Almac Crowned overall Ulster Bank Business Achiever

December 8, 2014

Almac Crowned overall Ulster Bank Business Achiever

Craigavon pharmaceutical development company Almac has been crowned overall winner in this year’s Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards at the final at the Mansion House in Dublin.

It’s the fourth successive time that a Northern Ireland company has won the accolade, this year beating off competition from a record number of entries from across the island of Ireland.

Two other Craigavon headquartered companies also enjoyed success at the national awards final. Avondale Foods was the all-island winner of the Food and Drink Award while Janet McCollum, Chief Executive of Moy Park, won a Judges’ Special Recognition Award for her achievements.

The judges felt that Almac was the stand out company of the finalists noting its state-of-the-art drug discovery, world leading cancer diagnostics, research and development and support of global clinical trials. Employing 3,500 staff worldwide and with a turnover of £350m, the Almac Group was described as “truly a global leader in its field”.

Family owned Avondale Foods, which celebrates its 50th birthday next year is a leading Irish and UK manufacturer of coleslaw, side salads and chilled products, which employs 400. The judges said: “Avondale Foods is a deserving winner of the Food and Drink Award category as they are a well-established company with steady growth which continues to innovate with constant market analysis and serious ambitions to expand further into Europe and beyond.”

Chief Executive of Moy Park Janet McCollum was singled out for her “extraordinary” achievements with a Judges Special Recognition Award. After joining the company in 1993 as European Accountant, she progressed to the Executive Board as Group Finance Director within six years and took up the position of Chief Executive Officer in January 2014.

Ellvena Graham, Head of Ulster Bank Northern Ireland, said:

“The Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards are a highlight of our calendar in Ulster Bank. It gives us the opportunity to recognise and reward great innovation and also gives us the opportunity to meet exceptionally talented people.

The calibre of entries we have seen this year was excellent, from those across the technology, environmental and service industry sectors to those that promote the island’s world-class agriculture and food industries.

Ulster has traditionally punched above its weight in these awards and it’s great news that Almac is keeping the title of Overall Business Achiever in the region for another year. Congratulations to Almac and also to Avondale Foods and Janet McCollum, of Moy Park on their wonderful achievements.”

Doug Cookson, Vice President Corporate Marketing at Almac Group, says:

“We are delighted to be named Overall Business Achiever in these prestigious awards, particularly when pitched against other outstanding companies across all of Ireland. This is a fantastic recognition of the hard work by all our global teams and dedicated employees, without whom this success would not be possible. Huge congratulations to everyone at Almac on making winning this coveted award possible – it is a true honour for all of us.”

The awards are run in association with Invest Northern Ireland, InterTradeIreland, the Belfast Telegraph and SmallBusinessCan.com.

The companies were judged on a variety of merits including financial performance, company milestones and achievements, future strategy for business people and the business and the development of innovative products and services.

Almac will receive a comprehensive prize package including a £40,000 publishing bursary with the Belfast Telegraph or Irish Independent and business mentoring from Enterprise Ireland.

ENDS

Further information on companies and judges’ comments

Overall Ulster Bank Business Achiever 2014:    

Almac Group Ltd

Headquartered in Craigavon, Co. Armagh, Almac is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services to over 600 companies globally within the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. Services include state-of-the-art drug discovery, world leading cancer diagnostics, research and development, manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients, formulation development and the support of global clinical trials.

The judges felt that this company was the stand out company of the finalists. Employing 3,500 and with a turnover £350m, the Almac Group is truly a global leader in its field with local facilities in Souderton and Audubon (Pennsylvania), Durham (North Carolina), San Francisco (California), Singapore and Tokyo. The company has a strong track record of investing in people.

Food & Drink Award:                    

Avondale Foods

Celebrating its 50th Birthday in 2015, Avondale Foods is the market leading Irish and UK manufacturer of coleslaw, side salads and chilled products. A family owned company, Avondale Foods is located in County Armagh from where its employs 400 people. The judges commented that Avondale Foods are deserving winners of this category as they are a well-established company with steady growth which continues to innovate with constant market analysis and serious ambitions to expand further into Europe and beyond.

Judges Special Recognition Award:        

Janet McCollum, Chief Executive, Moy Park

The 2014 Judges Special Recognition Award is being presented by Ulster Bank Business Women Can to recognise the extraordinary achievements of one of the leading businesswomen on the island of Ireland. Having joined the company in 1993 as European Accountant, Janet McCollum progressed to the Executive Board as Group Finance Director within six years. She assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer on 1 January 2014, with leadership of the Moy Park Europe business which covers the UK, Ireland and Continental Europe. Employing some 12,000 people and with a turnover of over £1.2 billion across 14 sites, there are even bigger plans for the future development of the company.

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