Junior Minister Jonathan Bell and Minister for Regional Development, Danny Kennedy visited Antrim based construction firm Mivan this week, to see how the company has bounced back exactly one year after the construction firm was bought out of administration by local businessman Brian McConville. The Rathfriland man who owns MJM Group in Newry bought the company in March 2014.
With more than 100 staff now employed (many of them former Mivan employees) and a multi-million pound order book for 2015 onwards, things are really looking up for the interior fit out and specialist joinery company.
In January 2014 Mivan entered administration following a number of difficult trading years. The company closed with the loss of about 250 jobs when it could not be sold as a going concern. In February 2014 owner of global marine interior and fit-out specialist company MJM Group based in Newry began negotiations to acquire the premises, assets and trading name with the view to creating in the region of 40-50 jobs. The deal was complete in March 2014 and in the 10 months since Mivan began trading again this expectation has doubled with more than 100 people now employed by the company.
Invest Northern Ireland supported the creation of 28 of these jobs and provided support towards the costs of an Interim Manager to assist the company in identifying and implementing organisational efficiencies and best practices.
Junior Minister Jonathan Bell said: ‘The revitalisation of Mivan is very welcome news for the local community in Antrim, our construction sector and the Northern Ireland economy.
“Working with Invest NI, Brian McConville has helped to harness the specialist skills that had been built up within the Global Marine and Fit Out Sector over the past 30 years and reverse the potential loss of a highly skilled workforce. Mivan’s commitment to continuous improvement and excellence will serve the company well as it focuses on securing new global contracts.”
Brian McConville, Chief Executive of MJM Group and Mivan said, “This time last year we acquired the assets of Mivan. We were working in the same field so there were synergies between the two companies. We expected fairly slow growth while we got back up and trading, however with the experience of the former Mivan staff who re-joined the company coupled with MJM’s expertise we have already exceeded projections.
“Mivan now has a healthy order book and is actively pursuing opportunities nationally and internationally. We have also been able to collaborate with MJM on a number of jobs in the marine sector bringing together the strength of both companies to deliver major international projects. We are delighted that we have been part of rebuilding Mivan and we are confident that in a very short space of time it will regain its place as one of the leading companies in Northern Ireland’s construction sector.”
Mivan was established in 1975 and celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2015. The company has worked on some of the world’s most prestigious fit outs in hotels, public buildings, cruise ships and private dwellings including One Hyde Park in London, Wembley Stadium, The Trafford Centre in Manchester, The Bulgari Hotel in London, The Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar and The Dome of the Rock Shrine in Jerusalem.
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