Dunloy firm expands business to Scotland

Dixons Contractors in Dunloy has been assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to win business in Scotland worth almost £4 million that will help to provide seven new jobs. Pictured (L-R) are DJ Dixon, Dixons Contractors, and Moira Loughran, Invest NI.

The building business has received support from Invest NI’s Jobs Fund for the new posts that will see employment grow to 71 over the next two years. The Jobs Fund is providing assistance of £49,000 towards a total investment in growth worth £116,000.

Moira Loughran, Invest NI Regional Office Manager, speaking during a visit to the family-owned and managed company, said: “Dixons, a long established construction business, has successfully used a range of Invest NI support to develop business in Scotland and reduce its dependence on a Northern Ireland marketplace which has been under severe pressure over the past six years.”

The company has received a range of assistance from Invest NI, including help with marketing, trade development, information technology and design, enabling it to compete successfully for business outside Northern Ireland.

“Invest NI’s strategic focus is to encourage and assist construction industry companies to overcome market difficulties here by competing abroad. This series of contracts in Scotland give this ambitious and very professional company an important foothold in a marketplace which offers greater opportunities than Northern Ireland,” continued Moira.

DJ Dixon, Managing Director of Dixons Contractors, commenting on the new business, said: “We’ve secured three substantial contracts with public sector clients in Perth and Kinross and Speyside, totalling £3.8 million, which will be important to us as we seek to grow business in Scotland and other parts of Great Britain.

“We’ve been working towards this extension of our business, moving the company from a total dependence on contracts in Northern Ireland, for some time. Invest NI has been extremely supportive and is providing funding and expert guidance, particularly in terms of marketing outside Northern Ireland, to enable us to grow our business.”

Dixons Contractors was established in 1979 to carry our building work covering new build, refurbishment and maintenance particularly in areas such as social housing. In addition to the 65 employees, the company works with over 150 specialist sub-contractors. The company has achieved ISP 9001:2008 (Quality Management); ISO14001 (Environmental Management); and OHSAS (Occupational Health and Safety Management) accreditations.