Success for Tipperary company at National Enterprise Awards
South West Regional Award won by Local Enterprise Office-backed company as ‘20 Years of Winners’ are celebrated at National Enterprise Awards in the Mansion House
‘Horizon Offsite Limited’ in Cahir, Co. Tippeary has won the ‘South West Regional Award’ at the 2018 National Enterprise Awards in a competition organised by the Local Enterprise Offices at the Mansion House, Dublin yesterday evening (May 24th).
Horizon Offsite Ltd from Cahir winner of the South West Regional Award at the National Enterprise Awards Final, held in the Mansion House on 24 May, photographed left to right: Rita Guinan, LEO Tipperary, Gerard Fahy, Chief Executive, Horizon Offsite, Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen T.D. and Ita Horan, LEO Tipperary.
Backed by Local Enterprise Office Tipperary, Gerard Fahy, Martin Luddy and Tom Luddy set up the company in May 2017. Horizon Offsite Limited recognised an opportunity to develop a commercially competitive Offsite Light Gauge Steel (LGS) Building System supplying the UK and other international markets including Malta. The company operates from a state of the art facility located in the Cahir Business Park, Cahir.
The announcement was made on Thursday evening 24 May 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 ‘Terra Liquid Minerals’ for the overall title (supported by LEO Kildare) and ‘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).
Congratulating the local winners, Rita Guinan with Local Enterprise Office Tipperary said: “The National Enterprise Awards are an annual celebration of the achievements of Ireland’s small businesses and Horizon Offsite Limited are very deserving winners of this award, because of the impact that they have already made on their sector in the County. This award recognises that Horizon Offsite Ltd has both international and domestic appeal and Local Enterprise Office Tipperary is proud to have supported them along their journey to success.”
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.”
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.
