County Down based company, TG Eakin Ltd, has been crowned the ‘Ulster Bank Business Achiever 2011’ at the national final of the awards, which took place at the Mansion House, Dublin last night – Thursday, 19th April. The awards, now in their 18th year, are in association with the Irish Independent, Enterprise Ireland and InterTradeIreland.

TG Eakin Ltd. manufactures medical devices for the ostomy and woundcare industry. These products are then distributed to 36 countries worldwide.

The company was founded in 1974 by Tom Eakin, who is still Chairman of the Eakin Group. His two sons, Jeremy and Paul Eakin now manage the business with Jeremy as Managing Director of TG Eakin Ltd and Paul as Managing Director of Pelican Healthcare Ltd – a sister company in the Group. TG Eakin Ltd has grown into a hugely successful company with a turnover of over £23 million in 2011.

Each year, TG Eakin Ltd enhance their geographic reach and within the past 5 years, have set up new distribution channels in India, Poland, Hungary, Iran, Slovakia, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Czech Republic, South Korea, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Receiving the Ulster Bank Business Achiever 2011 Award, Barbara-Ann Hitchens from TG Eakin, said: “We are delighted to have been named Ulster Bank Business Achiever 2011 and winner of the International Business Award. This is a huge boost for the company and our dedicated staff – without whom, this would not be possible. Each person in TG Eakin plays an integral role in the company’s success and continued development. I would like to accept this award on their behalf.”

Along with TG Eakin Ltd, seven other leading businesses from across the country were named national winners in their individual award categories.

**The Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards national winners are as follows:

1. Innovation & Emerging Technology Award – Cupprint Ltd, Clare
2. International Business Award – TG Eakin Ltd, Down
3. Social Entrepreneurship Award – Pieta House C.P.S.O.S, Dublin
4. Best Business Start-up Award – Budget Energy, Derry
5. Family Run Business Award – O’Connell Group, Cork
6. Green Business Award – Joule, Dublin
7. Agriculture, Food & Drink Award – Clonakilty Blackpudding Ltd, Cork
8. Service Business Award – Millmount Healthcare, Meath

Speaking at the national final awards ceremony, David Thomas, Managing Director of Corporate Markets, Ulster Bank said: “The Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards recognise and reward business success. This year’s 32 national finalists represent 13 counties, employing over 2,000 people and have a combined annual turnover of over €190 million. We see the incredible results stemming from SMEs across the country and we are wholly committed to supporting this sector. Our award winners are an inspiration to businesses throughout the island. I would like to congratulate them and I wish them every success in their future endeavours.”

Due to the high standard of entries and level of competition in the 2011 Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards, a ‘Judges Special Recognition Award’ was presented to Tara Haughton of Rosso Solini for her innovative design and setting the standard for youth entrepreneurship. Established in 2010 by then Transition Year student, Tara, Rosso Solini sells high-heel makeover kits with coloured soles – giving shoes a designer look and enabling women to match their soles to an outfit.

The Ulster Bank Business Achiever 2011, TG Eakin Limited, will receive a comprehensive reward package including a publishing bursary with the Irish Independent, business mentoring, a full service communications workshop, as well as national and regional PR opportunities.

For further information on the 2011 Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards and award winners, go to www.businessachieversaward.com

CupPrint

Cupprint Ltd manufactures paper cups for drinking of takeaway beverages, using an innovative printing process to print a minimum of 5,000 cups with a two week turnaround compared to a minimum of 50,000 cups and a twelve week turnaround.

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International Business Award

TG Eakin Ltd

Down based company, TG Eakin Ltd, manufacture medical devices for the ostomy and woundcare industry. These products are then distributed internationally to 36 countries worldwide.

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Social Entrepreneurship Award

Pieta House C.P.S.O.S

Established in 2006, Pieta House is a suicide and self-harm crisis centre. It is the only organisation in the country providing a professional, face to face, free of charge therapeutic service for people in the acute stages of distress.

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Start-Up Business Award

Budget Energy

Budget Energy is the new, low cost electricity supplier to the Northern Ireland Market focusing on simple tariffs and excellent customer service.

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Family Run Business Award

O’Connell Group

Established in 1974, O’Connell Group is one of Ireland’s leading logistics companies with over 746,000 square foot of warehousing and a large fleet of trucks and trailers, coupled with extensive container handling facilities and a pallet manufacturing division.

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Green Business Award

Joule

Joule is the leading manufacturer of domestic hot water and solar thermal systems in the UK and Ireland. Young entrepreneurs Ian Barrett and Ronan Ginnell started out as a two-person team in 2007 and now employ a staff of 34 between their bases in Dublin and Runcorn, UK.

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Agriculture, Food and Drink Award

Clonakilty Blackpudding Co

Clonakilty Blackpudding Co. was established in 1983 using a secret recipe and now manufactures a range of breakfast meats including black pudding, white pudding, rashers and sausages. The company recently launched a gluten-free range of black and white pudding.

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Service Business Award

Millmount Healthcare

Founded in 1999, Millmount Healthcare is an Irish-owned service provider of pharmaceutical / healthcare packaging solutions. Over the past 10 years, the company has developed into a key outsource partner to the healthcare industry with partnership agreements in place with manufacturers based in Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe.

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Overall Winner

TG Eakin Ltd

Down based company, TG Eakin Ltd, manufacture medical devices for the ostomy and woundcare industry. These products are then distributed internationally to 36 countries worldwide.

Read More

Special Recognition Award

Rosso Solini

Established in 2010 by then Transition Year student Tara Haughton, Rosso Solini sells high-heel makeover kits with coloured soles, giving shoes a designer look and enabling women to match their soles to an outfit.

Read More

With four products and 22 colours and designs in its range, Rosso Solini has been exported to over 25 markets. The company also has a strong client base in Ireland which includes retailers such as Fran & Jane, Moda in Pella and Cynders Shoes.

Rosso Solini now has three employees and has a turnover of €100,000.

Millmount specialises in primary and secondary packaging of solid-dose products. The company’s primary services include Blister Packaging, Bottle / Tub Filling, and Pack Conditioning for partners who require re-work services. Millmount are also experts in warehousing services. The company currently employs 140 people and had a turnover of Eur5 million to the year ending 31st October 2010.

The company’s main clients include Musgrave’s Group Ireland, Tesco Ireland, BWG and Dunnes Stores and it is growing steady in the UK market, with further expansion planned in France, Germany, Spain, China and America over the next five years.

With 42 employees, Clonakilty Blackpudding Company has a turnover of €12 million.

Since its inception, Joule has successfully introduced innovative products to the renewable heating sector, which utilise solar hot water panels to cost effectively heat water, cutting their clients’ costs and offering an environmentally friendly solution.

Budget Energy provides “value for money” electricity to consumers through a combination of competitive pricing and reduced overheads.  The organisation practices a no frills, common sense approach to how they operate.

90% of clients presenting at Pieta House do not have a psychiatric history. Many Pieta House clients are reacting to a life event, such as a relationship break-up, unemployment, financial stress, isolation or bullying.

In the last five years the organisation has opened four more centres – two outreach centres in Finglas, Tallaght, and Ballyfermot in Dublin as well as a second national centre in Limerick. There are also active discussions in progress to open centres in Galway, Cork, Waterford and Roscrea. The organisation currently employs 60 people.

The company was founded in 1974 by Tom Eakin, who is still Chairman of the Eakin Group. His two sons, Jeremy and Paul Eakin now manage the business with Jeremy as Managing Director of TG Eakin Ltd and Paul as Managing Director of Pelican Healthcare Ltd, a sister company in the Group. Since its small beginnings TG Eakin Ltd has grown into a hugely successful company with a turnover of over £23 million in 2011.

Each year TG Eakin Ltd are enhancing their geographic reach and within the past 5 years have set up new distribution channels in India, Poland, Hungary, Iran, Slovakia, Croatia, Italy, Malta, Romania, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, South Korea, Estonia, Russia and Saudi Arabia. With over 15 million Eakin Cohesive Seals being sold each year worldwide demand for the Eakin products is growing.