Two local firms among Leinster winners in Ulster Bank Awards
Two Meath-based companies, Hogan's Farm in Cortown, Kells, and Millmount Healthcare in Stamullen have been presented with business achievement awards at the Leinster provincial final of the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards. Six other leading businesses from across Leinster were selected as winners at the awards ceremony. Hogan's Farm, presented with the 'Agri, Food & Drink Award', is a family-run turkey business. The farm employs 45 full-time staff and originally started out supplying fresh turkey products to the foodservice industry. Now, the company operates mainly in the retail sector, supplying to major retailers including Dunnes Stores, Musgrave's, Superquinn, Aldi and BWG, and has a turnover of about €8 million. It is celebrating 50 years in business this year. Hogan's were winners of the overall 2011 Meath Business of the Year awards held last November. Millmount Healthcare, presented with the 'Service Business Award', 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. The firm is based at the CityNorth Business Campus in Stamullen. 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 employs 140 people and had a turnover of €5 million to the year ending 31st October 2010. Companies were rigorously judged on a variety of merits, including financial performance, company milestones and achievements, future strategy for the business and development of innovative products and services. The Leinster judging panel was made up of Michael Hoey, founder of Country Crest and former Ulster Bank Business Achievers Award winner; Sean Martyn, regional director, Ulster Bank; Conor Fahy, Enterprise Ireland; Grant Gilmore, InterTradeIreland, and Terri O'Donnell, Invest NI. The winning Leinster business, in each of the eight categories, was selected from a shortlist of three companies. Sean Martyn, Ulster Bank regional director, said: "The Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards is about recognising and rewarding business success. Throughout each stage of the awards, participants are exposed to a wealth of potential customers and investors. "An extensive media campaign gives our provincial winners a platform to showcase their success on a national and regional level. I would like to congratulate the winning Leinster businesses and wish them the very best of luck at the national final in April and in their future endeavours." The winner in each category receives a specially commissioned award, local and national PR opportunities, entry into the national awards and a dedicated profile page on the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards website.