The Export Industry Awards 2011

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The Awards for an Export - Led Economy
Ireland's economic difficulties are perhaps the worst ever that we as a nation have had to manage. An Export -led process is seen as the best way out of the economic crises, and that process commenced in 2010 and continues to drive a return to economic growth in 2011.

The Export Industry Awards are organised by the Irish Exporters Association (IEA) to recognise the tremendous achievements of companies working in the industry who have helped the export-led recovery by bring Ireland’s total exports of goods and services to an all-time high of € 162 billion in the past year. The Awards will recognise all export industry sectors from services to manufacturing sectors; from companies trading successfully in tough European markets to the companies trading in far-flung markets against the odds.

The Award categories cover the emerging exporters to established indigenous exporters of manufactured goods, services and software and onward to the big hitting multinational exporters.

Exports do not get to market without an efficient logistics system, and we have three awards to recognise the excellence of the logistics and shipping sector, these are the Short Sea Shipping Company of the Year, the Deep Sea Shipping Company of the Year, and the much coveted Logistics Company of the Year Award.

The overall Exporter of the Year will be selected from the winners of the individual categories.

Last Years Winners
We would like to again congratulate last year’s winners on their marvellous achievements. These companies have received recognition for their excellence in exporting, through media coverage, enhanced reputation as well as enhanced employee morale.

Exporter of the Year Award 2010: Irish Dairy Board
Emerging Markets Exporter Award: Hot Irishman Ltd
Multinational Exporter Award : Boston Scientific Ireland Ltd.
Life Sciences Exporter Award: Siemens Helathcare Diagnostics Ltd
Services Exporter Award: PM Group
Manufacturing Exporter Award: Trustwater
Software Exporter Award: Openet
Seafood Exporter Award: Marine Harvest
Irish Food and Drink Export Award: Irish Dairy Board
Innovation Exporter Award: Glanbia
Short Sea Shipping Company: CMA CGM Shipping Ireland Ltd
Deep Sea Shipping Company: CLdN Coblefret Group
Logistics Company of the Year: Kuehne+Nagel Ireland Ltd

The 2011 Award Categories:

Emerging Exporter of the Year
Objective & Criteria: To recognise exceptional performance by small Irish businesses in developing their export activity.
Open to all small businesses operating in Ireland that have exhibited excellence in developing an export strategy
Special attention will be paid to marketing strategy employed
Success in overcoming trade barriers
Sponsor: County and City Enterprise Boards

Multinational Exporter of the Year
Objective & Criteria: To distinguish the exceptional performance of multinational companies in contributing to the Irish Export Industry.
Open to all multinational companies in all export sectors
Nominee must be in business for two fiscal years
Nominee must be exporting and have export sales of at least 50% of total turnover.
Sponsor: IDA Ireland

Life Sciences Exporter of the Year
Objective & Criteria: To recognise the achievements of companies in the Life Sciences Sector which incorporates pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics and bio-pharmaceutical companies.
Open to all exporting companies involved in the activities mentioned above.
Nominee must be in business for two fiscal years.
Nominee must be exporting and have export sales of at least 15% of total turnover.
Sponsor: Kuehne + Nagel

Services Exporter of the Year
Objective & Criteria: To recognise the achievements of services companies in securing and building new export markets in this sector.
Open to all SME’s who export services developed in Ireland
Nominee must be in business for two fiscal years
Nominee must be currently exporting to one or more countries and have export sales of at least 15% of total turnover
Sponsor: Enterprise Ireland

Manufacturing Exporter of the Year
Objective & Criteria: To recognise the achievements of the manufacturing companies in securing and building new export markets in this sector.
Open to all SME’s who export consumer goods developed in Ireland.
Nominee must be in business for two fiscal years
Nominee must be currently exporting to one or more countries and have export sales of at least 15% of total turnover
Sponsor: Enterprise Ireland

Software Exporter of the Year
Objective & Criteria: To recognise the achievements of the software companies in securing and building new export markets in this sector.
Open to all SME’s who export software developed in Ireland
Nominee must be in business for two fiscal years
Nominee must be currently exporting to one or more countries and have export sales of at least 15% of total turnover.
Sponsor: Enterprise Ireland

Seafood Exporter of the Year
Objective & Criteria: To recognise a company that has made significant progress in securing and building export markets in the seafood industry.
Open to all SME’s operating in Ireland and exporting Irish Grown, produced or processed seafood.
Nominee must be in business for two fiscal years.
Nominee must have export sales of at least 15% of total turnover.
Sponsor: Bord Bia

Irish Food & Drink Exporter of the Year
Objective & Criteria: To recognise the export achievement of companies in the food and drink industry and in particular to encourage new product development in the sector.
Open to all SME business enterprises based in Ireland
Nominee must be in business for two fiscal years
Nominee must have export sales of approximately 10% of total turnover.
Nominee must demonstrate consistent responsible food safety and adhere to both the rules of HACCP and those of the local health board
Be commercially aware and adaptable to a changing market environment
Be innovative with regard to product development and packaging
Sponsor: Bord Bia

Innovation Exporter of the Year
Objective & Criteria: To recognise a company that has made a significant innovative contribution to the export industry resulting in a new technology, product or service or a new use for an existing product. The winner will have added real value to some aspect of their current operations through the innovative process.
· Open to all companies who are operating in Ireland
· The innovative research and technology must have primarily taken place in Ireland. The constituents of the end product or service must be mainly Irish.
· The innovation must have been introduced to the industry or market within the last two years.
· The innovation must be original or must represent an original use of an existing system e.g. a new packaging use.
· The innovation must result in economic and/or social benefits and have the potential to be commercially successful.
· The innovation must result in an enhanced capability in research and development.
· Judges will consider both Product Innovation and Process Innovation.
Sponsor: KPMG

Deep Sea Shipping Company of the Year
Objective & Criteria: To recognise the outstanding achievement in the management of Deep Sea Shipping and its contribution in facilitating international trade to and from Ireland. The award will highlight the strategically significant role that Deep Sea Shipping plays in the islands economy and the award will be presented to the company, which has made the most valuable contribution to the efficiency of the deep sea transport mode in Ireland.
· The company must be involved in providing maritime transport services in the deep sea shipping sector e.g. ship owners / liner operators /agents
· The company applying must have an Irish base/ subsidiary and should be in operation for at least 2 years in Ireland.
Sponsor: Port of Cork

Short Sea Shipping Company of the Year
Objective & Criteria: To recognise the outstanding achievement in the delivery of these services to/from Ireland, while also highlighting the strategically significant role it plays to our Island economy. The award will be presented to the company, which has made the most valuable contribution to the efficacy of the maritime transport mode in Ireland.
· The company must be involved in providing maritime transport services in the short sea shipping sector, e.g. ship owners/linear operators/ port companies/ terminal operators.
Sponsor: Irish Maritime Development Office.

Logistics Company of the Year
Objective & Criteria:To recognise the outstanding achievements in building and supporting Irish exports of logistics and supply chain management companies.
· Open to all shipping companies, freight forwarders, third party logistic providers (3 PLS), integrators and haulage companies.
· The company must operate in Ireland and have an Irish base/subsidiary.
· The company has be in business for two fiscal years.
· The company must demonstrate exceptional performance in supporting the export industry.
Sponsor: Dublin Port Company

Exporter of the Year 2011
Objective & Criteria: An overall Exporter of the Year Award for 2010 will be chosen by the judging panel from those companies who are overall winners in the individual categories. The Award will be presented in recognition of the very best export achievement in what has become an ever more competitive international marketplace.
· Export growth and profitability over the past two years.
· Innovative approach to any aspect of international trade.
· Growth in percentage of export sales compared to total sales.
· Obstacles overcome in getting into markets.
Sponsor: The Irish Exporters Association

Who is Eligible to participate in the Awards Programme?
Entrants may range from small start up companies to large international corporations, depending on the category.
How to Enter: Please complete the application form and submit to the address provided or applications can be submitted on line, please visit the IEA website www.irishexporteres.ie .
Please note that companies are welcome to enter more than one category.
Key Dates: Applications will only be accepted up to Friday, 14th October 2011.
The Awards will be presented at a Gala Dinner in The Convention Centre , Dublin on Friday the 11th of November 2011.

Criteria for Entry:

The criteria for selection of winning companies as outlined in this brochure may be changed and determined by the adjudicating panel as appropriate.

• Companies need not be members of the Irish Exporters Association in order to be eligible to enter.
• A company may enter more than one category.
• Companies may be nominated by another company or service provider in the industry.
• Companies may also nominate themselves.
• Supporting documentation may be supplied with your application.
  

Award Design
This years Export Industry Awards have been created by Shane Holland Design, an award winning Irish Company based in Duleek, Co. Meath producing sculptural and functional elements in mixed metals. The skilled team of designers and crafts persons design and build unique pieces and have exported to UK, Europe, USA, Russia and the Middle East.

Each category winner will be given a stunning piece which has a strong, sleek and dynamic design, shaped for the ultimate dramatic effect. The overall Exporter of the Year will receive an additional piece which is the epitome of style.

Independent Judging Panel:

Sir George Quigley, Chairman Short Brothers plc will chair the judging panel which includes Prof. Frank Bradley – Michael Smurfit School of Business, Terence O’Rourke – KPMG, Dr. Christina Gates – Tomkins & Co and President of the Institute of International Trade , Dr.Constantin Gurdgiev , Mr. Padraic White and Dr.Tom McCarthy, Irish Management Institute.