Workplace Visits for the afternoon of Wednesday 15th June 2011
Michelin (tyre manufacturing), Ballymena – mainly truck tyres               Â
The Michelin factory in Ballymena is one of the biggest manufacturers of truck tyres in the UK. The production is from raw materials and the finished products are tested on site. This Visit can accommodate no more than 12 people, so book EARLY! We will need your shoe size in advance. Ballymena is about 29 miles from Belfast.
Harland & Wolff Heavy Industries, Belfast – renewable energy industry
Harland and Wolff no longer build ships and little of the shipbuilding facilities remain (except for the building dock and the giant cranes, Samson and Goliath, which dominate the skyline of Belfast). H&W still continues its long history of heavy engineering work and manufacturing for the renewable energy industry, which is now the mainstay of the business.
Please wear stout shoes for this Visit.
Bombardier-Shorts Aerospace, Belfast
Bombardier-Shorts are at the forefront of aerospace manufacturing and have several factories in the Greater Belfast area. They are one of the major employers in Northern Ireland.
Please wear stout shoes for this Visit.
PSNI training college, Steeple, Antrim – conflict resolution, dogs, firearms, riot & driver training
The Police Service of Northern Ireland training college is at Steeple in Antrim (18 miles from Belfast). The PSNI Visit should provide demonstrations of a wide range of police training facilities including conflict resolution, dog handling, firearms handling, riot training and police driving skills.
Please wear stout shoes for this Visit.
ISM saltmine at Kilroot, Carrickfergus – rocksalt production
The saltmine at Kilroot, Carrickfergus (a few miles north of Belfast) is operated by the Irish Salt Mining and Exploration Company. It is a major producer of rocksalt used for gritting roads in the UK as well as the eastern USA. A steep descent, in 
a Landrover, to 1000 feet underground means that this Visit is strictly limited to 6 people. Conditions such as middle ear disease, epilepsy or claustrophobia may be contraindications.
Please wear stout shoes for this Visit.
Wrightbus, Ballymena - manufacturing new fleet of London busses
The Wrightbus factory in Ballymena will hopefully be busy manufacturing the new fleet of London busses in June 2011. This Visit should provide a unique opportunity to see the new vehicles in production.
Please wear stout shoes for this Visit.
Galen Almac, Craigavon – pharmaceutical manufacture/clinical trials preparation
The Galen plant in Craigavon (approximately 30 miles from Belfast) is one of the pharmaceutical services companies that make up the Almac Group, which now operates on a global scale. This 
Visit will give an insight into modern pharmaceutical manufacturing processes as well as the complexities of the laboratory work involved in clinical trials preparations.
Note: Rigorous hygiene precautions – eye protection required can be awkward for spectacle wearers and people with beards will have to wear a net over their beard (as well as their head!)
Excursions for the afternoon of Wednesday 15th June 2011
Golf
The Malone Golf Club, founded in 1895, is one of Ireland's best parkland championship courses situated in the Lagan Valley just on the outskirts of Belfast. A testing course with 27 holes set in a magnificent 330 acre estate it has many memorable holes amongst the well manicured parkland and magnificent freshwater lake. Malone hosts many tournaments including the Irish Senior Masters event. A true test of golf and not to be missed. Check out the course on their website: www.malonegolfclub.co.uk
£65 – including greens fees and transport
Cycle Tour
We are organising a cycling afternoon as part of the conference on the Wednesday afternoon. This cycle is being organised in conjunction with the Ardboe Coldstore Ltd Spires Cycling Club and Cycling Ireland. We have applied for insurance cover through Cycling Ireland and bike hire will be available on the day. Bike hire is likely to cost in the region of £20 and insurance will cost only 50p.
The routes chosen will depend on cycling ability and if there are sufficient numbers we may be able to split into 2 groups of differing ability and technicality.
This gives conference attendees a great opportunity to explore Belfast and surrounding areas on the bike, get a good workout in preparation for a guilt free meal on Wednesday evening.
Please note you will need to bring your own cycling clothes. Bikes and helmets will be part of the hire package. We will need to know your cycling ability - leisure or more advanced as this will give us an idea of numbers and types of bikes to have available (road versus hybrid).
To indicate your interest in the cycling tour, please E-Mail somasm@indexcommunications.com with a note about your cycling ability. We will contact you in response.
Discover Belfast:
Additionally, tours of Belfast will be bookable at the Conference by way of the Tours Desk adjacent to Registration. This will enable delegates to book at discounted rates onto public tours of Belfast and surrounding areas, meaning that numbers are not dependant upon take-up from other delegates.
Tours available include:
- A Belfast City Tour - www.belfastcitysightseeing.com
- The Belfast Amphibious Duck Tour - www.belfastsplashtours.com
- A full day Giants Causeway Trip - www.belfastcitysightseeing.com/gc
- A full day trip to the Mountains of Mourne and St Patricks Country
We would urge you to book once at the Conference, when discounts will apply.