Collinstown digital media firm wins 2008 Enterprise award

A firm set up in Collinstown just three years ago was announced on Friday as winner of the Westmeath Enterprise Award.ES Digital Media, run by Eddie Stack and Glenda Doyle, will now go on to represent Westmeath at the regional competition to take place in October. Successful regional winners will go on to the national final to be held on November 11th at the State Apartments in Dublin Castle.Run annually by the Westmeath County Enterprise Board, the awards ceremony took place at the Mullingar Park Hotel and there were five firms in the running for the title - Uisneach Catering, Ambushed Paintball, Parliament House trading as Snap Printing and Mullingar Crystal, as well as the eventual winners.Bernard Flynn of Mullingar Crystal was awarded a special 'Entrepreneurial Spirit' award, and there was a presentation to each finalist of a commemorative pottery bowl.RTE journalist Bryan Dobson was master of ceremonies at the event, and a strong speech was made by Deputy Willie Penrose, calling for a reduction in the amount of form-filling required of small businesses (see report elsewhere). Frances Guckian, chairperson of the County Enterprise Board also spoke at the event, as did Christine Charlton CEO of Westmeath County Enterprise Board.The competition was open to firms with fewer than ten employees, and which have received direct financial assistance from the Westmeath County Enterprise Board since 1997.ES Digital Media (www.esdigitalmedia.ie) set up in 2005 by Eddie Stack and Glenda Doyle has three main strands: web development and page turning e brochure development, domain registration and hosting and CD/DVD duplication, printing and packaging. The promoters see the company as a one stop shop for marketing as they can provide a company with domain registration and hosting, their website, content development and duplication for DVD marketing. The judges found the promoter to be enthusiastic and knowledgeable about his business and noted the steady growth of the business and expansion into new areas.Mullingar Crystal (www.mullingarcrystal.com) supplies personalised, contemporary crystal awards, trophies and prizes in a cost effective manner directly to the corporate and sports club sector. The business employs three full time and one part time staff member. Owner, Bernard Flynn, was commended by the judges for his entrepreneurial flair and spirit. The business has local and national customers and has invested in cutting edge technology which allows them personalise each award supplied.Ambushed Paintball (www.ambushedireland.com) is an adventure sports company supplying outdoor activities for adults and children. The promoter, Padraig Daly, a qualified award winning blocklayer was inspired to set up the business upon returning from Australia in 2000 where he had experienced paintball. Padraig and wife Tanya established Ambushed Paintball in 2003.Established by promoter Aine Gavigan in 2001, Uisneach Catering (www.uisneachcatering.ie) serves up a range of private and corporate catering solutions - catering for the food and drink requirements of every type of function from private house parties, corporate functions, school dinners and weddings. Aine, a qualified chef, was highly commended for her commitment to quality produce and delivering a high quality product.Established in 2005, Snap Printing"s (www.snapprinting.ie) product and service offering is broad. They are a total solution provider in the marketing, design and print arena. Services include print consultancy services, full graphic design facility and marketing consultancy. Products produced include marketing print material, point of sale material, conference materials, back drop banners, posters, books and so on; every thing a business requires to communicate to its clients and potential clients.Mr. Dobson reminded those present at Friday"s awards ceremony that the winner of the Westmeath Enterprise Award in 2004 - Grouse Lodge Studios in Rosemount, had gone on to win the world young entrepreneurs prize.Frances Guckian said the awards give small and medium enterprises the opportunity to showcase their activities and to raise their profile. She said that despite the doom and gloom, there are still business ideas coming forward, and people willing to invest their personal finances and resources in ideas in which they believe passionately.The County Enterprise Board, set up in 1993, assisted people through providing financial assistance, mentoring, training, and exhibitions, as well as by helping local firms with the funds to participate in national exhibitions, said Ms. Guckian.'This allows the company not only to raise their profile in sales, but also the profile of Westmeath to come to the fore,' she said.Ms. Guckian revealed that since its establishment, the Board in Westmeath had been instrumental in supporting over 1,500 job creations in Westmeath.'I passionately believe in the concept of the Enterprise Boards,' said Ms. Guckian, adding that she believed the role of the board would come to the fore in this new tightened economy.Christine Charlton CEO of the Board, extended congratulations to the winners and the other participants, and extended her thanks to the Enterprise Board staff who organized the event. She told the gathering that the Westmeath County Enterprise Board deals with approximately 3,000 queries each year, and that it trains about 800 people annually.