Gary Mcdonald

Banbridge

Irish News business editor since 2000, now clocked up 44 years in journalism (eek, really that long!).Big Man Utd fan and a journeyman bagpiper to boot

Featured in: Favicon

irishnews.com Favicon

timesheraldonline.com Favicon

farmweek.com Favicon

msn.com

Articles

Thompson Aero Seating confirms £1 billion order book as 2024 sales soar by 47%

6 days ago | irishnews.com | Gary Mcdonald

Thompson Aero Seating, globally recognised for its cutting-edge design, engineering and manufacture of premium class full-flat bed airline seats, has revealed it currently has an order book just short of £1 billion, stretching out over the next six years. And the company, which has its headquarters in Portadown as well as a multi-million pound dynamic testing facility in Banbridge, says it is on target to triple its volume in just three years.
Mackle Petfoods at the double on a gala Workplace & Employment Awards night of celebration

1 week ago | irishnews.com | Gary Mcdonald

Co Tyrone headquartered Mackle Petfoods, which has grown into one of Europe’s leading pet food manufacturers, was the big winner at the 2025 Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards, taking two of the night’s top awards. The family-run business, founded in 1972 by John Mackle senior and which employs 275 staff, clinched wins in both the Best Place to Work and the Best Employee Development Programme categories.
McAleer & Rushe to deliver £90m student scheme in Birmingham

1 week ago | irishnews.com | Gary Mcdonald

Co Tyrone builder McAleer & Rushe has secured another lucrative contract, this time to construct the £90 million 836-bed purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development at Selly Oak in Birmingham for Greystar. The scheme is being delivered on behalf of Student Roost, one of the UK’s largest student accommodation providers, and it will bring forward much-needed new homes for students, alongside amenities that benefit the wider community.
Spanish fashion brand Bershka to open first Northern Ireland store at Victoria Square

1 week ago | irishnews.com | Gary Mcdonald

Spanish clothing brand Bershka, best known as an online retailer, is opening a 17,500 sq ft store in Belfast’s Victoria Square, marking its first entry into the Irish market. Bershka is owned by Inditex, whose other brands include Zara, Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, Oysho, and Stradivarius. Founded in 1998, the chain has more than 1000 stores in over 70 markets, with sales that represent 9% of the total revenue for the whole Inditex group.
Almac sales smash through £1 billion barrier for first time

1 week ago | msn.com | Gary Mcdonald

Microsoft Cares About Your PrivacyMicrosoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.
Almac sales smash through £1 billion barrier for first time

1 week ago | irishnews.com | Gary Mcdonald

Craigavon-based pharmaceutical giant Almac Group has seen is sales smash through the £1 billion mark for the first time. And annual accounts for the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation also reveal its highest-ever profit and employee figure. In the full financial year to the end of September 2024, Almac reported £1.027 billion of revenues, which is a £69.5 million (or 7%) increase on the previous year.
New images give first look at exterior of Belfast’s only art-deco picturehouse

1 week ago | irishnews.com | Gary Mcdonald

Newly-released computer-generated images (CGIs) give a first look at how the exterior of Belfast’s only operational art-deco picturehouse the Strand will look when it opens in summer 2026 following a £6.5 million transformation project. They reveal a bold return to original art-deco features, with a contemporary twist, and show the cinema reclaiming its past, restoring architectural features that were lost over the decades.
Galgorm plans other £3m rooms revamp and invests in new Forest Spa Garden

1 week ago | irishnews.com | Gary Mcdonald

The owners of hospitality group the Galgorm Collection is pumping another £3 million into its it flagship premier luxury hotel and spa resort the Galgorm in a move it says will “allow us to push boundaries in creating exceptional guest experiences”. It is undertaking a major guest-room refurbishment programme at multi-award-winning resort near Ballymena, while it also plans for a nature-immersive Forest Spa Garden to further enhance its world-renowned Thermal Spa Village.
Investment fund sees £30m deployed to 35 businesses in Northern Ireland in just 18 months

1 week ago | msn.com | Gary Mcdonald

Microsoft Cares About Your PrivacyMicrosoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.
Investment fund sees £30m deployed to 35 businesses in Northern Ireland in just 18 months

1 week ago | msn.com | Gary Mcdonald

Microsoft Cares About Your PrivacyMicrosoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.