Manufacturing and the Northern Ireland Economy
Valued at over £6 billion, the manufacturing sector accounts for 13.4% of total economic output in Northern Ireland and is the second largest sector in terms of its economic contribution after retail and wholesale, according to a recently launched report. The report, titled Manufacturing and the Northern Ireland Economy, also found that manufacturing generated nearly 100,000 jobs in 2023, representing one in ten workforce jobs across Northern Ireland, with the sector supporting a quarter of all jobs (250,000 jobs in total) in the Northern Ireland economy. Indeed, for every £1 million generated by the manufacturing sector, its value has been found to increase to £1.7 million in total value.
The Manufacturing and the Northern Ireland Economy report was launched by Minister for the Economy, Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA, at a recent visit to MJM Marine, the global cruise ship interior fit-out business, to mark the start of Manufacturing NI’s Manufacturing Month, which incorporates a series of events, including the Anchor High Summit, a major leadership summit in Belfast on 29th of May.
Dr Caoimhe Archibald, said: “I welcome the opportunity to join Manufacturing NI in marking Manufacturing Month and launching this report at MJM Marine. It rightly recognises the positive impact that the manufacturing sector has on our local economy, jobs, and exports. Thank you to Manufacturing NI and everyone who contributed to the development of this report, and for the work you do to drive this sector forward. It is important that government policy is informed by, and co-designed with, industry. The report will provide helpful analysis as I progress the priorities of my economic vision.”
Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive of Manufacturing NI, commented: “We know from the economic analysis we are publishing today that every job in manufacturing fully supports another 1.7 jobs elsewhere in the economy. For every £1 billion of GVA, it delivers a further £700 million in output elsewhere in the economy. In total, the sector now contributes a total of £16 billion.”
“MJM is a great example of what makes our manufacturing economy so strong. They provide good jobs at a regional level; they are export-focused and have a huge indirect and induced impact on the economy.”
Gary Annett, CEO of MJM Marine, said: “It is an honour to welcome Minister Archibald MLA and the MNI members to MJM Marine to mark Manufacturing Month and the launch of this report. MJM Marine has grown over the past 40 years to become a global leader in the marine fit-out industry, working with the best-known brands in the cruise industry including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Holland America.
“We could not have done this without a strong manufacturing base here in our home location in Newry. We hope that we can help to continue to develop Northern Ireland as a cluster region for providing quality service, demonstrating quality processes, and manufacturing quality products, which are celebrated and sold right across the world.”
Manufacturing Month runs until 29th May – further details about events and activities can be found at www.manufacturingmonthni.com.
