Ross Companies is investing £3.6m to expand its Ballymena manufacturing operations, as reported by Northern Ireland World and announced by Invest NI, giving industrial equipment buyers in Great Britain and Ireland a growing local supplier of filtration and engineered products.

According to Invest NI, the investment will increase manufacturing capacity, bring more processes in-house and develop the industrial filtration range, including recently acquired and refurbished premises near Ahoghill and recruitment of engineering, manufacturing and management staff.

Invest NI said the 25 jobs will lift headcount from 29 to 54 over three years, and Love Belfast reported that Invest NI has offered £125,000 towards the project.

Invest NI reported that the investment builds on its Ambition to Grow and Grow Beyond support, and that turnover rose from £345,000 in 2019 to about £3.78m, with the company now expecting more than £5m over the next two years.

Established in 2017, according to The Irish News, Ross Companies is an engineering manufacturer that designs, manufactures, installs, finishes and maintains industrial equipment, having grown from a small maintenance operation into a multi-disciplinary business serving several sectors.

William Ross, managing director of Ross Companies, said in a statement issued by Invest NI: “This investment reflects the confidence we have in the future growth of our business.” He said, in the same statement, the investment will enhance capabilities, increase capacity and support expansion into Great Britain and Ireland, creating high-quality jobs locally.

Invest NI named Nicole Ross, business development manager and chief financial officer, and Iain Joannides, head of regional business for the Eastern Region, in the announcement photograph.

The investment reflects a small Northern Ireland manufacturer bringing processes in-house to widen its filtration offer, supported by earlier Invest NI programmes.

Research and Markets estimates the industrial filtration market at $37.88bn in 2026, growing 6.8 per cent a year to $49.36bn by 2030, the market Ross Companies’ new range targets.

For the sector, turnover rising from £345,000 to about £3.78m since 2019, per Invest NI, shows how a maintenance business can scale into manufacturing with phased public support.

The wider signal for the sector is that Northern Ireland’s smaller engineering firms are targeting Great Britain and Ireland, with headcount nearly doubling over three years.

Source: Northern Ireland World / Invest NI / The Irish News / Love Belfast / Research and Markets