And the winners are … 12 local companies honoured at Waterford Business Awards
One of Waterford’s longest established and most successful companies has been crowned Business of the Year at a gala event in the city.
Bausch + Lomb was named Overall Waterford Business of the Year at the Waterford Business Awards.
More than 350 people attended the event at the Tower Hotel on Friday night, where 39 companies were vying to be named the best of Waterford businesses for 2019.
As well as the overall prize, Bausch + Lomb also picked up the Exporter of the Year award and the Technology & Innovation Award.
2020 marks 40 years of Bausch + Lomb manufacturing contact lenses in Waterford.
The company currently employs 1,400 people at its sprawling facility at the Waterford Industrial Park and global exports are at an all-time high, driven by the success of the Biotrue One Day family of daily disposable contact lenses.
The Biotrue range was developed in Waterford and there are now daily shipments from the Waterford site to markets all over the world.
The winners of the 13 categories were announced at the event, along with the Overall Business of the Year and a special Ambassador of the Year Award, which this year went to John and Peter Quelly.
The brothers set up Dawn Meats with their partner Dan Browne in 1980 and it has grown to be one of Europe’s largest privately-owned agri companies. Peter and John also established the Arrow Group of Companies in the early 1980’s.
The winning Waterford businesses and their categories are:
Overall Waterford Business of the Year: Bausch + Lomb
Community & Social Enterprise: Grow it Yourself
Entrepreneur of the Year: Rob Leslie of Sedicii
Food & Beverage Award: Cliff House Hotel
Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility: Quish’s SuperValu
Environmental Excellence: Ashleigh Environmental
Exporter of the Year: Bausch + Lomb
New Business of the Year: Everett’s Restaurant
Retail Excellence Award: Fresh Food Courtyard
Marketing Excellence: Flahavan’s
Small Business of the Year: Dunmore Adventure Centre
Technology & Innovation: Bausch + Lomb
Tourism Activity/Attraction of the Year: House of Waterford Crystal
Training & People Development Award: Hartley People
PHOTO: Patrick Browne
