The food and drinks business is to get a shot in the arm as a result of the new partnership between Belfast architects HLM and specialised food and drink designers Fusion Design.

The new venture combines Fusion’s specialist knowledge of the industry with HLM’s architectural designs to offer innovative proposals to the growing  food and drinks market in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

The partnership will provide specialist services to the food and drinks industry, including strategic planning, production analysis, and building design. It can also offer assistance with national and EU legal compliance, grant and funding assessments, and applications and feasibility studies.

Des Gallagher of Fusion Design said: “With over 25 years specialist design experience in the food and drinks industry and a demonstrable track record in delivering high quality, specialist and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, we are delighted to work with HLM to expand our combined offering.”

The service is available via HLM’s six offices in London, Sheffield, Glasgow, Belfast, Cardiff, and Plymouth, and internationally through the company’s offices in Johannesburg and Abu Dhabi.

In Association with

The industry is Northern Ireland’s biggest manufacturing sector, generating £4.5 billion last year. In the south, the Department of Agriculture reports the agri-food sector contributes €24 billion to the national economy and accounts for almost 10% of employment.

HLM Fusion was recently retained by Kerry Foods to further develop its facilities in Enniskillen. Previously completed work includes a new industrial bakery facility and cold-store for Milish Foods at Citywest in Dublin. The project involved an innovative design to accommodate production and storage facilities, from concept through to a fully operational site.

Karl Ruddle of HLM said: “As Northern Ireland plays host to the Year of Food and Drink in 2016, we have seen a recent sharp increase in expansion projects and exports, supported by initiatives such as the Agri-Food Strategy Board’s strategic action plan to support the industry in Northern Ireland. It’s an exciting time to launch HLM Fusion as a complete design service for this growing industry.”

Photo: Karl Ruddle (left) and Des Gallagher