Kildare agri-business wins National Enterprise Award for 2018

‘Terra Liquid Minerals’ in Kildare, an agri-business set up by two brothers in 2012, has won the overall title at the 2018 National Enterprise Awards in a competition organised by the Local Enterprise Offices at the Mansion House in Dublin.

 

Backed by Local Enterprise Office Kildare, Tom and Padraig Hennessy have developed an automated mineral dosing system for farmers, which provides over 50,000 dairy cows with liquid minerals through their drinking water. The Athy business employs ten people and announced a €2 million expansion programme late last year.

 

The announcement was made in the Mansion House by the Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen T.D. The Minister also presented awards to ‘Get The Shifts Ltd’ for Best Start-Up (supported by LEO Clare). The Best Export award, which was sponsored by Enterprise Europe Network, was won by ‘Burren Precast Concrete’ (supported by LEO Carlow)  and ‘Cyc-lok Ltd’ won the  Innovation award (supported by LEO Laois).

 

Minister Breen said: “The National Enterprise Awards are a fitting way to recognise the contribution of Ireland’s most innovative, strategic and adaptive businesses, and to put their success stories into the national spotlight as an example to others.  I would like to congratulate all the micro-enterprises and small businesses that are being celebrated here tonight.  This year’s winners, like all those in previous years, represent the backbone of Ireland’s enterprise success and contribute hugely to the economic vibrancy of their respective regions.  All this year’s finalists and winners have been supported by my Department through the Local Enterprise Office network.  I would like to pay tribute to the hard work and vision of the network, and would encourage those with business ideas to get in touch with their local office for expert guidance and advice.”

 

Sheelagh Daly, Chair of the Network of Local Enterprise Offices said: “The National Enterprise Awards are an annual celebration of the achievements of Ireland’s small businesses. Terra Liquid Minerals are very deserving winners this year because of how they have helped farmers to improve animal health through drinking water by providing an innovative Agri Tech solution. The automated controller that they developed here in Ireland, thanks to financial assistance from their Local Enterprise Office, has global appeal for farming communities around the world.”

 

The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities celebrated ‘20 Years of Winners’ at this year’s National Enterprise Awards, which was originally set up in 1998 to celebrate the achievements of Ireland’s micro-enterprises and small businesses.

 

According to a survey by the Local Enterprise Offices, previous winners of the National Enterprise Awards now employ 832 people and generate €131 million in sales annually, including €58 million worth of export sales to 52 countries. 11 former winners, such as Irish Yogurts, Obelisk and DigiWeb, scaled-up their businesses since winning a National Enterprise Award to become Enterprise Ireland clients.

 

National Enterprise Awards 2018 – FULL LIST OF WINNERS

Overall Winner National Enterprise Awards 2018 (Cash Prize for business: €10,000)                       Terra Liquid Minerals, backed by Local Enterprise Office Kildare                                                 www.tlm.ie -  smart liquid mineral injection system provider

Best Start Up Business (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)                                                                           Get the Shifts Ltd, backed by Local Enterprise Office Clare                                              www.gettheshifts.com - skilled, temporary hospitality staff

Best Export Business (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)                                                                          Burren Precast Concrete, backed by Local Enterprise Office Carlow                             www.carlowconcrete.com  - attenuation and flood alleviation tanks manufacturer

Innovation Award (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)                                                                                    Cyc-lok Ltd, backed by Local Enterprise Office Laois                                                                           www.cyc-lok.ie - suppliers of access-controlled bike parking lockers

Regional Awards: (Cash Prize for business: €2,000 each)

DUBLIN: Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin                                   WeBringg, backed by Local Enterprise Office Fingal                                                             www.webringg.com - 90-minute online sales delivery service

SOUTH WEST: Clare, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary

Horizon Offsite Ltd, backed by Local Enterprise Office Tipperary                                                www.horizonos.ie  - light-gauge steel building system manufacturer                                                                           

 

MID-EAST: Kildare, Laois, Offaly and Westmeath                                                                                        Irish Craft Canning, backed by Local Enterprise Office Westmeath

  1.  - Irish craft beverage process and packaging services

 

SOUTH: Cork City, Cork North & West, South Cork and Waterford                                               Blackwater Distillery, backed by Local Enterprise Office Waterford

  1. -  Irish distillery famous for gin

 

SOUTH EAST: Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow                                                                         Asistec, backed by Local Enterprise Office Wicklow

  1. - solutions for cell storage and growth

 

NORTH WEST: Donegal, Leitrim, Longford and Sligo                                                                               Niche Specialist Staffing Partners, backed by Local Enterprise Office Donegal

  1. - international recruitment firm for construction estimators

 

NORTH EAST: Cavan, Louth, Meath and Monaghan                                                                               Avail, backed by Local Enterprise Office Cavan

  1. - mobile healthcare solution for those with learning difficulties

 

WEST: Galway, Mayo and Roscommon

Joint-It, backed by Local Enterprise Office Galway                                                                     www.jointit.com - ready-mixed jointing compound manufacturer

 

Funding for the Local Enterprise Offices is provided by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland.