TECHNOLOGY company Allstate Northern Ireland has begun work on what is the largest single office building to be constructed in Northern Ireland in 15 years.
Minister for the Economy, Simon Hamilton joined Allstate Executive vice president, Suren Gupta and Allstate NI managing director, John Healy to lay the foundation stone at the new Belfast Headquarters building on the banks of the River Lagan.
Based over the six floors will be large, sociable working spaces, a restaurant, outdoor terrace and high tech software development labs. Allstate NI’s 1,300 Belfast based employees will make the new headquarters their home by January 2018.
Minister Hamilton said: “Allstate has been a significant part of the business landscape here for almost 20 years. It’s great to see that the company is continuing to invest in Northern Ireland. The fact they are choosing to locate this impressive headquarters in Belfast demonstrates confidence in our highly educated workforce, competitive cost base and our research and development capability. This is further proof that Northern Ireland is an attractive base for award winning international companies.”
The Minister continued: “My number one priority is to attract more and better jobs to Northern Ireland. I want our brightest and best young people to be able to find their dream job in Northern Ireland rather than having to leave our shores in search of work. Allstate NI has participated in innovative research and development projects in conjunction with our local universities. I am delighted that research and development labs are a key part of this new building. This work takes advantage of the research expertise and capability available in Northern Ireland and I am sure this will be of strategic benefit to the Allstate business globally.”
The new Allstate building represents a total construction investment for Northern Ireland of £30+ million, will sustain 150 construction jobs for two years and support the local economy by utilising local construction trades, materials and suppliers.
Allstate NI Managing Director, John Healy said: “The new Belfast office will be a ground-breaking facility for Allstate. The new development increases the size of our current Belfast office and gives us the opportunity to create an inspirational working space fit for a world-class technology organisation with a commitment to innovation, imagination and building digital technology of the future. Technology will be at the heart of our progressive new workspace, and it will give everyone at Allstate NI the freedom to work creatively and collaboratively.”