Ross Companies invests £3.6 million and creates 25 new jobs in Ballymena

Pictured (L-R) are Nicole Ross, Business Development Manager and Chief Financial Officer, Ross Companies, Iain Joannides, Head of Regional Business for the Eastern Region, Invest NI and William Ross, Managing Director, Ross Companies

Ballymena-based engineering manufacturer Ross Companies is investing £3.6 million in an expansion that will create 25 new jobs and support its growth in markets across Great Britain and Ireland. 

Invest Northern Ireland has offered the company £125,000 towards the creation of the new roles. The investment will help Ross Companies grow its workforce from 29 to 54 people over the next three years and strengthen its position as a provider of industrial filtration products and engineered solutions. 

Established in 2017, Ross Companies designs, manufactures, installs, finishes and maintains industrial equipment for customers across a range of sectors including quarrying and aggregates, cement and concrete, food and drink production, animal feeds, waste, recycling and energy, and wider industrial manufacturing. 

The £3.6 million investment will increase manufacturing capacity, bring additional processes in-house and support the development of the company's industrial filtration product range. It includes investment in the company's recently acquired and refurbished premises near Ahoghill, as well as the recruitment of engineering, manufacturing and management personnel.

William Ross, Managing Director at Ross Companies, said: “This investment reflects the confidence we have in the future growth of our business. Over the last few years, we have transformed from a small maintenance-focused operation into a multi-disciplinary engineering manufacturer serving customers across several sectors.

“Demand for our industrial filtration and engineered solutions continues to grow as businesses seek to improve efficiency and meet increasingly stringent environmental requirements. This investment will enhance our capabilities, increase capacity and support our expansion into Great Britain and Ireland, creating high-quality jobs in the local area. Invest NI's continued support has helped us build the foundations for this next phase of sustainable growth.”

The investment builds on previous Invest NI support through the Ambition to Grow and Grow Beyond programmes, which helped Ross Companies refine its growth strategy, expand employment and increase turnover.  

Since 2019, the company's turnover has increased from £345,000 to approximately £3.78 million, and it now expects turnover to exceed £5 million over the next two years.  

Iain Joannides, Head of Regional Business, Eastern Region, Invest NI, said: “Ross Companies is an example of the ambition and innovation we see among our Eastern Region client base. Since first engaging with our Eastern Regional team, the company has consistently demonstrated its ability to identify growth opportunities, invest strategically and deliver strong results.

“Building on previous Invest NI support, this investment will help Ross Companies strengthen its manufacturing capability, increase productivity and expand its presence in external markets. The creation of 25 new jobs will also deliver significant economic benefits for the local area.”

The investment will also support the company's sustainability ambitions. By increasing in-house processing, Ross Companies will improve resource efficiency and reduce its reliance on outsourced manufacturing. Its industrial filtration and compliance solutions will also help customers improve their environmental performance.