Further expansion at Ballymena business hub

A Ballymena business hub has welcomed another tenant as it continues to expand its occupant portfolio, driven by an increasing number of companies adopting new working patterns.

Connon Associates Limited, a digital Chartered Accountancy practice that provides specialist outsourcing solutions and R&D Tax credit consultancy, has moved into the Innovation Centre at Ecos in order to accommodate the future growth of the firm.

Director Peter Connon explained how the pandemic helped spark the move to a serviced workspace.

“Prior to the pandemic, we were very much onsite with our clients,” he said. “But as working from home became the norm for them, that actually helped change our own way of working. Face-to-face collaboration has always played a key part in what we do and that’s a major reason why we made the investment in a new workspace.

“It’s great to be able to welcome people to such a fantastic setting as working life continues its return to normality.”

Peter says the business is growing and he has plans to double the company’s current headcount of four in the next three years.

He also believes recent job announcements made in the area will bring “a lot of opportunities”.

“Many of the clients we service in the Fintech, SAAS and Digital Creative sectors are based in Belfast and the Northwest but we wanted a central location and Ballymena was ideal.  Ballymena has always been a bustling business town and it is fantastic to hear of jobs being created across a number of different industries within the area. That will help cause a ripple effect across the supply chain and be something that will allow us to enhance our standing within the wider local business community,” he explained.

Part of the wider Catalyst ecosystem across Northern Ireland, the Ecos facility has 20,000 sq ft of Grade A office space and the capacity to house up to 125 workers, the site boasts excellent connectivity, at a central location off the M2, within walking space to the town and set in 150 acres of parkland.

Other tenants include cloud-based cemetery management software firm PlotBox, precision engineered swimming pool manufacturer Castillo Pools and Young Enterprise NI.

Welcoming the Connon team, Andy McDonald, Catalyst’s Business Development Manager, said: “We’re delighted to be able to welcome Connon Associates to our connected community of innovators and creators. With access to a network of businesses and knowledge, we’re excited to help the team on the next stage of their growth journey.”

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor William McCaughey, said: “The Innovation Centre at Ecos is just one part of Council’s vision to create a smart, digital innovation district in Ballymena which would form part of a wider innovation ecosystem across the borough to continue to drive economic growth and prosperity.

“We are pleased to welcome Peter and his team as they continue their success story.”