The success of Jans Group in the Antrim and Newtownabbey borough over the last three years has been celebrated.

The Jans Group was formed in 2019 by Peter Drayne and Ronan Hamill as part of an acquisition of a composites business, which was then subsequently rehoused in a 10,000 sq m facility in Caulside Drive, Antrim, with the Council agreeing to provide almost £60,000 of financial support to assist the young firm with job creation.

Despite the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, Jans Group has gone from strength to strength, expanding from just a couple of dozen workers to a multi-company group with more than 200 staff.

As part of its growth plan, Jans Group has launched a major recruitment drive, which will seek to double its current workforce. There are also plans in the pipeline for a major expansion of its base in Antrim.

Alderman Ross said: "Jans Group is a real success story. What the company has achieved and the progress it has made in such a short space of time, coupled with the difficulties posed by a global pandemic, is truly impressive.

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"The relocation of Jans Group to Antrim is another prime example of the type of high-quality investments the Council is continuing to attract to the Borough. We offer a full package of support to investors and have a well-earned reputation for our efficient planning process.

"We are well on track to hit our target of £1bn investment in the Borough and creating 2000 new jobs by 2025."

Jans Group went on to launch three new companies in 2020/21. These include:

• ETRUX – a specialist in the hire, lease, purchase and conversion of commercial vehicles,

• Jans Off Site Solutions – created to construct modular buildings for the leisure and residential market,

• Jans Lifestyle – an outdoor lifestyle specialist with a retail location in Belfast which provides exciting product ranges for camping and leisure activities, such as paddleboarding equipment, as well as the rental and sale of luxury campervans.  

Mr Hamill, Chief Executive of Jans Group added: "Our main aim behind the establishment of Jans Group was to broaden our customer base, bring innovative new products to the market and build a business that would support the livelihood of those who work there.

"Occasionally, those towns outside Belfast can be forgotten about but we want to make Antrim a centre for innovation, creativity, opportunity, and expansion. We know that Antrim and the surrounding districts have very skilled workers, and our desire is to provide a working environment that is progressive, forward thinking and innovative for those people."