Door and accessories manufacturer Uform recently welcomed Chris Heaton-Harris, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for a meeting about the future of Irish Industry.
The company hosted Mr Heaton-Harris at its facility in Toomebridge, where he made a scheduled visit as part of an initiative focused on business engagement across Northern Ireland.
The Secretary of State reportedly toured Uform’s 225,000 sq ft manufacturing facility, and spoke with staff members about supporting long-term business plans to drive economic growth.
In addition, the Secretary of State also discussed why the availability of industrial land is important to help scale businesses, how to attract and retain new talent, and how businesses can be supported to use cleaner energy sources.
Following his visit, Mr Heaton-Harris said he had enjoyed spending time at Uform. He continued: “I had a fantastic time during my visit to Uform, a company that has had a remarkable growth journey and ambitious plans to grow even further.
“The UK Government is committed to ensuring that businesses of all sizes and sectors across the entire breadth of the UK can realise the benefits of international trade by improving their export capabilities and skills.”
Uform Group CEO, Simon Oliphant, said the company was “delighted” to have hosted the Secretary of State. He added: “For businesses to thrive, we need to move away from myopic policies – policymakers need to shift the focus and develop longer term strategies. Success can only be measured over a sustained timeframe. Thankfully, the site we occupied had land set aside via Invest NI for industrial development.
“Over the last 10 years we have built 6 separate extensions, and the availability of the land was paramount. This alongside the road and infrastructure improvements have been significantly beneficial to our growth.”
Last month, Uform also launched its new consumer brand STORI to more aptly reflect the company’s diverse product ranges.
