Dezynamite wins top Offaly County Enterprise award
There was major celebrations at the 2017 Offaly Enterprise Awards when Jesse Morris of Tag Media Ltd, trading as Dezynamite, was announced as the overall winner.
Based on Patrick Street in Tullamore, Dezynamite specialises in graphic, print and website design, corporate identity, printing and promotional products.
The company offers a comprehensive service with competitive pricing, and the judging panel were particularly impressed by how Dezynamite has continued to grow and diversify. In particular, they noted the in-house development of E-Docket System, a digital docketing system, currently the only one in Ireland offering this service.
'It's recognition for the hard work and long hours, but you get out what you put in,' says owner Jesse Morris, who is celebrating ten years in business this year. The 2016 Offaly IBYE (Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur) winner who employs a staff of seven at his Tullamore office says Dezynamite is currently undergoing expansion, so there's exciting times ahead.
'We've come a long way in the last ten years. We opened just six months before the crash, so a lot of sacrifices were made, the same as a lot of other businesses I'm sure, but with determination it has paid off.
'If it wasn't for our clients who stuck with us throughout the years, and also the staff I have here, who are the best of the best, we certainly wouldn't be where we are today - so this award is for all of them really.'
Jesse now goes forward to represent Offaly in the national Enterprise Awards.
On Thursday last, Orla Martin, head of enterprise highlighted the importance of recognising Offaly’s local entrepreneurs, while Offaly County Council’s Cathaoirleach Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick, chief executive Anna Marie Delaney, and director of services Declan Kirrane were all present at the event.
The 10 finalists in the 2017 Offaly Enterprise Awards were G&T Farrelly Ltd, T/a Elegant Designs, Edenderry; DTS Ltd, Tullamore; Dunne Eco Ltd, Tullamore; Print Plus, Tullamore; Welding Quality Management Services, Screggan; Ethica Planet Foods Ltd, Killeigh; Nessa McManus, T/a Spiced with Love, Birr; Spollen Garden Sheds Ltd, Tullamore Hickey Engineering, Rahan, Tullamore; Tag Media Ltd, T/a Dezynamite, Tullamore.
The awards were announced as follows: Merit Award with cash prize of €375: DTS Ltd or Decontamination Technical Services Ltd, an independent company providing validation, engineering and scientific support to leading sterilisation and decontamination facilities.
Merit Award with cash prize of €375: Nessa McManus, T/a Spiced with Love. Spiced with Love is a food business – providing natural, healthy artisan spice kits to accommodate all tastes and allow people to create an amazing dining experience in their own home. The spice kits come complete with shopping list and full cooking instructions.
Category Award with cash prize of €750: Best Manufacturing Business: Hickey Engineering. Hickey Engineering was established in 1986 and supply and fit structural steel & cladding to both the industrial and agriculture sector.
They supply and erect horse stables and equestrian centres. They also manufacture and erect ball stoppers, barriers, viewing stands and flood lights at sport facilities and pitches. The company employs 10 people (9 full-time and 1 part time), uses a range of technology in the business and qualified for CE marking in 2016. Hickey Engineering is a great example of a traditional manufacturing company adapting to compete in today’s market.
Category Award with cash prize of €750: Emerging Best Business: Ethica Planet Foods Ltd. Ethica Planet Foods is innovating alternatives to Dairy and Meat Products without using Wheat and Soya, while offering customers the complete Amino Acid Profile comparable to Meat and Soya.
The company supplies convenient Vegan Sizzlers in a range of International Flavours and the company will shortly be launching a yoghurt alternative and associated products.
And finally, the overall winner with cash prize of €1,500 was Jesse Morris of Dezynamite.