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Outstanding SME of the Year Award (1-50 employees) – Sponsored by The Heritage Pictured: Outstanding SME of the Year Award (1-50 employees) sponsored by The Heritage is presented to Mouad Mentak from TekEir by David Mulligan FBD. Picture: Alf Harvey. Established in 2019 and employing 19 staff, TekEir have received the Business All-Stars Certificate of Accreditation. Based in Portarlington, TekEir is now an international company and has become very reputable within the On-Board Retail sector, working directly with the biggest airline industries in the world, designing and manufacturing customized sled solutions as well as recycling devices to create a sustainable and balanced model to protect our planet. Tek Eir’s team of staff has grown exponentially over the last 2 years, where some industries found these unprecedented times a time of struggle, Tekeir found the light at the end of the tunnel to grow beyond its means and become a respected company worldwide.
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Outstanding Large Business of the Year (Over 50 employees) – Sponsored by South East Technological University Pictured: Outstanding Large Business of the Year Award (Over 50 employees) sponsored by South East Technological University presented to Enva, from left: Erin Hooban, Richard Kennedy, Anne Fitzpatrick, Roger McDermott and Sheila Carroll . Picture: Alf Harvey. Across the group, Enva has a turnover of €355m and employ 1,600 employees. 380 of these employees are based in Ireland with 130 employed at their Portlaoise office. Enva’s operations began in Portlaoise in 1979, and this office is core to Enva’s service delivery and its waste oil processing, working with over 20,000 customers to recover a broad range of hazardous and non-hazardous waste materials. Enva describe their growth as being down to their dedicated and talented team. Portlaoise and the surrounding area has an educated and experienced workforce that has helped drive innovation and growth. Their team is passionate about sustainability, possessing a depth of knowledge and experience to nurture innovative environmental management solutions.
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Start Up/Emerging New Business of the Year Award – Sponsored by Local Enterprise Office Laois Pictured: Start Up/Emerging New Business of the Year award sponsored by Local Enterprise Office Laois is presented to David Maher and John Carey from SOLAS Eco Garden Shop by Evelyn Reddin of Laois LEO . Picture: Alf Harvey. Established in May 2021 and now employing 39 staff, in the past year SOLAS Eco Garden Centre has been visited by Bobby Kerr, Conor Pope, Diarmuid Gavin, Robbie Keane, The French Embassy, Frank McNally to name but a few. A big part of what SOLAS does is promote other local business, crafts and creativity. SOLAS has provided a platform for local organic growers, producers and smaller start ups to start selling their produce. In their first year, they have added over 50 food producers and 200 crafts people to their markets. One of their key objectives is to become a top food and gardening destination in Ireland. In a short 18 months, David Maher and John Carey have turned a disused industrial site into a space for families and friends to meet, a place to showcase local talent and creativity, an artistic hub to amaze and inspire, and a shopping experience that offers value, range and expertise.
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Business Supporting Community Award – Sponsored by Permanent TSB Located in Mountrath, Bloom HQ is a co-working space aimed at bringing business back into the heart of rural community. Why work in congested cities where access to education and housing is a challenge? Bloom HQ believe in quality of life - Ditch the commute, work and live local. Since opening in 2019, BloomHQ has created numerous opportunities for the community of Mountrath and beyond to thrive in the areas of health and well being, education, business development and culture. BloomHQ have worked with the LOETB to offer free community based education programmes. In addition, they have hosted numerous free and discounted fitness and health and well being programmes for disadvantaged members of the community and those with additional needs. BloomHQ is a footprint of how social enterprises should engage with their local community.