Terry Cross, chairman and managing director of west Belfast-based Delta Print and Packaging, believes peaceful conditions would bring considerable benefits for his 15-year-old firm.

The company will have turnover of around £7.5 million sterling this year but hopes to increase this to £11£12 million next year.

"It will be easier to reach our target in a peaceful environment," Mr Cross says. Hitting the target could mean the creation of up to 40 jobs at the company which already employs more than 100.

Some 70 per cent of the packaging firm's output is exported with around 40 per cent going to firms in the Republic, 20 per cent to Britain and 10 per cent to continental Europe.

Mr Cross believes the Belfast Agreement should boost business by creating a better image for the company and the area it is based in. Delta should also be able to capitalise on goodwill toward Northern Ireland and the peace process as a whole.

An upturn in the North's economy should also help, while peace would put an end to the problems Delta has experienced in the past of getting a skilled workforce to come to west Belfast

one of the area's hardest hit by the Troubles.