Companies pioneering energy solutions with £1m investments

Three Northern Ireland companies, each headed by a Ballymena man, are collectively investing over £1M in their businesses to support their growth in the renewables sector.
By Elinor Glynn
Published 25th May 2021, 10:01 BST
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As the demand for Green Energy increases globally, NEO Environmental, Knox Electrical and Skylark Control Ltd have seen increased demand for their services and are capitalising on opportunities. The investments by the three companies will also see the creation of 14 new jobs.

Kevin Holland, Invest NI’s CEO said: “Interestingly, each of these businesses is headed by someone from Ballymena ”

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Invest NI has provided expert advice and guidance as well as offering over £123,000 of support towards 12 of the jobs, marketing and technical assistance.

Pictured (L-R) are Paul Neary, Director, Neo Environmental with Kevin Holland, CEO, Invest NI; David McMullan, co-founder and Director, Skylark Control and Samuel Knox, Managing Director, Knox Electrical.Pictured (L-R) are Paul Neary, Director, Neo Environmental with Kevin Holland, CEO, Invest NI; David McMullan, co-founder and Director, Skylark Control and Samuel Knox, Managing Director, Knox Electrical.
Pictured (L-R) are Paul Neary, Director, Neo Environmental with Kevin Holland, CEO, Invest NI; David McMullan, co-founder and Director, Skylark Control and Samuel Knox, Managing Director, Knox Electrical.

Knox Electrical, a long established Ballymena electrical contractor is investing over £640,000 to help it expand further in the RoI market to deliver specialist HV installations for wind and solar farms. Samuel Knox from Knox Electrical said: “Thanks to Invest NI’s support we are creating seven new jobs in Ballymena.”

NEO Environmental is a Scottish consultancy business which is investing over £300,000 to expand its Ballymena operation. Paul Neary from the company said: “We are creating five new jobs to support the recent demand for our business services in the renewables sector in the RoI market. To accommodate our growing workforce we have moved to larger premises in Ballymena, which gives us the space to keep growing in the future.”

Skylark Control is a high growth tech start-up based in Belfast and since participating on Invest NI’s Propel Programme in 2018, the company has received a range of Invest NI support. Its latest investment of over £70,000 will help it build on recent contracts secured in the UK, RoI and Asia markets and see it create two new jobs at its Belfast hub. Ballymena native and Founder of Skylark, David McMullan said: “This new investment is helping us to focus on our marketing activities which will enable us to grow our share in the renewables sector in domestic and global markets and diversify into other sectors including oil, gas and construction.”

Related topics:BallymenaInvest NI