£6.6m expansion creates 175 jobs
May 28, 2007
US insurance giant, Liberty Mutual, today unveiled plans for a £6.6m investment which will create 175 new jobs at its operation in Belfast.
It is Liberty Information Technology (LIT), which already employs 215 people at its software development centre in Clarendon House at Adelaide Street.
The company said the new investment, which is being supported by Invest NI to the tune of £1.75m, would help it develop new IT products and services.
The announcement was made at a Press conference in Belfast by Nigel Dodds, the Economy Minister, who said it was "testimony to the strength of the Northern Ireland product."
The Minister said: "This project is a further endorsement of the skills that Northern Ireland has to offer the international financial and IT sectors.
"We have a talented pool of graduate and experienced software professionals whose abilities are increasingly attracting and retaining investment from around the world.
"Liberty is an internationally respected firm whose growing presence here will consolidate Northern Ireland's position as a key location for inward investment."
Mr Dodds said the expansion by Liberty would benefit the wider economy by generating an expected additional £6.7m a year in salaries by 2010.
Mark Cressey of Liberty Mutual said they had considered a number of locations for their latest investment, but that Belfast offered the most attractive option.
He said: "Since locating here in 1997, our Northern Ireland base has continued to deliver major global successes for Liberty IT.
"The availability of skilled, high quality IT graduates and experienced software developers here, coupled with the support of Invest NI have been key to our success, and we look forward to develop further the capability of our Belfast operation."
Liberty IT is owned by US insurance company Liberty Mutual Group and provides software development and maintenance services to the parent company.
Belfast Telegraph - Friday, May 25, 2007
By Robin Morton and Graham Bardgett