Enterprising Galway businesses are honoured on awards night

An agricultural engineering company from Ballinasloe and an organic tea blender based in Galway city were the overall winners in this year’s Galway County & City Enterprise Awards, which were announced last Thursday night.

N Barrett Engineering and Solaris Botanicals took top honoured with Alstrong, an engineering company specialising in soil aeration, named as the Best New Business.

The companies were presented with their Awards by Mayor of the City of Galway, Councillor Terry O’Flaherty; Mayor of the County of Galway, Councillor Thomas Welby and Mary Bennett, Chairperson of the Galway County & City Enterprise Board at a reception in the Town Hall Theatre.

The Awards are part of the County Enterprise Board’s overall aim to support and recognise companies which are continuing to grow and strengthen their product offerings to the Irish market while developing sales into export markets.

The companies were judged on areas including: business plans; marketing strategy; finance; the use of technology and innovation in the business and the entrepreneurial skills of the business owner.

The recipient of the Overall Winner in the Galway County category was Niall Barrett of N Barrett Engineering who designs and manufactures products to take the danger out of cattle handling and aim to become a one stop shop for cattle handling equipment.

The company has been in business since 2001 based in Ballymacward, Ballinasloe. They currently design, manufacture, market and sell products for cattle handling and aim to become a one stop shop for cattle handling equipment.

The Overall Winner in the City category was Joerg Müller for Solaris Botanicals. Solaris Botanicals is a family-run business based in Ballybane, specialising in the blending and preparation of Internationally Award winning Whole-Leaf Organic Teas. All their teas are blended and marketed in Ireland.

A Best New Business was awarded to Alstrong, an enginnering company based in Killimor run by Gerry Daly and Alan Winters. They get a cash prize as well as a plaque designed and made by woodturners, Ambrose and Brid O’Halloran, who also made plaques for the county and city winners.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.