Profile:Ulster Bank 
New drive to boost small business sector 
A new drive to support the growth of Northern IrelandÕs small business sector was launched this April. Ulster Bank and the Centre for Competitiveness (CforC) have joined forces to roll out a programme of specially designed seminars intended to help businesses with up to 20 employees across Northern Ireland achieve their full growth potential. 
The events, which will take place in Portadown, Londonderry, Coleraine, Cookstown, Bangor and Belfast over 2008, will include case histories delivered by local companies that have experienced significant growth in recent years. Delegates will also hear from a CforC representative about overcoming barriers to growth and from an Ulster Bank representative about funding growth. 
Ulster BankÕs Head of Business Centres in Northern Ireland, Kevin Kingston, says: ÒEnabling and equipping our small business sector to become more innovative in order to achieve sustainable growth is perhaps the greatest challenge and the biggest opportunity facing the local economy. These seminars have been created to address the issues that matter to small firms.Ó 
CforCÕs Dr Adrian Gundy says: ÒFirms attending the events will learn from the outcomes of a major EU-funded growth programme involving hundreds of local small companies. In addition, firms attending will hear from extremely successful Northern Ireland businesses that have grown significantly through innovative management and from Ulster Bank experts on funding growth.Ó 
Successful businesses presenting at the seminars are: FPM Chartered Accountants (Portadown); Singularity (Derry); McAtamneyÕs Butchers (Coleraine); BA Kitchens (Cookstown); Munster Simms (Bangor); Springfarm Architectural Mouldings (Belfast). 
Businesses wanting to find out more information or to attend an event should contact Ulster Bank at relationshipbanking@ulsterbank.com