A manufacturing company from County Kilkenny are set to compete with the country’s best small businesses as one of the Finalists for the National Enterprise Award taking place this week. Hi Tec Medicare will represent Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny at the prestigious awards that take place on Thursday 22nd May in the Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin.
Hi Tec Medicare, based in Clogh, Castlecomer, is a growing business that designs, manufactures, and delivers innovative, tailor-made orthopaedic chairs and accessories to the healthcare market and private clients. They offer an expanding range of world-class orthopaedic chairs featuring a highly innovative plastic welded seam which brings infection control to new levels.
Since their inception, the Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny has supported their incremental growth in the form of both financial grant assistance and soft supports. The company has been approved start-up and business expansion grants towards the purchase of capital equipment, and salary costs contributions towards the recruitment of new employees. The company has also availed of supports such as mentoring and training. They have undertaken initiatives such as Lean for Business along with Green for Business which has led to the implementation of LEAN manufacturing process improvements and reduced waste. This family run business has become well established and today has a workforce of 12, including fulltime and part-time staff.
The Finalists compete for a prize fund of €50,000 and along with an overall National Enterprise of the Year winner there are categories for Best Start-Up, Best Export Business, an Innovation Award, a One-to-Watch Award, and a Sustainability Award. There is also an Outstanding Achievement award for a business that started with their Local Enterprise Office and has gone on to achieve international growth with the assistance of Enterprise Ireland.
