Tellabs, the Shannon-based telecommunications company, has won this year's overall National Innovation Award, sponsored by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and The Irish Times in association with the Government's Science, Technology and Innovation Awareness programme sponsored by Forfas.
The company has developed switching technology which allows telecommunications operators to deliver traditional circuit switched telephony over a broadband infrastructure.
The Irish team at Tellabs, a wholly owned subsidiary of its parent company in Illinois, identified high speed data transmission as a major growth opportunity in early 1995.
Over the past two years the research and development arm of the company was expanded from 40 engineers to 100 and US telecoms company, Sprint, worked closely with Tellabs to develop the product.
Late last year the two signed a $100 million multi-year deal to integrate voice applications into Sprint's broadband platform.
The resultant product, AN2100 Gateway Exchange, is part of the next generation of voice/data switching equipment which allows significant cost reductions for telecommunications companies trying to route both data and voice calls.
The entire project was managed and co-ordinated from Shannon, just one of Tellabs' 40 locations worldwide.
Tellabs took the overall prize of £5,000 and also won the big business category, for which it was awarded £2,000 and a specially commissioned piece of glass from designer Ms Helena Kaushal.
Presenting the awards, Dr Paddy Galvin, former chief executive of Waterford Crystal and chairman of the judging panel, said they were designed to identify and encourage organisations that have established a culture of innovation and are not dependent on any single technological breakthrough. "A successful strategy for innovation ultimately depends on a good corporate climate, an open attitude on the part of management and the full involvement of employees," Mr Galvin said.
In the medium-sized business category, the Cork plant of Odlums, the flour company, received the award for developing a heat treated flour which has allowed the company to diversify its customer base as the market for flour decreases.
Developed by a research team in Odlums over a number of years, the process used to manufacture the product is more flexible than existing processes both here and abroad, allowing the company to tailor-make flours for customers.
The prize in the small business category went to Belmullet company, SELC Ireland. It has developed unique light-sensitive public lighting controllers for switching public lights on and off.
Its Astro and Normal Time clocks automatically adjust for seasonal time changes, thereby saving on electricity. SELC customers include local authorities, electrical supply utilities, cities, and airport authorities around the world.
Four companies were also awarded high commendations. They were: MV Technology, a Dublin based manufacturer of artificial optical inspection mechanisms; IT Solutions a Dublin software company, which developed a call centre simulator; Netnote International, also Dublin-based, for its easy-to-use and low-cost Internet access device, and Filtertek BV a Newcastle West company which has introduced a leak-proof valve for intravenous infusions.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, the Minister of State for Science, Technology and Commerce, Mr Noel Treacy, said the awards were critical in increasing awareness of the importance of innovation.
"All of the companies being honoured here today - and all those who entered - are contributing significantly to the success of the Irish economy. More than that - they are adding a new and exciting dimension to Ireland's reputation around the world," Mr Treacy said.
Mr John Travers, chief executive of Forfas, welcomed the diversity of business submissions from old and new companies to the awards.
Speaking on behalf of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Mr Donall O'Connor, senior partner said it was vitally important in the current climate that companies continue to innovate and develop new products and services.
