Innovative e-commerce fragrance company, The JAQ Group has expanded its operational facilities in Randalstown, County Antrim to support its increase in demand of the Thomson Carter brand into the US and beyond.
Producing a range of perfumes and skincare products under three successful brands, Thomson Carter, The Essence Vault and Liquid Lounge, the company has built and additional facility in the Craigstown Industrial Estate and expanded into multiple units onsite to accommodate its fast growth by effectively doubling the size of production and third-party logistics (3PL) capabilities.
With currently over 230 employees, the expansion at the Craigstown facility will create 60 jobs immediately, scaling to 160 within 24 months on this site. The creation of the new manufacturing unit was essential to meet the growing demand for the company’s luxury brand, Thomson Carter and to facilitate its continued product development, manufacturing, packaging and shipping requirements.
To mark the occasion, the Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick was invited to the newly renovated premises for a tour of the facility and an opportunity to meet some of the JAQ Group team.
Mayor Kirkpatrick said: “The JAQ Group’s investment in its new modern manufacturing facilities demonstrates the strength and ambition of this local company as it further grows its product ranges.
“This expansion not only secures additional jobs for the local workforce but also enhances the area’s capacity for economic growth and innovation. It was great to see first-hand how the range of fragrances and products are developed and produced right here in Randalstown before being shipped around the world.
“Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council is committed to supporting companies within our local area to ensure they operate in a prosperous and attractive business environment. We wish the team at The JAQ Group every success as they continue to develop their operations.”
The JAQ Group was founded in 2019 by Ballymena man Connor Martin. He started out selling perfume under the brand The Essence Vault and saw a gap in the market to provide good quality, long-lasting scents inspired by popular high street brands but at a more affordable price. The current product range now includes full strength eau de parfums, fragrance oils, diffusers, candles and skincare.
The Essence Vault has achieved extraordinary growth with over 2.5 million online customers helping it become a £100 million brand.
Following the success of The Essence Vault, Connor re-invested into the business by creating two further fragrance brands, Thomson Carter and Liquid London, the latter named TikTok’s Beauty Brand of the Year.
Now consisting of the three fragrance brands and a third-party logistics company, the expansion of its Craigstown Industrial Estate premises allows The JAQ Group to take advantage of its location and bolster its market position due to its proximity to the M2 motorway and major transit routes, facilitating fast courier shipments across the UK and into Ireland/Europe.
Commenting on the recent expansion, Connor Martin, The JAQ Group founder and CEO said: “We were delighted to host Mayor Kirkpatrick and show her our newly expanded facilities and demonstrate how we produce our new luxury body washes and fragrances for the Thomson Carter brand. These products mark JAQ’s evolution from a pure fragrance seller into a broader personal care provider, offering our customers a complete aromatic experience.
“All of our products are proudly made at our facility. By leveraging our in-house lab and perfumery experts, we ensure these new offerings meet the high-quality standards that our customers expect from JAQ.
“As a local company, the additional space we now have at our premises ties in with the Council’s delivering for business plans, namely increasing operational capacity, safeguarding existing jobs, and creating new employment opportunities for the local community.
“With our larger premises we hope to harness international growth opportunities through our increased fulfilment capacity and streamlining shipping from Craigstown. We can fulfil EU orders more swiftly and cost-effectively than UK mainland-based competitors who face customs hurdles. In the past year, our export sales to the EU and US have surged +760% YoY, indicating massive untapped demand overseas. We have also built relationships with shipping partners to secure volume discounts, which improve our delivery economics in key markets.”
The JAQ Group has ambitious growth plans as it continues to build on its successful portfolio of brands and providing employment to the local area. In addition to the extended facilities at Craigstown Industrial Estate, the company has outline planning for a bespoke new commercial development comprising of a manufacturing unit, offices and storage. This new facility will be located just outside Ballymena and will become the company’s principal facility, creating perfumes and skincare products, with the Randalstown site also continuing to operate. The new facility will create a further 300 jobs within The JAQ Group and will see the Group invest a total of £11 million.
As The JAQ Group looks forward to 2026, it plans to sustain leadership as the UK’s fastest-growing online brand with aggressive product diversification into multiple beauty and personal care categories and continue its expansion into the US and EU markets.
