Patrick Cassidy used his passion for computers at primary school to go on and set up his own successful IT firm
The managing director of Mid Ulster based IT company Ionic says ‘sustainable growth’ is the way he wants the business to expand in future years.
Nine new jobs have been created at the head office and Patrick Cassidy believes another 25 will be needed over the next eight to nine months if their client numbers continue to increase.
Ionic originally started off in Maghera 18 years ago and later moved to the LINC business park adjacent to Castledawson Roundabout because of its central location.
Patrick, who comes from Moneyneany, Draperstown, has always had an interest in technology and was into computers since his primary school days.
It's a passion which led him to setting up the business shortly after leaving school and he has been the driving force behind its success.
Ionic provides a managed round-the-clock IT service to about 150 businesses across Northern Ireland, the Republic, and Scotland, giving advice on a range of areas including cyber security, risk management and cloud solutions.
Patrick, who has received awards for his work, sees their client base increasing in the future and anticipates that they will have to increase staff to keep up.
“We have a duty of care for our clients which we take very seriously,” he said. “Some of these businesses have high turnovers which contribute to the Northern Ireland economy.”
He praised Invest NI for being “very supportive and putting them in touch with the right people”, and providing training for staff.
"It’s vital to have this support as the business moves forward,” he added.
Ethna McNamee, Head of Regional Business for the Western Region at Invest Northern Ireland, said: “Ionic IT's growth is a strong example of the important role the ICT sector plays across Northern Ireland, helping businesses to embrace digital technologies, improve productivity and strengthen their competitiveness.
“The growth of innovative technology businesses creates skilled employment opportunities in the region, such as the nine high-quality jobs Ionic IT is creating in Magherafelt with our support, enabling it to expand its managed services and cyber security offering. The growth of these businesses also provides manufacturers and other companies with access to the expertise and digital solutions they need to modernise, scale and compete successfully in both local and international markets."