Northern Ireland businesses that bond in North Carolina

RICE

BBC News Correspondent Ni Business

BBC a man and a woman are looking at the camera. The man on the left has dark glasses and hair. He is wearing a dark suit, white shirt and a blue tie. The woman has shoulder -length blonde hair and is smiling. She is wearing a dark pattern dress and dark jacket. She has a t-bar silver chain around her neck — Alan Foreman I B-Secur and Director General of the Chamber of House Ni Suzanne Wylie have brought out both benefits of doing business in SH.BA

Businesses from Northern Ireland to North Carolina say they are in the US for “strategic reasons, not just lip service”.

The Ni House Delegation is in the city of Raleigh along with representatives of the University of Queen Belfast, Invest Ni, Catalyst, Software Ni – as well as the first ministers and first deputy ministers and chief of civil service.

It comes after the Ni room signed a cooperation agreement last year with the North Carolina House, known as a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou.)

One of the travel companies is B-Secur, a northern-Irland-based company that makes medical equipment used to monitor heart health. The United States is its largest customer base.

‘Discovered’ by talent

CEO Alan Foreman said: “The US is a real goal for us, but it’s a very, very big country.

“We have some clients on the west coast, the east coast, in the middle in Minneapolis, but it is really difficult to determine where your entry point is.

“As a relatively small company, you have to grow from somewhere.”

He said the reactions they have received, so far, in Raleigh is that many are pleasantly surprised.

“Typically, from North America they think of London or Dublin as an entry point in the western part of Europe and we have been in the shadows, perhaps.

“The behavior of the delegations as we did and the rooms did last year, they were simply blown up by talent.

“My number one reaction I have received is access to a large amount of talent from both universities.

“It is incredible, at the same time for some of the really big universities in North America,” he added.

How do northern Ireland businesses compete?

First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Cat McCusker, President, Ni Chamber, Jake Cashion, NC Chamber, Suzanne Wylie, Ni Room and First Deputy Minister Emma Little-Pengelly during a Business Mission in North Carolina, organized by Ni Chamber.

The room at four women and a man face the camera and are smiling. The man is in the middle of the picture and he is wearing a dark suit and orange tie. Michelle O'Neill is to the left of the figure - she is wearing an emerald green pants suit and white blouse and has shoulder -length blonde hair. In addition to her is a long -haired curly blonde woman who is wearing a top and skirt colored with a black pattern on top. She also wears a large medal around her neck, to imply that she is from the Ni room. On the right is Emma Little Pengelly dressed in a dark jacket and red scarf. She has long dark hair. In addition to her is another woman with blonde hair, dressed in a dark pattern dress and dark jacket. — First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Cat McCusker, President, Ni Chamber, Jake Cashion, NC Chamber, Suzanne Wylie, Ni Room and First Deputy Minister Emma Little-Pengelly during a Business Mission in North Carolina, organized by Ni Chamber.

Mr. Foreman said what was important was that he was not there himself, but part of a delegation.

“I tried with the first minister this morning. These things are so powerful that I go to customers today and potential customers tomorrow.

“It’s not just the lip service we are coming for a single transaction, we are here for strategic reasons.”

Geopolitical uncertainty

Ni Chamber General Susanne Wylie said the visit was part of a long -term process and they would invite a trade mission back to Northern Ireland during the summer of North Carolina.

She said some of their future businesses, especially entrepreneurial businesses, have already opened doors for them at the US

In particular, she said the parallels can be attracted to some sectors such as health and life sciences, MEDTECH, Healthtech and financial services.

However, there has been more geopolitical uncertainty this year than last year, including presenting some of President Trump’s fees.

She said that while there is uncertainty across the globe now, “businesses really want to establish relationships and continue doing business with each other and continue to seek further investments in some of our innovative companies.”

“We still have a long way to do until we know where this will go down,” she added.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill will not go to the White House after Monday event in North Carolina, as she is boycotting St. Patrick’s Day celebrations because of President Trump’s stance on Gaza.

Instead, she will go home, while First Deputy Minister Emma Little-Pengelly will travel to Washington DC.

She will be present at the White House on Wednesday and is likely to meet President Trump.

‘Discovered’ by talent

How do northern Ireland businesses compete?

Geopolitical uncertainty

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