Allstate company delivers up to 650 jobs for Belfast, Derry and Strabane

First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have announced that US technology company Allstate Northern Ireland is to create up to 650 high quality jobs in Belfast, Derry and Strabane.

If all 650 jobs materialise Allstate will be one of the North's biggest companies employing 2,550. The announcement meant that in the past week over 1,000 potential news jobs were delivered for the North. Linden Foods in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, is to create 179 jobs, while Deloitte in Belfast is to create 177 jobs.

Allstate Northern Ireland was established in Belfast in 1998, and provides software development business solutions in support of its US parent's operations. The Allstate Corporation, whose headquarters are in Chicago, is the largest publicly-owned property and casualty insurance company in the US serving 16 million households.

Invest Northern Ireland has supported the expansion with £4.5million of grant aid. Allstate will deliver £20 million annually in additional salaries through the new jobs.

Almost 200 of the software development, software testing, infrastructure services and analytics posts already have been filled and the remaining 450 will be recruited by 2016, the company said yesterday.

Bro McFerran, the managing director of Allstate Northern Ireland, said the company has had a strong presence in the North since 1998. “Working closely with Invest NI we have grown to employ over 1,900 people across our three sites. Many of those people are non-IT graduates who have received advanced training and now have new skills and…careers with Allstate.”

Mr Robinson said the announcement sent “out a clear and unequivocal message to international investors to have confidence in Northern Ireland as a competitive location from which to grow their business”.

Mr McGuinness said the jobs would benefit people in Belfast and the northwest.

“The high quality positions and associated salaries are further proof that we have the people, skills and technology to support the business needs of major companies like Allstate

"This is truly great news for our economy. Such investments bring quality salaries and new opportunities for local people so it remains vitally important that we continue to seek out investment projects in key markets and strengthen our relationships with new and existing investors to ensure that we maximise every opportunity to build a positive future for all."

Enterprise minister Arlene Foster said Allstate was one of the North's most well established investors and one of its biggest employers. "The announcement demonstrates clearly that Northern Ireland is a good place to do business and that we have the ability to secure quality investment and high-value jobs from some of the world's most successful and respected companies."