Dowds Group announces 68 new NI jobs in £4.5m investment

Build contractor and management firm Dowds Group has announced the creation of 68 new jobs in the NI construction sector by 2021 as part of a £4.5m investment.

Ballymoney-based Dowds Group has been growing rapidly over the past several years, with a strong focus on export markets. The firm has now annoucned that it will be creating 68 new jobs in Northern Ireland by 2021 in order to support its ongoing export growth in addition to 40 new apprenticeship posts for those looking to get into the construction industry.

The jobs have been supported by Invest NI with an Employment Grant of £442,000 and are expected to yield a return of over £2.2 annually to the local economy once they're in place. Growing the firm in this manner will help Dowds pitch for higher-value contracts in Great Britain and Ireland while keeping its employment base local to Northern Ireland.

Dowds currently employs 181 staff across its main offices in Ballymoney and Belfast and an additional 12 staff in its London branch, which helps it deliver higher-value contracts in England.

James Dowds, Managing Director of Dowds Group, commented on the firm's growth plans: "Over the next three years our objectives are to increase turnover by 25% and drive up sales outside Northern Ireland. In the current economic climate this £4.5 million investment is not without its risks but with Invest NI’s financial support we feel we are well positioned to pro-actively target larger scale contracts and take advantage of market opportunities in Great Britain and Ireland."

Source: Written based on press release