NEWS
Lowden hits the high notes
L
owden Guitars has handcrafted its 20,000th guitar, a milestone for the Downpatrick business. In three years since receiving a loan from the Growth Loan Fund, the company has created 13 jobs and expanded its workshop from two to nine units. Founded by George Lowden in 1974, the firm now employs 29 highlyskilled workers to produce handcrafted instruments that are in demand throughout Europe, North America, Canada, Australia and the Far East. Finance for the £50m Growth Loan Fund – which provides loans to established Northern Ireland SMEs seeking to access growth finance – has been provided by Invest Northern Ireland and private investor, Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC). Pictured are Rhona Barbour, Senior Portfolio Manager at WhiteRock Capital Partners and George Lowden, Owner of Lowden Guitars.
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FEBRUARY 2017
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