About Manufacturing NI

Supporting your business.

Manufacturing NI is a campaigning organisation which works with member companies, workforce representatives, policymakers and regulators to challenge and encourage change in areas which impact on the cost of doing business, specifically rates, energy, labour, trade and innovation. 

 Founded in the early 2000’s, we actively support all types of manufacturing businesses in Northern Ireland, from micro and family-run firms to innovative SMEs and global exporters. As a manufacturer-led organisation, we focus on what matters most: helping you navigate challenges, reduce costs and unlock opportunities.  

Our work has helped secure and protect a 70% reduction in industrial rates, saving the sector over £71.5 million annually – a vital relief that remains under constant review. We’ve shaped the policy conversation by publishing a landmark report on manufacturing’s role in the NI economy, and taken your concerns directly to Stormont, Westminster and beyond — challenging government on energy costs, labour and skills shortages, regulatory burdens and more. 

Manufacturing remains a powerhouse of Northern Ireland’s economy, driving innovation, developing talent, and leading on the Net Zero agenda. It is embedded in both rural communities and urban centres, shaping lives, sustaining towns, and anchoring resilient supply chains. 

As of March 2025, the Department for the Economy confirmed that manufacturing was the only subsector to post both quarterly and annual growth, with a 1.4% rise in Q4 2024 and a 2.4% increase year-on-year. The sector now accounts for 13.4% of total economic output, over £6 billion in annual GVA, and ranks second only to retail and wholesale. 

Food, engineering, transport, technology, building products, fabrics, polymers, packaging and even the new renewable industries all benefit from the famous Ulster ingenuity and hard work. And you’re just as likely to see world-beaters in rural communities as you are in technology parks.  

We excel in machinery for materials handling and in construction materials – the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, for example, was manufactured here in Northern Ireland with almost 10,000 bespoke precast concrete elements. We also maintain a significant footprint in aerospace, with strong supply chains into the UK and European economies. 

We see that bright future and have identified actions to make it happen.