OIL PRICES AT RECORD HIGH: Oil broke through the $103 a barrel barrier in New York, surging to a new all-time high.
EXPANSION BOOST: Hughes Insurance are planning three new branches, Newry, Omagh and West Belfast, bringing its local branch network to twelve offices.
FAST TRACK CONTRACT: Western Building Systems, leader in the field of off-site construction, have won two major contracts in RoI worth over 5.3mn Euro.
MORE STAFF: Co Tyrone quarry equipment manufacturer CDE has embarked on a recruitment drive to fill 40 new engineering jobs to cope with worldwide demand for their products.
NEW SEASON; NEW SHAPE; NEW DESIGN: Northern Woman magazine leads the way in the style, beauty and fashion stakes
 



Welcome to the March edition of Ulster Business
COVER STORY: Strategic Planning, one of Ireland's leading property development, planning, public affairs and PR consultancy practices, has expanded fast in the last three years as growth in Northern Ireland's property market hit unprecedented levels. The next twelve months are expected to just as busy according to the Holywood-based team, which tells Ulster Business all the details...
VICTORIA SQUARE: Its been almost a decade since the plans were drawn up, but after fighting off tough competition from other schemes, overcoming local objections, and putting the launch date back several times, Northern Ireland's largest commercial development, Victoria Square, was finally opened to the public this month....
TRAVEL & TOURISM: With fresh plans afoot to boost visitor numbers to the province, we take a closer look at new developments in the sector.

David Cullen
Editor
 

RE-IMAGINING BRAND IRELAND: Simon Gregory from Tourism Ireland tells Ulster Business about the task of re-branding Ireland in the eyes of the world - 'it must be unique from any other brand, compelling to potential visitors, and meaningful, so that they would want to take a holiday here.'

FDI PROJECTS TOP $1bn: Foreign companies spent almost $1 billion on projects in Northern Ireland in 2007, according to Mark O'Connell (right), a leap of almost 300 per cent on the year before. The CEO of OCO Global said, 'Despite predictions of a slowdown in the global markets, there is still a growing appetite for multi-nationals to invest here.'

DISPATCHES: GRAHAM unveils plans for £18mn east Belfast regeneration.... Lagan family pays £31mn for Welsh slate firm....Barney Eastwood sells to Ladbrokes for £135mn.....Key cross-border banking barrier is removed by Northern Bank.....Resource cleans up in Victoria Square.
TQ10K launched...
Diageo team raises £5K for Slieve Donard climb..
CIPR seeking journalist talent..
 
INVEST NI
Chamber of Commerce
CBI
Greer Publications
Advertising & Editorial
offices
Greer Publications
Ulster Business
5 Edgewater Business Park
Belfast
BT3 9JQ
Tel 028 9078 3200
Fax 028 9078 3210
(RoI prefix 048)

Editor:
David Cullen

Advert Manager :
Louise Hunter