Strikebox Engineering wins top County Enterprise Award
An engineering business from Mullingar is this year’s winner of the Westmeath Enterprise Award for 2022, the Local Enterprise Office Westmeath has announced.
Strikebox Engineering took the top prize of €3,000 and will now represent LEO Westmeath at the 22nd National Enterprise Awards at the Mansion House in Dublin on June 2.
Established in late 2014 by John O’Reilly, Strikebox Engineering produces high finished stainless-steel products such as chutes, hoppers, ducting and guarding, for the pharmaceutical clean room sector.
The business also focuses on the biotech, brewing, beverage, chemical, food, dairy and process sectors. In addition, it offers CAD design services, prototyping, fabrication, fitting services and consultancy.
Now employing eight people, the directors of the business are John and Maria O’Reilly.
Strikebox Engineering will now compete against 30 other finalists from every local authority area for a share of the €35,000 winner’s prize fund when national judging startes in May.
Categories this year include ‘Best Export Business,’ ‘Best Start-Up’ and ‘Innovation,’ and eight regional awards.
There are also two new National Enterprise Awards this year and a ‘One to Watch’ award and a ‘Sustainability / Green’ award.
Companies from Westmeath have enjoyed success in the National Enterprise Awards in the past. In 2021, Bevcraft Group, supported by LEO Westmeath, was the overall winner in the National Enterprise Awards.
In 2003, Grouse Lodge Recording Studio in Rosemount won the National Title and subsequently went on to win the World Title.
Grouse Lodge, owned by Paddy and Claire Dunning, hosts recording and screening facilities and also up market accommodation and leisure facilities.
The Westmeath Enterprise Awards took place as part of Local Enterprise Week programme of events.
Christine Charlton, head of Enterprise with LEO Westmeath, said: “The National Enterprise Awards are a great barometer for what the LEOs are doing and every year the standard is getting better and better, and we are delighted to have Strikebox Engineering representing us in the National Enterprise Awards final.
“They are an extremely progressive company and we wish them well. It is great to see a local company do so well.”
Events during Enterprise Week included a Women in Business Networking event, seminars on financial supports for businesses, strategic thinking, selling into Northern Ireland and the Students County Enterprise Awards Final in the Golden Island Shopping Centre in Athlone.