Northern Ireland’s fastest-growing business success stories this week as they toured

Northern Ireland’s defence sector is set for a major expansion following the launch of a £50 million Defence Growth Deal, aimed at boosting start-ups, strengthening supply chains and creating highly-skilled jobs across the region. The investment, announced by the UK Government, is designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and emerging defence technology companies break into the defence supply chain, while accelerating innovation and long-term economic growth.

Pic: Phill McAlinney at Irish Transport Heritage Dozens of historic and modern buses will take to the roads of Northern Ireland this weekend as leading manufacturer Wrightbus marks the start of its 80th anniversary year with a major public rally culminating at Stormont. The large-scale event on Saturday, April 25 will see a convoy of heritage buses and coaches travel from the Ulster Transport Museum in Cultra to the Stormont estate, bringing together decades of engineering hi

Uform in Toomebridge Uform has announced the acquisition of TKC in a landmark deal set to reshape the kitchen, bedroom and living space supply market across the UK and Ireland, marking a significant expansion for one of Northern Ireland’s best-known manufacturing and distribution businesses. The move sees the Mid Ulster-based group significantly broaden its reach across key trade channels while establishing a stronger physical presence in Great Britain, creating what the comp

Factory floor, Wrightbus Ballymena Ballymena-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus is taking a leading role in a new UK Government-backed project exploring whether autonomous vehicle technology could help tackle some of the most urgent challenges facing public transport, including chronic driver shortages, rising costs, and the pressure to decarbonise services. The zero-emission bus manufacturer has been selected as lead partner in ASPIRE, one of just eight projects chosen under t

North Antrim MP Jim Allister at the wheel of a Wrightbus electroliner vehicle. North Antrim MP Jim Allister has sharply criticised the decision to award the bulk of a £45 million Scottish Government contract for zero-emission buses and coaches to a Chinese manufacturer, describing the move as “outrageous” and warning it represents a failure to support UK industry. The intervention comes as pressure continues to mount over the allocation of public funding away from domestic ma

Jo Bamford, Wrightbus The owner of Ballymena-based Wrightbus has launched a sharp attack on the use of taxpayer-funded grants to support overseas manufacturers, branding the move a “national scandal” and warning it risks undermining jobs and investment in Northern Ireland. Jo Bamford, who rescued Wrightbus from administration in 2019 and helped transform it into one of the UK’s leading zero-emission bus manufacturers, spoke out after the Scottish Government allocated the lar

Wrightbus manufacturing facility in Ballymena A major boost for Ballymena’s manufacturing sector has been announced after global bus maker Wrightbus was ranked the number one supplier on a key UK public sector procurement platform. The recognition places the Ballymena-based company at the top of the list for operators and local authorities purchasing buses and coaches with 36 seats and above, reinforcing its growing reputation as a leader in both zero-emission and traditional

North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham during his recent visit to Northern Ireland. North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland has welcomed confirmation that 55 new electric buses will be built in Ballymena for Greater Manchester’s Bee Network, describing the investment as a major vote of confidence in Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector and workforce. The buses will be produced by Ballymena manufacturer Wrightbus, with the order forming part of

(L-R) Christian Reynolds, Managing Director of Wrightbus; Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester; John McLeister, Wrightbus Sales Managing Director for UK and Ireland Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has confirmed a new order for 55 electric buses from Ballymena manufacturer Wrightbus, reinforcing confidence in UK manufacturing and strengthening the region’s growing zero-emission transport network. The announcement came during a visit to the company’s headquarters and

North Antrim MP Jim Allister speaking in the House of Commons, and Wrightbus Ballymena-built Electroliners in service for Translink in Northern Ireland North Antrim MP Jim Allister has called on the UK Government to take decisive action to support the British bus manufacturing industry, warning that current procurement practices risk undermining one of the country’s most strategically important advanced manufacturing sectors. Speaking during a Westminster Hall debate on Tuesd

Leading UK manufacturer Wrightbus is opening its doors to the next generation of engineering and manufacturing talent as part of Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week and National Apprenticeship Week, with two dedicated careers events at its Ballymena headquarters. The bus maker will host an Apprenticeship Open Night and a dedicated Insight Day, offering up to 60 individuals the opportunity to explore careers in advanced manufacturing and engineering across a wide range of dis

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford pictured with a group of students participating in the Activate Your Curiosity event More than 400 young people from across Northern Ireland were given a hands-on insight into the world of science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM) as the flagship Activate Your Curiosity (AYC) event returned to Ballymena. The fourth AYC event took place at The Braid, Ballymena, on Tuesday 20 January, welcoming Year 10 stud

Hannah Currie Northern Regional College (NRC) is celebrating the inspiring achievements of engineering graduate Hannah Currie, whose determination, talent and generosity of spirit are helping to reshape perceptions of STEM careers across Northern Ireland. Originally from Randalstown, Hannah recently graduated at the College’s Higher Education & Access Graduation, marking the culmination of a remarkable journey that has taken her from returning adult learner to WorldSkills UK

John McLeister, front left, and Phil Owen, with members of the sales team. Wrightbus has made a confident start to 2026 by strengthening its senior sales and leadership structure, with the company’s sales organisation alone now representing more than 200 years of combined service at the Ballymena-based manufacturer. The zero-emission bus builder says the appointments underline both continuity and deep-rooted expertise within the business, at a time when competition from overs