Business
Galway company is exporter of the year
A Galway-headquartered medical device company and drug delivery product innovator has won the award for Exporter of the Year at the annual Export Industry Awards.
Aerogen was recognised for exporting 99% of its multi-award winning products in 2014 and achieving 30% growth in exports year on year since 2008.
The company’s products are now used in hospitals in over 70 countries worldwide, providing optimum care to the most critical patients from pre-term babies to adults.
Aerogen was chosen from eleven overall winners of individual categories at the awards ceremony, which took place in the Convention Centre, Dublin last Friday, after winning the award for Life Sciences Exporter of the Year.
The Export Industry Awards recognise emerging exporters as well as established indigenous exporters of manufactured goods and services across all sectors.
Since 2011, Aerogen has more than doubled its commercial export team including senior hires as a General Manager of the Americas, a Commercial Director in Ireland, a Sales Director for China and Sales Managers in France, the UK and Germany. In 2013 and 2014, the company further expanded its global presence opening offices in Beijing, China and Chicago, US.
Aerogen’s growth in its exports division can largely be attributed to the introduction in 2010 of the Aerogen Solo II core technology, which has transformed the standard of care in Intensive Care Units worldwide.
This advanced aerosol generation system allows liquid drugs to be absorbed through the lungs by creating a fine particle mist which gently flows through patients’ airways coating all sections of the lungs.
The human lungs have traditionally posed a challenge for nebulisation (aerosol treatment) as they have a huge surface area, approximately the size of a tennis court, where drugs must reach to effectively deliver medication.
Aerogen technology creates a uniquely consistent and small droplet size of just 3.4 microns – one tenth the size of a human hair in diameter, which enables deep lung deposition of drugs and optimises medication delivery.
“We’re very honoured to receive these prestigious awards,” said Aerogen CEO John Power.
“Our export market has been the core of Aerogen’s growth since the company’s management buy-out in 2008. Over this time we have significantly grown our exports division and we are proud to see our products being used in hospitals worldwide.
“As the growth of Aerogen continues, we will leverage our technology platform and grow beyond the ICU into other sections of the hospital, including wards, the emergency room and homecare,” he added.
The new President of Local Ireland, the association representing local news publishers around the country, is Head of Irish Times Regionals Dan Linehan.
Mr Linehan takes over the presidency from Declan McGuire of the Connacht Tribune. His appointment was confirmed at the recent Annual General Meeting of Local Ireland at Bloomfield House Hotel near Mullingar, Westmeath.
Mr Linehan, who has served as Vice President of the organisation for the last two years, said: “The coming years are a very important time for local publishers with many important issues to be addressed, including the implementation of the Future of Media Commission recommendations, defamation reform, the role and support for local publishers in public service reporting and helping publishers develop commercial digital offerings.”
Speaking at the AGM, Mr McGuire acknowledged the work done by the Executive in the past two years under the direction of Executive Director, Bob Hughes, on several projects related to the publishing industry but most especially the successful conclusion of the long-running campaign for the abolition of VAT on newspapers.
He also wished Mr Linehan the very best in his new role as President of the association for the next two years.
Mr Hughes thanked Mr McGuire for his leadership and support during his term of office and said he looked forward to working with Mr Linehan on the key policy priorities for the association, including Government supports, Government advertising, fair remuneration for content from the tech platforms and the reform of the legislation for defamation.
Local Ireland members also elected Seán Mahon, Managing Director of the Southern Star, as Vice President for the next two years.
The shortage of affordable housing is the single biggest impediment in attracting and retaining workers in the West, according to business group Ibec.
At a ‘Regional Insights Series’ meeting in the Galmont Hotel in Galway last week, employers were told that capacity constraints and labour supply are the key challenges facing business growth in the region.
Ibec Head of Regional Policy Helen Leahy said: “There must be greater focus by government on enhancing quality of life issues such as housing and infrastructure which are driving labour shortages in the region.
“Ibec’s vision for the West is to realise its potential to become a globally competitive location. An inadequate supply of affordable housing is now the single largest impediment to attracting and retaining talented workers, without whom business investment and expansions are not possible.
“Labour shortages are a real concern for businesses in the region. People decide where to live and work based on quality of life and access to high quality services and amenities. Industry tends to follow talent, and in this regard, the region needs to have all the building blocks in place as the attraction and retention of world-class talent becomes increasingly competitive on a global level,” said Ms Leahy.
Amongst Ibec’s priorities for the West are:
- Addressing housing and infrastructure challenges
- Transitioning towards a new growth model with Net Zero energy powered by Atlantic offshore wind resources
- Adapting businesses to the new economic realities
- Enhancing capacity and skillsets to achieve sustainable development objectives
- Investment in people and skills
- Creating competitive advantage through digitalisation
- Innovation as a key driver of productivity growth
One in five Galway businesses want to go fully cashless, as the move towards card payments and tapping continues unabated post-Covid.
In all, 22% of Galway businesses would like to be fully cashless, according to a survey carried out by BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA), a provider of payment technology solutions, which asked Irish businesses about the current payment landscape as well as business confidence and concerns.
Over one-third (36%) of Galway businesses were unaware there is no contactless limit on mobile wallets – just below the national average – while 54% believe the increase in card over cash transactions has helped them run their business.
Six out of ten Galway businesses expect to grow this year despite the cost-of-living crisis and running costs dominating as key concerns; 62% believe their business will grow over the next twelve months despite global economic uncertainty.
Unsurprisingly cost-of-living increases and running costs were the main concerns the majority of businesses had.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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