www.ballymena.gov.uk

www.ecoscentre.com

Ballymena Borough Council

Ballymena Borough is located within 30 miles of both Belfast and Larne, and covers approximately 200 square miles. It is one of Northern Ireland's largest and busiest towns, and is the regional administrative centre for many organisations in the northeast of Northern Ireland, including the Health and Social Services Board, Education and Library Board and government departments such as Inland Revenue and Social Security.

Working directly with local industry professionals and consolidating those economic gains made throughout the 1990's, Ballymena Borough Council is helping to shape the dynamic vision of trade, industry and commerce that will evolve over the next few years and beyond.

Ballymena Borough has strong rural industries complemented by a vibrant manufacturing and service sector. Ballymena is the top retail town in Northern Ireland with a unique mix of both independent and multi-national shops.

Population

The population of Ballymena borough is circa 60,000, accounting for 3.5% of Northern Ireland's population.

Employment

Labour statistics show that unemployment in Ballymena stands at 2.9%, 1.6% lower than the Northern Ireland average.
Employee breakdown: Services 69%, Manufacturing 24%, Construction 6% and other 1%.

Industry

In terms of manufacturing in Ballymena, Michelin is one of the largest employers in the region employing over 1,200 people, and contributing to business regeneration through the Michelin Development Ballymena Programme. The multi-national Gallaher Ltd has had a presence in the borough for over 55 years and employs 800. Other major employers include Wrightbus and O'Kane Poultry, two indigenous companies who service the global market.

Tourism

Figures show a steady increase in tourist figures during the past 5 years. This is evident with the increase in new investments linked directly to tourism such as infrastructure and facilities available.

Education

Ballymena is served well for education, with a number of secondary schools, Technical College and in close proximity to Universities.

Business

ecos millennium environmental centre

ecos millennium environmental centre, is set to become a centre of excellence for Corporate use, Business Development and Conferencing.

One of Northern Ireland's most exciting and stylish venues, the ecos millennium environmental centre is conveniently situated on the outskirts of Ballymena. This easily accessible location is set in 150 acres of country park and offers a variety of options to help make any event successful. Event organisers can choose from a range of rooms to suit their needs, including a 120-seater lecture style Conference Theatre, Board Room and Meeting Rooms. The centre is ideal for meetings, conferences, corporate events, launches, art exhibitions and trade fairs.

Conference Theatre at ecos

In addition to the excellent corporate facilities, visitors can choose from a wide range of corporate catering options with a wide variety of menus and options to suit all needs.

Future Development plans for ecos millennium environmental centre include high quality office accommodation for small to medium enterprises and the provision of hot desks for start-up businesses with on site support such as mentoring and administration. The provision of this accommodation at ecos will support business development within the Ballymena area. An additional third floor will attract new tenants and meet the needs of new businesses.