Northern Ireland's Environmental Industry: An Examination of the Eco-Capital Equipment Producing Sector

In common with much of the rest of the European Union, Northern Ireland has a small but important and expanding environmental industry. The region's 'green economy' employs almost 13000 people and is projected to grow by a further 4000-6000 jobs by the end of the millennium. This article focuses upon one small-scale sub-sector - the eco-capital equipment producers - and analyses their recent industrial performance in the context of current regional development/industrial strategy theory. Drawing on empirical survey, comment is made on the sector's employment characteristics, production sequences, market structures and business operating experiences. Based on this discussion, a series of suggestions is offered that could help central and regional government improve the performance of the industry, and, in turn, the economy of the region, still further.