Gráinne Moody, Director of Food and Drink Division
How Invest NI has supported small companies to grow into mid-size businesses
Micro, small and mid-sized enterprises (MSMEs) sit at the heart of Northern Ireland’s economy and account for the majority of private sector employment.
However, the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee recently described Northern Ireland as “missing a middle” because our MSMEs have “a limited capacity to undertake, and risk appetite for, opportunities to grow their business”.
A mid-sized business is defined as having between 50 and 249 employees. Mid-sized businesses make up just under 2% of Northern Ireland’s business base, but they are key drivers of productivity, innovation and job creation. According to a BDO report, mid-sized businesses are expected to contribute £745 billion to UK gross value added (GVA) and create an additional 1.9 million jobs by 2028, with professional services and manufacturing projected to be the largest contributing sectors.
This is why supporting more small businesses to scale is one way we can unlock potential in Northern Ireland’s economy. In this article, Grainne Moody examines the benefits of scaling, and how Invest NI has supported small companies to grow into mid-size businesses.
The benefits of scaling
There are many benefits to scaling a small business. Mid-sized businesses benefit from the agility of a smaller business while having a greater market presence and capacity, which enhances their ability to compete with larger businesses in the market or in a particular industry.
Scaling can also make businesses more resilient. Mid-size businesses have more employees and resources, making them well equipped to tackle regulatory changes and market disturbances. At the same time, they are still small enough to often implement change faster than larger businesses.
Productivity is another benefit. Mid-size businesses are likely to be more productive; for the past seven years, Grant Thornton’s Business Outlook Tracker found that mid-size business productivity levels surpassed that of larger and smaller companies. At a time when improving productivity remains one of Northern Ireland's biggest economic opportunities, helping businesses to scale can play an important role in driving sustainable economic growth.
The benefits of scaling also extend beyond individual companies. As small businesses grow, they create more high-quality jobs, invest in skills and technology, strengthen local supply chains and open up new opportunities in export markets. This helps build a broader base of ambitious, competitive companies that can contribute more to Northern Ireland’s economic growth.
But how can we support growth in MSMEs?
Invest NI has supported many small businesses to build the capacity, confidence and capability to grow into mid-size companies. While every growth journey is different, successful scaling often depends on similar foundations: investment in people, leadership capability, innovation, operational efficiency and access to new markets.
Below, we look at four companies that Invest NI has supported to grow from small to mid-size, and asked them how growth helped their businesses:
On Track Technicians
On Track Technicians is a railway infrastructure and civil contractor, established in Lisburn in October 2016. Its services include P-Way track renewals, signalling and telecoms, rail welding, track surveying and safety-critical provision.
The company approached Invest NI in 2019 because it predicted its growth would plateau unless it expanded its services outside of Northern Ireland. Invest NI offered assistance to the company to increase employment and to recruit key management positions to allow the company to enter new markets in Ireland and Great Britain.
It has since been successful in securing major investment in Irish rail infrastructure and has had a turnover of over £9.5 million from the market in Great Britain over the last three years. Since becoming an Invest NI client in 2019, On Track Technicians has grown from a company of 47 employees to a company with over 120 employees.
Commenting on the growth of the company, Andrew Irwin from On Track Technicians said, “The growth OTT has achieved outside of Northern Ireland has significantly strengthened our business. Financial support has enabled us to diversify into new markets, expand our client base, improve cash flow, and enhance job security for our team."
Tailored Image
Tailored Image, located in Dungannon, is a pioneering design-driven provider of fully managed corporate uniforms for both public and private sector businesses across the UK and Europe.
“For over 20 years, Invest NI has been instrumental in our growth, transforming Tailored Image from a micro business into a thriving enterprise with over 100 employees in the area,” said Bernard Birt, Managing Director. “In 2021, we achieved a turnover of £10 million but recognised untapped potential for increased sales. Invest NI stepped in to support us through various initiatives aimed at enhancing production capacity, staff training, management development, and supply chain optimisation.”
Invest NI also helped the company with operational and energy efficiency when it moved to a new factory in 2023. This support helped create 23 new jobs and enabled Tailored Image’s turnover to double to £20 million by 2025.
Bernard Birt continued: “The partnership with Invest NI has been crucial in our journey, empowering Tailored Image to reach new heights and continue our commitment to excellence in corporate uniform solutions.”
P McVey Building Systems
P McVey Building Systems was established 40 years ago and specialises in the manufacture, sale, and hire of modular accommodation across sectors including health and education.
Reflecting on the company’s growth and partnership with Invest NI, Director Mike McVey said: “Invest NI has been a fantastic sounding board and support system for us as we continue to scale. Working with their team gave us the extra capacity we needed to tackle the GB market, and we’re excited to keep pushing forward and showcasing what a Northern Ireland business can achieve on a bigger stage.”
Invest NI first worked with P McVey Building Systems when the business employed just four people, providing support in key areas such as job creation, energy efficiency, leadership mentoring, and technical assistance.
In 2023, the company set its sights on expanding into Great Britain. Invest NI supported this push by assisting with the recruitment of 12 new staff members focused on marketing and business development. By 2025, turnover had grown by 21%, with sales outside Northern Ireland rising by over 40%.
Today, P McVey Building Systems employs nearly 60 people and were named by Beauhurst as Northern Ireland's second fastest growing business in 2025.
Walsin
Walsin is a Lisburn-based commercial glazing fabricator and installer and delivers projects in Northern Ireland, Great Britain, and Ireland.
Invest NI has supported Walsin since 2014 when it was a small business employing fewer than 40 employees. Since then, it has more than doubled its workforce.
Invest NI supported the company’s employment growth and capital investment to become a medium-sized business. In 2020, Walsin acquired a larger premises in Lisburn to manufacture ‘unitised’ glazing, which would take the business into direct engagement with Tier 1 contractors in Great Britain and Ireland. Invest NI supported 14 well-paid jobs, which was critical at a time of major expenditure on the new factory and equipment that was needed.
External sales doubled over the project timescale, and employee numbers grew across both semi-skilled and skilled technical functions within the business.
Commenting on the support, Eric Sinclaire from Walsin said, “Invest NI has provided support to Walsin over the past number of years across different business areas including Recruitment, Capital Expenditure and Technical Expertise. To have these capabilities and knowledge available at a local level has undoubtedly contributed to the success of our business and continues to underpin our future growth."
The next step
Supporting more businesses to scale is key to addressing Northern Ireland's "missing middle". Helping more small businesses become successful mid-sized companies can boost productivity, create jobs and strengthen our economy.
By continuing to invest in the ambition, capability and competitiveness of small businesses, Northern Ireland can build a stronger pipeline of mid-sized companies with the confidence to innovate, export and create high-quality employment. The success of companies such as On Track Technicians, Tailored Image, P McVey Building Systems and Walsin shows what can be achieved when targeted support is matched with business ambition, and why growing the next generation of mid-sized businesses is a priority for Invest NI in growing our economy.
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