Mullingar firm to represent Westmeath at National Enterprise Awards

(Above) Ciarán Gorman and Darren Fenton of Mullingar-based company Bevcraft Group, which will represent LEO Westmeath at the National Enterprise Awards 2021.

A Mullingar based business that provides canning services to Europe's craft beer producers has been selected to represent Westmeath in the National Enterprise Awards.

Bevcraft Group, which is headquartered at Mullingar Business Park, will represent Local Enterprise Office Westmeath at the awards on February 11 and will compete against 29 other finalists, each representing their own Local Enterprise Office, for a prize fund totaling €50,000. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, the awards will take place virtually and will be streamed live.

The company, run by Ciaran Gorman and Darren Fenton, provides mobile canning and related ‘craft can’ products and services to craft beverage producers. Established in 2016, the business now operates from four facilities across Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands and is the largest business of its kind in Europe. Bevcraft is on track to handle over 50 million cans this year.

Bevcraft Group, which in November was one of three local firms, along with Whelehans Pharmacies and Wholesome Kitchen, to be nominated as finalists in the SFA National Small Business Awards 2021, has experienced the challenges of Brexit first-hand. Ciarán Gorman says: “Aluminum sheet metal is manufactured in the EU and converted into cans for the Irish market in the UK. There are no can-making plants in Ireland, and prior to Brexit the haulage cost from a continental plant to Ireland compared to a UK plant was double the cost. For this reason, the Irish supply chain is very dependent on the UK and although we stocked up hugely prior to January 1; we’ve already seen huge delays on haulage between the two countries.”

Despite the challenges of Brexit and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Ciarán and Darren are optimistic for the future. Darren says: “Over the coming year, we will open our fourth and fifth facilities which will greatly expand our can decoration capabilities, the range of products and formats we can package - and boost overall capacity. We expect our total headcount to jump from 16 to closer to 25-30 across the business in the coming 12 to 18 months.”

Christine Charlton, Head of Enterprise with LEO Westmeath said; “The National Enterprise Awards are very much a benchmark for excellence for small businesses across the country. It is much more than just awards. The businesses involved avail of mentoring and guidance as the process develops and generate connections and leads from other businesses along the way. They also receive signposting for their business helping them to move their company forward, irrespective of whether they win an award. Those who do take part always see the benefit, our winners are now employing over 830 people and are exporting across the world with annual revenues in excess of €130million. The class of 2020 looks to be well prepared to follow in their path.”

The finalists, selected by the Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities, represent a diverse range of businesses that are supported by the LEOs across the country. The awards celebrate small businesses and include awards that recognise excellence in exporting, sustainability and innovation along with 8 regional awards and an overall National Enterprise Awards winner.

This year also sees the addition of two new award categories that reflect the challenging business conditions that companies have faced in 2020. The Pivot Award will be presented to a company who has successfully pivoted their business in the face of challenging conditions in the last 12 months. The Brexit Ready Award will be presented to a company who have excelled in their preparation for Brexit particularly where it would have created specific challenges for them as a business.

For more information, and to watch the awards live at 6pm on February 11, visit www.LocalEnterprise.ie/awards.