Ulster’s Top Firms Crowned in 2014 Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards

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  • Nine high achieving Ulster companies were today awarded in this year’s Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards, which saw a record year for entries.

    The category winners were selected from almost 200 entries from across Ulster and were presented with prizes in the provincial stage of the awards, which are run in association with Invest Northern Ireland, InterTradeIreland, the Belfast Telegraph and SmallBusinessCan.com

    Seven firms from across Northern Ireland and one from Donegal were on stage at Riddel Hall at Queen’s University Belfast’s Executive Education Centre to collect their awards in the Ulster final of the all-island scheme.

    Winners were: 

    Business Start Up: Arklu (Donegal)

    Small Business: Cornerstone Automation Systems (Londonderry)

    Established SME: BA Kitchen Components (Cookstown)

    International Business: Almac (Craigavon)

    Social Enterprise Employers for Childcare Charitable Group (Lisburn)

    Food and Drink: Avondale Foods (Craigavon)

    Agri Business: SlurryKat (Waringstown)

    Women Led Business: Moy Park (Craigavon)

    A Judges Special Recognition Award was also presented to Vita Liberata, based in Doagh.

    The Ulster winners will now to go forward for all-island judging against provincial winners from Leinster, Munster and Connaught, with the all-island winners to be announced on December 4th at a gala event in Dublin.

    Andy Mills, Regional Director, Business Banking, Ulster Bank, congratulated the Ulster winners.

    He said: “There were over 600 entries to the awards this year from across the island of Ireland and almost 200 from Ulster which is a record number. We thrilled that so many of them want to tell us their good news stories.  The quality of the entries has been extremely impressive, which is not surprising given what local companies are providing in terms of excellent products and services.

    “A number of Ulster businesses stood out for particular recognition and we are delighted to be able to shine a light on their achievements. We now wish them the best of luck as they embark on the all-island stage of the scheme and hope to see some of them pick up awards in Dublin in December.”

    Judges for the Ulster stage of the awards included Willie McKeown, Yardmaster International; Gary Stokes, InterTradeIreland; Andy Mills, Ulster Bank; Ian Murphy, Invest NI, and Sarah Little, Belfast Telegraph.

    The companies were judged on a variety of merits including financial performance, company milestones and achievements, future strategy for business people and the business and the development of innovative products and services.

    Provincial and category winners receive an award trophy and marketing opportunities including a specially commissioned company video, entry into the all-island awards and a dedicated profile page on the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards website.

    The overall winner will receive a comprehensive prize package including a €50,000 (around £40,000) publishing bursary with the Belfast Telegraph, business mentoring from Enterprise Ireland, a full-service communications workshop, as well as media exposure.

    More information is available at www.businessachieversaward.com

    You can follow all the action on Twitter throughout the 2014 awards using #businessachievers

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