Export Awards for 2011 Announced _Exporter of the Year Award Goes to ABC Nutrition

 

ABC Nutrition, Shannon, Co. Clare, won the Irish Exporters Association’s overall Exporter of the Year Award 2011 at a dinner at the Convention Centre in Dublin on Friday the 11th of November.  Mr Richard Bruton, T.D., Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, was guest speaker at the ceremony and presented the awards. 

 

ABC Nutrition was presented with the Exporter of the Year Award 2011 after winning in the Emerging Markets Exporter Award category earlier in the evening.  The Award in that category was presented in recognition of the company’s exceptional performance in export markets with particular attention paid to the marketing strategy employed.  It went on to win the Exporter of the Year Award 2011 for its impressive performance in export markets with its range of sports nutrition and other health nutrition products.  The judging panel also paid tribute to the company’s new product, developed in conjunction with a cardiovascular surgeon, which is aimed at the ‘greying’ market with the aim of improving arterial health and reducing blood pressure.  The company expects to employ 13 people next year and to have an annual turnover in excess of €5 million with some 83% accounted for by exports.

 

Mr Mark Fitzgerald, President of the Irish Exporters Association, speaking at the Awards Ceremony said that Irish exporters, despite the sovereign debt concerns which are producing a global climate of uncertainty, are still managing to show credible growth.  “They are proving that with the right strategy and vision that export growth can still be achieved,” said Mr Fitzgerald.  Mr Fitzgerald congratulated all the exporters who took part in the Export Industry Awards 2011 and said that they reflected the mindset of exporters who are committed to ensure that Ireland’s economic recovery is export-led.

Sector Category Winners

The Irish Exporters Association’s Export Industry Awards are broken down into a number of key sector categories.  The winners in each category then go forward for the Exporter of the Year Award.  Following are the nominees and winners in each sector.

 

Emerging Exporter Award 2011, sponsored by the County and City Enterprise Boards, recognises exceptional performance by small Irish businesses in developing export activity.  The nominees for this category were: ABC Nutrition Ltd., Shannon, Co. Clare: ABL Senaca Tech, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow; ICP Gulf Ltd., Swords, Co. Dublin and Innovapeak Ltd. trading as Safefood 360, Dublin.  The winner was ABC Nutrition which then went on to win the Exporter of the Year Award for 2011.

 

Multinational Exporter Award 2011, sponsored by IDA Ireland, recognises the exceptional performance of multinational companies in contributing to Ireland’s impressive export performance.  Nominees were: EMC Ireland Centre of Excellence, Ovens, Co. Cork; The Irish Dairy Board, Dublin; Marine Harvest, Fanad, Co. Donegal and Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Manufacturing Ltd., Swords, Co. Dublin. The winner was EMC Ireland Centre of Excellence for its global operation and its exports to over 140 countries.

 

Life Sciences Ireland Exporter Industry Award 2011, sponsored by Kuehne & Nagel, recognises the achievements of companies in the pharmaceutical, medical devices and allied sectors.  Nominees were: Europharma Concepts Ltd., Clara, Co. Offaly and Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Manufacturing Ltd., Swords, Co. Dublin. The winner was Europharma Concepts Ltd. for its range of products for oral care, cosmetic and the medical device market.  This wholly Irish-owned company currently employs about 40 people and last year had a turnover in excess of €4.3 million

 

Services Export Award 2011, sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, recognises the efforts of Irish companies in securing and building new export markets for internationally traded services. The nominees were: Acorn Marketing, Dublin; Barracuda FX, Dublin; Flexible Contact Solutions, Ballaghdereen, Co. Roscommon and Parc Aviation Limited, Dublin.  The winner was Parc Aviation Ltd. which is the world leader in the provision of aviation personnel solution and services employing over 50 people with a turnover in excess of €90 million.

 

Manufacturing Exporter Award 2011, sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, recognises the achievements of manufacturing companies in securing and building new export markets. Nominees were: Easy Dry Ltd., Dundalk, Co. Louth; Kent Stainless, Wexford; SF Engineering, Grange, Co. Sligo and Standard Brands (Trading) Ltd., Castlebellingham, Co. Louth.  The winner was SF Engineering which has positioned itself as a strategic innovator, supplier and integrator of high-tech processing equipment for the global food industry. The company currently employs some 45 people and has an annual turnover in excess of €7 million.

 

Software Exporter Award 2011, sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, recognises the achievements of software companies in securing and building new export markets. The nominees for this category were: Brentech Data Systems Ltd.; Openet, Dublin and S3 Group, Dublin.  The winner was S3 Group for its range of products, solutions and professional services to the digital TV, telehealth and semiconductor industries. The company employs 230, has a turnover in excess of €21 million and counts as its customers some of the world’s leading companies.

 

Seafood Exporter Award 2011, sponsored by Bord Biá, recognises companies in the seafood sector that have made significant progress in securing and building export markets for Irish seafood. Nominees were: Burren Smokehouse Ltd., Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare; Kilmore Fish Company Ltd., trading as CKI, Kilmore Quay, Wexford; Marine Harvest of Fanad, Co. Donegal and Sofrimar Ltd., Kilmore Quay, Wexford. The winner was Sofrimar with a turnover of €17 million for exporting a range of seafood to 14 different countries.

 

Irish Food and Drink Export Award 2011, sponsored by Bord Biá, recognises achievements in the food and drink sectors. The nominees were: Butlers Chocolates, Dublin: Dawn Farm Foods, Naas, Co. Kildare; Irish Dairy Board, Dublin and Irish Distillers—Pernod Ricard, Dublin.  There were joint winners in this category – Butlers Chocolates and Irish Distillers – Pernod Ricard.  Butlers Chocolates for its increasing penetration of export markets to 40 and to Irish Distillers for its Jameson Brand which is now the fastest growing whiskey brand in the world.

 

Innovation Exporter Award 2011, sponsored by KPMG, recognises companies that have made a significant innovative contribution to exporting as a result of a new technology, product or service, or a new use for an existing product. The nominees were: Associated Marketing Ltd., Dublin; Irish Dog Foods Ltd., Naas, Co. Kildare; Openet, Dublin and Smartglass International Ltd., Dublin.  The winner was Openet which employs 700 people and has an annual turnover of €75 million providing software solutions to large telecom and cable customers in 28 countries.

 

Deep Sea Shipping Company of the Year Award 2011, sponsored by the Port of Cork Company, recognises the strategically important role of deep sea shipping to our island economy. The nominees were APL Ltd., CMA-CGM Shipping Ireland Ltd, both based in Dublin.  The winner was APL Ireland which exports from Dublin, Cork and Belfast ports offering a feeder vessel network with access to North America, Asia, Australia and other distant destinations.

 

Short Sea Shipping Company of the Year Award 2011, sponsored by the Irish Maritime Development Office, recognises the strategically important role of short sea shipping to our economy. Nominees were: CLDN RoRo S.A.; Eucon Shipping and Transport Ltd. and Grimaldi Lines.  The winner was Eucon Shipping and Transport Ltd., which offers Irish exporters access to worldwide markets via its regular feeder services to Rotterdam, Antwerp and Southampton operating from Dublin, Cork and Belfast. 

 

Logistics Company of the Year Award 2011, sponsored by Dublin Port Company, recognises the importance of logistics and supply chain management firms to the exporting effort of companies trading internationally from Ireland. Nominees were: Caffrey International, Ashbourne, County Meath; DHL Global Forwarding (Ireland) Ltd., Dublin; Eucon Shipping and Transport Ltd. and Geodis Ireland Limited, Dublin. The winner was Caffrey International which is a specialist provider of road transport and logistics services between Ireland, the UK and continental Europe. 

Sponsorship

The Irish Exporters Association gratefully acknowledges the sponsorship of Bord Biá, County and City Enterprise Boards, Dublin Port Company, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, the Irish Maritime Development Office, KPMG, Kuehne & Nagel and the Port of Cork Company.