Every area of industry is represented in this year's industrial category, writes Edward Power.
The nominees for the Ernst & Young Industry Entrepreneur of the Year award 2003 are as diverse as they are successful. The shortlist includes a prominent doctor, an engineer and a hotelier as well as entrepreneurs who have turned humble bookmaking and confectionary businesses into multimillion euro concerns.
The Entrepreneur of the Year awards are organised in association with The Irish Times and RTÉ, and are supported by Enterprise Ireland and Shannon Development.
Category winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in the Burlington hotel, Dublin on September 25th. The overall winner will be selected at the same event. He or she will go forward to represent Ireland at the World Entrepreneur of the Year event in Monte Carlo next year.
Last year's winner was Mr Padraig O'Ceidigh, managing director of Aer Arann.
Nominees for Industry Entrepreneur of the Year 2003 are:
Kieran Keenaghan,
managing director
Banagher Concrete
Banagher Concrete was established in 1976. The company specialised initially in producing building blocks, readymix concrete, sills and lintels.
Today, Banagher is a major player in the construction and civil engineering industry, designing, manufacturing and installing precast and pre-stressed concrete products for national and international construction projects.
Recent projects on which the company worked include the Dublin Port Tunnel, Limerick main drainage, Ringsend waste water treatment works and bypasses in Youghal, Celbridge and Kildare town.
The company has also helped revamp GAA stadiums including the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick, Thurles' Semple Stadium and Dr Hyde Park in Roscommon.
John Boyle,
managing director,
Boyle Sports
John Boyle established Boyle Sports in 1988 with one shop in Markethill, Co Armagh. Today, the group is the Republic's fastest-growing retail bookmaking chain.
The company operates three divisions: licensed betting; telebetting; and the online betting service, boylesports.com. Its headquarters are in Drogheda, Co Louth and it plans to increase its outlets by 100 to 165 over the next two years.
Revenues for 2003 will exceed €240 million, the firm predicts. It employs 430.
Gerry McCaughey,
chief executive,
Century Homes
Gerry McCaughey is founder of Century Homes, the Republic's largest timber frame house manufacturer.
Based in Monaghan town, Century has operations throughout the Republic and Britain and has recently entered ventures on the Continent, in Japan and in the United States. Century predicts turnover will double to €100 million over the next five years.
The company employs 250 in Monaghan, Longford, Dungarvan in Co Waterford and a recently opened facility in Tullamore, Co Offaly.
Mel Bendon,
managing director,
Glenmar Shellfish
Founded in 1984, Skibbereen-based Glenmar Shellfish exports prawns to Britain, Spain, Germany, Italy and Japan. Having acquired a new factory in Scotland, the company also exported 1,500 tonnes of frozen prawns to the UK last year.
It is now targeting niche markets in Eastern bloc countries set to join the European Union. Turnover has grown from €65,000 in 1984 to in excess of €13 million in 2003. The company employs 38 people in Ireland and 25 in Scotland.
Michael Lynch,
managing director
Lynch Hotels
Established in 1968 in Ennis, Co Clare, Lynch Hotels is one of Ireland's largest hotel groups, with 1,300 rooms and 1,200 staff in 14 operations around the State.
Recent growth has involved capital investment in existing properties alongside an aggressive acquisition strategy, culminating in the €11 million purchase of the Green Isle Hotel, in Dublin.
A further six hotels have been added to the Lynch brand through the "Lynch Associate Hotels" programme over the past 12 months.
Future plans include the introduction of internationally based associate hotels in Britain, Europe and the US, further expansion in Dublin and the launch of a property development company.
Dr James M Sheehan,
director,
Blackrock Medical Partners
Dr Sheehan established Dublin's Blackrock Clinic, a private clinic, in 1981. Blackrock Medical Partners is due to open a sister facility in Galway next year.
A third facility has received full planning approval and funding is currently being finalised with a view to starting construction later in the year.
The partnership is planning two further facilities in the next five years, introducing further competition to the health services in Ireland.
Dr Sheehan graduated from UCD in 1963 and went on to become an orthopaedic surgeon in St. Vincent's Hospital and Cappagh Orthopaedic Hospital.
John Concannon,
managing director,
JFC Manufacturing
John Concannon established plastic manufacturers JFC in 1987. Based in Tuam, Co Galway, the company employs 80 and has operations in Britain, the Netherlands and Poland.
JFC makes products for the industrial, medical and recycling sectors.
Exports to clients across some 30 countries account for 60 per cent of sales. Growth averages 15 per cent per annum.
The firm is building on its eastern European presence, with a new production plant in Poland expected to come on stream shortly.
Mary-Ann O'Brien,
managing director,
Lily O'Briens
Ms O'Brien began selling chocolates from the kitchen of her home in 1992 but it was not until 1995 that she moved to professional kitchens and Lily O'Briens began to grow. Turnover this year is projected at 7.2 million.
The 28,000 sq ft factory in Newbridge, Co Kildare is among the most modern chocolate plants worldwide and 60 per cent of sales are exported. Customers include retail chains Sainsbury's, Tesco, Asda and Debenhams.
Categories and judging panel
There are 24 nominations in the shortlist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award.
The event is organised in association with The Irish Times and RTÉ and supported by Enterprise Ireland and Shannon Development. Nominees are divided into three categories: emerging entrepreneur of the year, industry entrepreneur of the year and international services entrepreneur of the year.
Category winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in the Burlington hotel, Dublin, on September 25th. The overall winner will be selected at the same event.
He or she will go forward to represent Ireland at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year event which will be held in Monte Carlo next year.
This year's judging panel is entrepreneur and Esat founder Mr Denis O'Brien; last year's winner Mr Padraig O'Ceidigh, managing director, Aer Arann; Mr Pat Maher, director, Enterprise Ireland; Mr Maurice Pratt, managing director, Cantrell & Cochrane; Mr Brian McCarthy, managing director, FEXCO; Mr Kevin Thompstone, chief executive, Shannon Development; Ms Angela Kennedy, managing director, Megazyme International; and Mr Pat McDonagh, director, Riverdeep.
Next week: the international services entrepreneur of the year shortlist
