The National Hubs Summit 20024 took place in Tullamore welcoming...
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Take your business forward to the next level in a region that has the supports, connections, location and people to help you grow, whatever stage your business is at. From award-winning start-ups, to the world’s largest MNC’s, discover why business is choosing to locate in the Midlands.
A European Region of the Future 2024 for FDI Strategy
– fDi Intelligence from the Financial Times
There are approximately 18,670 active businesses within Longford, Westmeath, Offaly and Laois, employing over 72,467 people across the region. 15% of these businesses are in modern technical sectors. Key industry clusters in the region are well-supported by enterprise, academia, and government partners, and include clusters in Advanced Manufacturing, ICT, Engineering and Food & Drink. Long-established enterprises in Life Sciences and Medical Technology in Athlone are supported by collaborative research links with academia at Technological University of the Shannon. With a rich history in power generation, there is also an emerging Low Carbon / Green Enterprise sector in the region along with a growing number of businesses in Robotics and AR/VR.
The emergence of the Midlands Region in attracting City-based enterprises and new start-ups, as well as indigenous and international investment, is facilitated by cutting-edge technology, lower costs, the availability of talent, and a renewed work-life balance.
For businesses of all stages, we have regional supports here to assist you. Whether starting-up, entering global markets, or choosing a location in Ireland to expand your business.
The Local Enterprise Offices are your local first-stop shop for seeking information and support on starting or growing a business in the Midlands.
Enterprise Ireland work in partnership with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets.
As Ireland’s inward investment promotion agency, IDA Ireland are a non-commercial, semi-state body promoting foreign direct investment into Ireland.
Across the Midlands, Smart Specialisation has seen a number of Industry Clusters grow and develop. Our regional clusters have created ecosystems which aid economic growth for partners by focusing on cooperation and collaboration. Our clusters bring together the triple helix of Industry, Government and Education to ensure continued competitive advantage for members.
Key Employers in Longford specialise in Advanced Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Engineering, and include Abbott, Avery Dennison Industrial, Tool & Plastic, C&D Foods and Framespace.
Key Employers in Westmeath specialise in ICT, Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, and include Ericsson, Steripack Group, Neueda Technologies, 3M, Sidero, Zinkworks and Teleflex.
Key employers in Offaly specialise in Life Sciences, Med Tech, Food and Drink, and Engineering, and include Steris, Integra Life Sciences, Spectrum Plastics, Grant Engineering, Tullamore Dew and Glenisk.
Key Employers in Laois specialise in Engineering, Food and Drink, and Advanced Manufacturing, and include Greenfield Global, Glanbia, Aubren, First Ireland Spirits, and Midland Steel.
The region has an impressive range of companies across all industry sectors, with particular strengths in Life Sciences, Technology, Global Business Services, International Financial Services, and Engineering and Industrial Technologies and this base of client companies in the region continues to perform well in terms of their operational sustainability, job retention and ongoing transformation.
There are a number of emerging research clusters in modern STEM related fields specialising in research and development at locations such as the Mullingar IMR (Irish Manufacturing Research) and the new Robotic/Cobotic Training Centre in Mullingar.
With a high ratio of jobs to resident workers, the Midlands has a positive net inflow of workers to urban centres which can further grow given the neighbouring access to talent and labour force.
The Midlands benefits from important well-established supports such as the four Local Enterprise Offices in the region, the New Frontiers Programme in TUS Technological University of the Shannon, and the Bord na Mona Accelerate Green programme for start-ups and SMEs. Enterprise Ireland continues to support, through collaboration and funding, the region’s Centres of Excellence, Irish Manufacturing Research, Command and Applied Polymer Technologies. Enterprise Centres are another critical enterprise development support to which Enterprise Ireland has committed significant funding over several years.
We’re at the heart of the festival and events industry in Ireland, regularly hosting events with 100,000’s of attendees. Great transport links, central location, stunning venues, and a friendly welcome make the Midlands the smart choice for Conferences and Events in Ireland.
Key events in the region include the National Ploughing Championships which take place each September in Ratheniska, attracting up to 300,000 visitors for one of the largest outdoor events of its type in Europe. Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann takes place each August, with Mullingar as its current home, attracting crowds of up to 500,000. Electric Picnic has grown to become Ireland’s largest music festival with crowds of 70,000 coming to Stradbally in September each year. Combined, they contribute to an events calendar which sees millions of local, national and international visitors come to region each year.
Surrounding these National Events is a supporting infrastructure of transport links, hotels, restaurants, remote working hubs and service businesses, as well as a supportive network of public body partners, making the Midlands the ideal home for events of all sizes.
Our Regional Enterprise team have developed a comprehensive set of guides to our region, towns, and key industries. Visit our Resource Library to discover our Regional Enterprise Plan, our key industry Action Plans, profiles of our region and key population centres, and much more.
The Midlands Regional Skills Forum (MRSF) has established a strong knowledge of critical vacancies and key skills that are required from companies across the Midlands.
A thriving enterprise sector in the Midlands is supported by the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan.
For businesses of all sizes, here in the Midlands we have a dedicated and supportive network of training supports for you and your team.
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