Twenty-eight local companies and university representatives, including several specialising in construction and environmental technologies, are currently in Saudi Arabia as part of an Invest NI trade mission.

The delegation, one of the biggest-ever from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia, is the second Invest NI mission to this important marketplace since January.

A further mission to Saudi Arabia is planned by the organisation later this year.

The current visit will centre on Riyadh and Jeddah and is being assisted by staff at Invest NI's Technology and Development Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Almost half of the participants in the delegation represent construction and environmental technologies, two of Northern Ireland’s most important industries.

Key areas of expertise represented in this group include materials handling machinery used in activities such as quarrying, screening, sand washing, recycling and fast track construction.

Northern Ireland is a recognised international centre of excellence in the design and manufacture of mobile machinery for quarrying, screening and recycling.

Delegation members each have pre-arranged programmes of meetings with Saudi leaders in business, education, healthcare and public bodies.

Invest NI Trade Director Dr Vicky Kell, said: "Our focus on Saudi is proving to be an outstanding success because of the scale of the opportunities there in areas such as construction and overall infrastructure enhancement.

"Many of the companies in the delegation have experience of working in global markets and are geared to provide quality products and services that customers in Saudi Arabia expect."

(PR/BMcC)