News
NI company is finalist in Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards
23 January 12
Omagh-based Waste Systems Ltd is leading the way in innovation as the local manufacturing company has been announced as a finalist of the Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards 2012. Waste Systems Ltd, which designs, manufactures and supplies turnkey systems and standalone machinery for the waste separation and recycling industries, has been shortlisted in the Green-tech Innovation category and will compete with two other companies across the island of Ireland for the prestigious category title.
Now in its third year, the competition aims to recognise and promote the best service, product or operational innovations throughout the island. Local finalists, Waste Systems Ltd, along with 17 other companies throughout Ireland were selected by an independent panel of judges to secure a place at the final and a chance to win the overall ‘Innovation of the Year’ award and a communications and advertising package from the Irish Times worth €150,000. All shortlisted finalists will receive a €10,000 communications package.
Irish Times Innovation Magazine editor Michael McAleer commented “Both the quantity and quality of the entries this year underlines the level of innovative activity that’s taking place on the island. What we are tasked with is recognising and awarding that talent. Having gone through this year’s entries I think we could have justifiably chosen another 50 companies for the next phase. I don’t envy the final judging panel in choosing the winners. The quality of the innovation in action here is exemplary and we are confident the awards recognise the efforts involved.”
InterTradeIreland Strategy and Policy Director, Aidan Gough said: "Companies that embrace an ongoing culture of innovation are more likely to grow and to sustain growth. The high standard and diverse range of entries to this year’s awards from public and private sectors and from businesses of all sizes is extremely encouraging and evidence that innovation as a growth process is being embraced by more and more businesses across the island.”
“A key objective of InterTradeIreland is to support the development of a well connected innovation ecosystem across the island that puts enterprise at its core. Our support programmes are designed to ensure that firms, in particular SMEs, have access to the resources they need to bring an idea more quickly and more efficiently to market no matter where the resources are located on this island.”
“These awards honour those who are leading the way with their pioneering work. Congratulations to all those companies who have made it to the finals, which is an achievement in its own right.”
Nishi Ward, Managing Director of Waste Systems Ltd, is delighted to be a finalist in the Awards. He said: “I started the business just over two years ago when I realised the opportunities available in the waste recycling market worldwide. We developed two machines which would effectively and efficiently separate large quantities of waste which were previously considered unmanageable and sent to landfill. The machines can select the materials which are useable and valuable which ultimately save companies thousands of pounds and make recycling economically viable.
“Being recognised as a finalist in the Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards is a tremendous achievement and we are very proud of how far we have come so quickly; but we have a lot further to go. We currently export our patented products to the UK and Europe but have plans to enter the US market and further afield in the near future.”
The winners of the competition will be announced at an awards ceremony in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin on the 28th February.
For more information on the awards, visit http://www.irishtimes.com/events/innovation-awards/ or follow the awards on twitter at #InnovationAwards.