MORE than 220 jobs have been created and £5 million pumped into the economy of the Mid and East Antrim and Antrim and Newtownabbey council areas this year by client companies of the Ledcom enterprise centre, the organisation's annual meeting has heard.
The local economic development company has helped support thousands of business start-ups since its formation in 1985, and in turn they have created thousands of jobs in their area.
“In the midst of economic challenges, including the closure of large manufacturing employers, Ledcom (www.ledcom.org) has worked hard to develop new opportunities by encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation,” its chairman Dr Norman Apsley told the AGM.
“This year there are 224 more people in employment through a mix of programmes, mentoring and targeted support. We have also helped support a further 942 individuals offering a better future to unemployed young people, the long term unemployed and people with disabilities.”
The directors’ report highlighted Ledcom’s social and economic impact, with more than £400,000 poured into the wider social economy, with the organisation delivering support to 155 business and social enterprise start-ups.
A post-AGM lunch at Ledcom's headquarters at Willowbank business park in Larne, Dr Jim McIlroy, head of operations at Millicent Pharma, spoke about how a start-up pharmaceuticals company with global ambitions set up in Larne, backed by one of the world’s largest equity firms, the Carlyle Group.
Also attending was new Invest NI chief executive Kevin Holland, who shared his ambitions for the Northern Ireland economy.
LEDCOM, in association with IntertradeIreland and Enterprise, delivered the Co-Innovate programme designed to support SMEs and micro-businesses to develop and improve their innovation capabilities and boost cross border trade.
The company currently has 57 tenant businesses and 350 employment and training places at its business parks and continues to offer managed workspace with support to encourage new businesses to develop and grow.
