An investment in people - a message from our CEO

1973 was a big year for many reasons. Pink Floyd released Dark Side of the Moon. Brando turned down that Oscar. Disco burst onto the music scene. But most notably (in my biased opinion) my dad, Creighton Hutchinson, built the original Hutchinson Engineering facility. Little did he know the tremendous impact the company would go on to have, not only on his family and local community but on Northern Ireland as a whole. Fast forward to today, and we have built on his legacy, creating a world-class business we know he’d be proud of.

Having all the best tech and equipment in the world means nothing if you don’t have the best team to operate it. My 10-year vision for the company is to make Hutchinson a people-centric organisation. Our recent appointment of Nicola Purvis as our Director of People and Culture is a huge part of bringing this vision to life.

This year, we distilled this 10-year vision into a 3-year plan. This involves a growth in headcount and capital investment in technology. We firmly believe that by having the best people and the best equipment, we can make Hutchinson the best place to work and contribute towards the best, most sustainable future for everyone.

People believed in my dad's vision in 1973 and on the back of a 50% grant, he was able to set up his factory on the very site which we operate from today. In what feels like a real full circle moment, we submitted our 3-year plan to Invest NI, who decided to make a significant investment in us. To us, this investment is so much more than financial. It’s an investment in people. It’s the belief in our family business and the recognition of everything we have worked so hard to build. In the next 12 months, we are now able to create 57 new jobs across a range of areas. That’s 57 opportunities for new ideas, network growth and company-wide innovation.

This is a huge moment for myself and my brother Richard as we reflect on how far we have come and how far we hope to go. SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) are the backbone of Northern Ireland and we must keep investing in them. In addition to this, Innovate NI awarded us a Platinum Innovation award, recognising that our “innovation has created value in the business, produced new profits or business growth”.

In 1973 people believed in our dad. In 2024 people still believe in us. People have always been at the centre of what we do here. I can’t wait for you all to see what is next for Hutchinson. Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years and continues to do so.
- Mark