Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has completed a strategic visit to Washington and Maryland, where she and Invest NI led a delegation of six Northern Ireland businesses at the SelectUSA Investment Summit. As the premier foreign direct investment event in the United States, the summit served as a platform for local companies exploring future physical expansions into the US market via manufacturing partnerships, sales operations, or investment-led growth.

Reflecting on the mission's outcomes, Minister Archibald stated: "The engagements at SelectUSA have been very positive enabling our local companies to explore new partnerships and growth opportunities. My message to those exhibiting was that we can offer the US market world‑class innovation, skilled talent and trusted partnerships, with the scale, ambition and certainty to grow globally."

The Minister highlighted the critical importance of the American market, noting that goods exports to the US reached a value of £1.4bn in 2025. She identified strong demand in sectors such as fintech, advanced manufacturing, and life and health sciences as key opportunities for local firms to reach over 330 million consumers.

The visit also included joint engagements with Peter Burke TD and meetings with political and business leaders to strengthen economic ties. Additionally, discussions were held with the US Semiquincentennial Commission regarding tourism prospects for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Regarding the "America250" celebrations, the Minister said: "The US market plays a vital role for our tourism sector and America250 brings a variety of opportunities to mark the many links between the US and those of Irish and Ulster-Scots heritage."

The participating Northern Ireland companies included Adepta Partners Ltd, EPAS Ltd, Fast Technologies Ltd, NHL Cylinders, O&S Doors Ltd, and Smiley Monroe Ltd. Chris Monroe, CEO of Smiley Monroe Ltd, shared the benefits of their Kentucky-based operations: "Having a site in the US has given us the flexibility our customers need. This dual approach has helped our business to build new relationships and retain key customers whose procurement needs depend on having local support in the US, alongside our operations in Northern Ireland. The expansion has also significantly strengthened our global brand presence, which has contributed to a 25% increase of new customers in Northern Ireland since we opened Smiley Monroe Inc in Kentucky in 2020."

Moira Loughran, Head of Exports at Invest Northern Ireland, added: "The SelectUSA Investment Summit provided a valuable platform for local companies to assess the real‑world opportunities and challenges of entering the US market. Participating businesses gained practical insights into the financial, operational and strategic considerations involved in setting up US operations, helping to reduce barriers to entry and significantly increase their likelihood of successful expansion. Ultimately, this mission aligns with our business strategy by supporting Northern Ireland businesses to scale globally and diversify their export base."