In Carlow - Where Ambition, Innovation & Success meet by BeCreative

INSIDE: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS WITH SUCCESSFUL, INNOVATIVE BUSINESSES IN CARLOW THE BENEFITS OF WORKING, LIVING AND STUDYING IN CARLOW FUTURE OF CARLOW – THE PROJECTS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANTLY TRANSFORMING THE COUNTY

Contents I

Do things the Barrow Way, and discover a meandering green world of wonder.

Creating spaces for future living We look at the vision for Carlow Town and the €21 million project investment to be delivered in the coming years 09 Crafting an international future for Carlow Two Carlow-based businesses share their experiences developing international connections and we look at how EU projects can support the craft sector 10

Gorgeous and unspoilt, the Barrow gives you the chance to discover scenic and picturesque natural beauty, and captivating views. Canoe or paddleboard down it, cycle, or hike alongside it. However you wish to explore, there’s something wonderful waiting for you in Carlow, when you wander o the track.

Wandering off the track How tourism companies have innovated their services to provide the best tourism experience in Irelands Ancient East 13

Clashganny on the River Barrow ©Luke Myers.

Optimising Lean a key to business success for County Carlow SME’s Two top businesses in Carlow speak about how they have innovated and managed their companies to success with Lean management 15

The content of this magazine is sponsored 12

Visualising a future and creating a cultural campus The vision for the Cultural Quarter in Carlow 11

Chief Executive, Kathleen Holohan, on what makes County Carlow an attractive location to work, study, live and visit

County Carlow –a destination of opportunity SPONSORED CarlowTourism.com

If you’re considering starting, growing or developing your business in County Carlow, contact us on enterprise@carlowcoco.ie or by calling 059-9129783

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What Glenveagh’s investment in the old Braun site means for Carlow

Planting the seed – innovation at IT Carlow We look at how the Institute of Technology Carlow supports innovation in local enterprises 14

A focus on retail success for County Carlow SME’s We speak to managers who create retail experiences in the county’s largest shopping centre about how Carlow has become a retail destination

Meet the entrepreneurs

rish playwright and son of Carlow, George Bernard Shaw once said, “You see things and say why? But I dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” Since time began, County Carlow has carried her mysteries along her rivers. Waterways winding gently through the rolling valleys of this county have carried people from 6,000 years ago until now, and their legacy can be seen in the mystical ancient pagan sites, early Christian settlements, magnificent Georgian country homes and gardens, and picturesque riverside towns and villages throughout the county.Thisinspiring landscape has a deep industrial heritage, which has created a place of choice where entrepreneurs establish, grow, and develop their businesses. At their core, they all hold a mantra of continuous innovation, ambition, and success for their business. Today, Carlow is home to leaders in technology and innovation, engineering, pharmaceutical, internationally traded services, and retail enterprises. County Carlow has a developed, balanced infrastructure, designed to create an environment where residents and visitors have access to a variety of services, which include world-class artistic and cultural spaces, traditional social infrastructure, and quality parks and walks. A place which provides an ecosystem that enables ambition, innovation, and success to meet, resulting in Carlow becoming a location that many businesses have chosen to call home. In this publication, we introduce you to inspirational County Carlow people and businesses. We look at some of the transformational projects, which will see County Carlow infrastructure develop to a whole new level over the next number of years, making it easier to live, work and invest in our county. We also explore the county’s rich heritage and cultural offering, and feature Ireland’s Ancient East, along with a range of festivals and experiences.

Feel the worries of the world ﬂoat away as you explore the captivating landscapes of one of Ireland’s longest rivers, spanning the entire length of County Carlow.

Editor: Clodagh Dooley Deputy Editor: Shauna McCrudden Advertising: Barry McCabe (087 barrym@mediahuis.ie)9052079, Design: Helen Wright Design Studio, Mediahuis Ireland Repro: Mediahuis Ireland, Independent House, 27-32, Talbot Street, Dublin 1. A BeCreative Editorial www.becreative.ieProduction

County Carlow - Engineered for Success Two Carlow manufacturing businesses share how they have innovated to achieve success 07 Building for the future How the construction of an Advance Building Solution will make Carlow an even more attractive location for FDI 08

Confidence in Carlow

We speak to Carlow-based enterprises that have achieved success through innovation and development 06

SPONSORED Pagraig

DEMANDGLOBAL

“The fact that the technology is contactless means our customers can continue their everyday lives with HaloCare in the background learning the natural movements in the home. It then sends alerts on any outlier events to our Care Specialists to react, respond and reassure.” While HaloCare is a relatively new business, David says they have big ambitions. And their ambition has been honoured when they won the National Enterprise Awards Outstanding Achievement Award earlier this year. The category showcases the strength, local impact and longevity of the businesses supported by the Local Enterprise Office.

We speak to Carlow-based enterprises that have achieved success through innovation and development the future

Creating

In 2008, Unum Group, a Fortune 500 US Insurer, established a Technology Engineering Centre based in Carlow, producing large-scale products and solutions for its parent company Unum. Padraig O’Neill, Managing Director and VP at Unum Ireland, says, “The decision to invest in Carlow has led to numerous unforeseen benefits. Some of the most innovative and marketchanging solutions have been designed and delivered from this centre. The right place, a great team and a great culture, have been key to unlocking this potential. This year, the Centre has been recognised in a number of national awards programmes, such as SME Company of the Year in the IBEC: KeepWell Mark. “We also won the Excellence in Talent Development category at the national Technology Ireland Awards in November. We were delighted.”

BUILDING A FAMILY GARDEN

O’BrienPat O’Neill

LEADING THE WAY IN TECHNOLOGY the entrepreneurs

Improving the lives of others

telecommunicationsof

HaloCare is the brainchild of David Walsh and Niall Kelly, founders of remote monitoring security firm Netwatch, and entrepreneur Dr. Johnny Walker. They saw the effects the Covid-19 pandemic had on older people in society, and it brought to the forefront the desire of many people to remain in their own homes as they age.

The Outstanding Achievement Award is a huge endorsement for them that they have made the right decision in choosing HaloCare.“Weare looking to establish credibility for the solution here in Ireland. We would hope that in time, the HSE and other health organisations worldwide, would see HaloCare as a solution to changing the model of care in the community.”

David adds, “We have built an incredible team and base of first customers to-date. We expect this to have increased tenfold by the end of next year, driving the HaloCare vision forward.”

Meet

Padraig adds, “Key to our growth has been the support provided by local organisations such as Carlow County Council and Local Enterprise Office (LEO), IT Carlow, IDA and the American Chamber of Commerce, to name but a few.” During the pandemic, Padraig says there were challenges, but there were also opportunities. “At a corporate level, we decided to accelerate our investments in all things digital, to ensure that we could reach our customers and their employees, whether they were inperson or remote.

“Our intelligent software can detect a fall, even if the person is unable to call out for help. HaloCare’s highly trained care specialists then verify with the older person if they need support and alert their loved ones or circle of care.

“We have developed a strategy that positions us to capitalise on new opportunities. This will see us developing new technologies, new products, and new services and increasing our markets in Europe, Africa and Asia. This is while also focusing on developing Delmec as a great place to work.”

BUSINESSCENTREKealanDelaney

We have built an incredible team and base of first customers to-date. We expect this to have increased tenfold by the end of next year, driving the HaloCare vision forward. technologies is integral to the evolution possible.settingsoverthetowardsparadigmHaloCare.ofCovid-19hasdrivenasignificantshiftcareincommunityacutehospitalwhere

“Rachel and Frank were never afraid of exploring what was going on in the garden retail industry internationally,” says Fergal. “Since Barry and myself have been involved, we have kept up that quest for what is new and innovative. For example, am on the board of the IGCA (International Garden Centre Association). “We had been investing in online and digital marketing before Covid, but we upped our game at the start of the pandemic. We even had to open a new online fulfilment centre in May 2020.” The company became Bord Bia’s first 5-Star garden centre, and their Carlow store was named National Retailer of the Year by Retail Excellence Ireland on 12th November. “Winning the Retail Excellence National Retailer of the Year award was one of our greatest achievements this year,” says Fergal. Fergal also acknowledges the support the company has received over the years, “All through the life of Arboretum, what was once known as Carlow County Enterprise Board (now Carlow LEO) has supported us through excellent training, advice and events.” Fergal says the company’s future plans are “to maximise and expand our Carlow and Wicklow locations over the next five years and further develop online”.Rachel Doyle adds, “We are constantly looking out for what is new and exciting to add to our offering. With our two sons Fergal and Barry now running the business, it will continue to be developed from within the family for many years to come.”

cameras installed as HaloCare supports older people from the safety of their home through their innovative technologies. “The use of AI and machine-learning

December 5 2021

“Our mission at HaloCare is to empower older people to enjoy a better quality of life in their own home for longer through supportive technology and 24/7 support, should they need it,” says David Walsh, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Halocare. “It’s a complementary service to care in the home, which can provide much-needed peace-ofmind and respite for carers when they cannot beHaloCarethere.” uses discreet, smart sensors in the home to alert Care Specialists in HaloCare’s 24/7 Care Hub in Carlow town should something out of the ordinary happen, such as a fall or an emergency. There are no IN CARLOW B Machine Tech in Bagenalstown, owned by Byrne siblings Pat, Paschal and Lily, specialise in the production of hydraulic cylinders and precision components. Their father, Paddy Byrne, was one of the founding members with his three brothers of Burnside, a world leader in bespoke Hydraulic Cylinders.“Ourmission is to run a successful business manufacturing hydraulic cylinders for leading global companies,” says Lily Holmes, Managing Director of PB Machine Tech, “and to provide secure, sustainable, employment in a dynamic environment.”Whenthey first began, the company had one operator running one CNC machine in a rented building. Today, they have two modern production facilities, employing 145 people in Bagenalstown and exporting over 80pc of production across 10 countries to worldwide leaders in machinery manufacturing. They have even been nominated for and won several“Suchawards.recognition brings great pride to our committed and capable staff who show such dedication, skill, and interest in their work.” Lily says innovation has played a very important part in their business success, particularly around process development. And the company has had the support of the Local Enterprise Office in Carlow to do so. “The LEO has always been supportive in delivering speedy responses to business needs,” says Lily. “Enterprise Ireland also gave support for expansion including technologically advanced manufacturing solutions, which is a very valuable “Innovationsupport.continued during Covid. We pride ourselves on being able to attract and continually satisfy demanding global customers that are the best in their own industry. To do this from the island of Ireland, where there are no natural raw material resources for our product, is amazing.“Itissatisfying to see truckloads of cylinders leave Rosslare weekly and to recognise them later fitted to machinery like forklifts, aerial work platforms, garbage trucks, agricultural machinery and more.” But despite going global, Lily says the company is proud to be from and based in County Carlow and continues to develop there. “Carlow punches well above its weight in global business success stories. Burnside Autocyl has also set up a successful production facility in Pennsylvania four years ago which is run by our younger brother and another local engineer who trained with us. We feel a responsibility to our local community and to the many stakeholders that support us and to whom we give Whensupport.”thinking of the future and plans to develop even further, Lily says they want to continue to grow the business by developing strong leadership and management teams. “We want to encourage young people to be interested in building their careers in manufacturing businesses like ours, where they can see the combined benefits of learning, earning, and enjoying life in their local community.”

“The Delmec story began in 1975, with Paddy,Danny, and Liam Delaney making and repairing agricultural machinery in their parents’ shed,” says Pat O’Brien, Delmec Head of Irish Operations. “In 1981, they registered the company as D&P Delaney. “Continuously growing and honing their expertise, their first step into telecoms came with an offer from ESAT Digifone in 1996 to manufacture steel products for telecom Threemasts.” yearslater, Delmec Engineering was formed, and it was clear that towers were where the business had exponential potential. “Telecommunications towers were coming in from abroad,” explains Pat, “and our confidence that we could both reduce lead-time and reduce costs by manufacturing in-house meant that, in 2002, Digifone was ordering our towers. And by 2004, we were supplying 90pc of new towers in Ireland, with our DEL-six becoming the country’s standard. “After the recession, we ventured into active work on telecoms networks – a crucial step in evolving our expertise. It’s clear from our story that our collective mindset has always been one of growth. And this growth is reflected in our people.”Kealan Delaney, Delmec CEO, says, “At Delmec, we are the experts in engineering the infrastructure that connects people and businesses across the world. We have lots of ways to quantify this expertise: our growth, our position as the global telecoms infrastructure experts, and our expansion of services across Europe, Africa, and Asia.” Today, Delmec has completed projects in over 40 countries. The company employs 140 people, with approximately 90 based out of their head office in Carlow. Over the years, Delmec has experienced many achievements, and Orla Kane, Delmec Head of Sales and Marketing, says, “We have developed from a small family operation to a Deloitte Best Managed Company with a multinational presence. “But our achievementgreatestishow the people in Delmec have transformed the company from a small group of engineers and fabricators, to an international group of people with global reach for their expertise and knowledge.” As an Enterprise Ireland client company, Delmec has had immense support from Enterprise Ireland over the years, especially during the Covid pandemic. “This has been very beneficial, particularly when developing our export potential,” says Kealan Delaney. “The Local Enterprise Office has also been very supportive also.” When it comes to Delmec’s vision for the future, Brian Evans, Delmec Group General Manager, says, “In the past 12 months, we have invested in the future of our teams to ensure our people, and their continued growth, are the drivers of change for our business. We have many open positions in our organisation, reflecting our growth needs.

David Walsh David Walsh, Niall Kelly and Dr. Johnny Walker Fergal, Rachel and Barry Doyle PB HolmesTechMachineLily SPONSORED

Garden centre business Arboretum was founded by Rachel Doyle and her husband Frank in 1977 at their home in Leighlinbridge. The business moved to Carlow town during the 80s and in 1999, back to Leighlinbridge, where the flagship store is based today. Today, the business is run by Rachel’s sons, Fergal and Barry. Fergal says, “I’ve been involved in the business since 2003. Barry followed Mam’s footsteps and is a qualified horticulturist. was always interested in the business side.” Since its beginnings, Fergal says his parents took calculated risks, “They rented premises in Carlow town before acquiring a site and building Ireland’s first purpose-built garden centre with a café. The next big decision was to leave the town and move back to Leighlinbridge.“Theybuiltthe centre across 10 acres, just a stone’s throw from where it all started. In 2015, the acquisition of the National Garden Exhibition Centre in Kilquade, Co Wicklow, was the next step in scaling the business. Now, we have moved to the online space. We never stop looking, learning, trying new ideas and innovations.” When you visit the Arboretum, you are greeted by plants and exit through house plants by design, so you know you’re in a plant-focused business. There’s a seasonal area in-store, and a gift department, with books and cards, and ladies’ fashion. They also have the Edinburgh Woollen Mills on the site, catering for the 35+ group. All of these add-ons to the business are due to the innovative management of Rachel and her team.

“With this imperative, Unum Ireland has grown by nearly 50pc over the last two years and now has 200+ employees in the Technology Centre. The jobs are high-end software engineering, design and infrastructure engineering, focused on driving significant change and innovation for the overall group businesses.”Padraigsays being able to attract the best and brightest talent has been the key to scaling the impact of the Centre in Carlow. “Carlow, as a location, is a real draw. One hour will bring you north to Celbridge or south to Waterford, west to Laois/Tipperary, or east to Wicklow. “We are located right in the Town Centre, in a modern building called Shamrock Plaza. We offer flexible working, with the added benefit of a reverse commute.” Padraig adds the continued success of Unum in Ireland has been due to the ability to attract and grow ambitious talent that have a desire to make an impact at a real global scale. “Unum Ireland employees are at the centre of most of the major change and delivery initiatives, running teams locally and globally in the US and India. “As a company, we commit to providing significant personal development and learning opportunities, as well as being committed to personal wellness and giving back to the community.“Ourexpansion locally will continue, and we have over 30 jobs currently posted on unumjobs.ie.”

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Pat Amond, Carlow Toolmaking

County CarlowEngineered for Success

We speak to Pat Amond, Director of Carlow Toolmaking Services, and Paul McNally, Owner of McNally Denture Clinic, about how they have innovated in their Carlow manufacturing businesses to achieve success on their R&D – that they are occasionally six months ahead on projects. This is down to our quick turnaround and our one-to-one interaction with the engineer directly involved.”

CTS was also recognised for being innovative when they won the Local Enterprise Office National Enterprise Award in 2019 and represented the County in the National Final. “We were exposed to people who didn’t even know that CTS existed,” says Pat. “It reassures our customers that we are an award-winning and reputable company. This has opened doors for us throughout the country to several very targeted customers.“Theplan for CTS is to continue providing a top-class service to our customers. Our medical device-based companies are providing unbelievable solutions to the medical profession. We are delighted to be involved with all of these companies in their R&D projects and concepts.”

Manufacturing dental care

Another successful manufacturing company makes dentures for dental patients.

the world come to be trained in this technique at our centre. We have a two-day, hands-on course with lectures and presentations, then we go through the technical aspects of the technique. On day two, we have a live patient in the chair to demonstrate how to treat a real patient.”

Paul is also a Biofunctional Prosthetic System (BPS) Denturist Instructor for Ivoclar Vivadent, an international dental company. He also trains professionals in this dental technique. But McNally Denture Clinic also stays upto-date with the latest technology, as they have started using digital dentistry.

McNally Denture Clinic has won several awards already, including being the 2017 Overall Winners in the Local Enterprise Office Enterprise Awards, which Paul says was “fantastic”.“TheLocal Enterprise Office in Carlow County Council have been brilliant as they have really helped us with mentoring.” When Paul looks to the future, he says he wants to keep the patients at the core of the “Webusiness.arelooking at a different referrals system and we are in the process of overhauling our website, so people can book courses through it or purchase a course. Everything is pretty exciting.”

Paul McNally, McNally Denture SPONSORED

Changing the face of toolmaking Over the years, CTS has had to make changes in the way they complete their work to meet customer needs. They looked at new machinery, and realised they needed a Design Department too. This has subsequently helped them to provide a one-stop-shop to customers. And because of the wide range of requirements in toolmaking, they have several trusted sub-contractors that they deal with daily. CTS is a sub-contractor to several of those companies too.

“Thisyear.technology is unbelievable. One of the only things we don’t do at the clinic is metal casting, but we design the metal frame and email the STL file (for 3D printing) to a lab in Germany. They create it and post it back to us. This used to take us around two weeks to do, but now it barely takes any time at all. So, the processes are much cleaner and more efficient.”

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Carlow has become a centre for manufacturing businesses. One such business is Carlow Toolmaking Services (CTS). Established in 1994, over the years, their customer base has expanded each month. CTS produces highquality precision components, with a flexible service to allow customers to increase their production and R&D on their new developments. “In 2001, we purchased and moved to purposebuilt premises in Carlow town,” says Pat Amond. “Today, we are still in these premises, with 11 employees working for multinational companies based all over Ireland. We work with six of the top 10 international companies in the country in the medical, oral, pharma and automotive industries.”Thebusiness has significantly developed its manufacturing technology over the years. They have invested in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machinery and training for all staff. They purchased specific packages such as Solid Edge, Alpha Cam, Mindaclient, and Teamwork to help them provide a top-quality service to all customers. All of this is because, as Pat says, “We are always looking for new innovative ways to improve our service”. “In fact, our customers claim – with our input

Pat says, “Apprentices are monitored on a daily and weekly basis, right through their apprenticeship, by the qualified toolmaker assigned to them. When the apprentice qualifies as a toolmaker and is employed by CTS, they consequently pass their knowledge and experience onto the next new apprentice.“Ialways say that if they take one piece of knowledge from each toolmaker here in CTS, they will become one of the best, most highly skilled toolmakers in the country.“Theapprentice receives their qualification with a wage, making them financially independent from their parents. And the employer benefits by training this student to their high standard, while future-proofing their business.”

McNally Denture Clinic also offers patients the most innovative technology and techniques. Paul studied under Dr Jiro Abe, a professor at Tohoku University in Japan and a founder of the Japan Denture Association. He learned the Suction Effective Mandibular Complete Denture (SECMD) technique, a highly specialised denture technique. After this study, Paul not only uses this in his work, but he teaches it in their training centre, which was set up in 2017.“We have dental professionals from all over

Paul McNally is a skilled Clinical Dental Technician, who set up McNally Denture Clinic in 2014. They are responsible for the design, creation, and processing of new dentures. With durable, state-of-the-art materials, advanced impression techniques, and in-house technology, the clinic provides full denture services direct to members of the public. This means that from initial consultation, Paul is responsible for a patient’s treatment, from clinical visits right through to denture design, manufacture, and final fitting.

Apprenticeships and training CTS offers innovative Toolmaking Apprenticeships to students who have completed their Leaving Cert. The training is broken down into seven phases: Phase 1, 3, 5 and 7 take place in CTS, Phase 2, is completed in a Solas training centre for 22 weeks, and Phase 4 and 6 are completed in a Solas Training Centre for 12 weeks each.

Innovative techniques

Paul says that because their expertise in this field is widely recognised, they have patients coming from all corners of the country for “Dentistrytreatment.haschanged a lot over the years and technology has moved along with it, especially in the last four or five years. We make everything on-site in our laboratory including dentures, nightguards, snoring appliances, orthodontic retainers, and gum shields for contact sports. In fact, one of our customers is rugby player Sean O’Brien!”

“This means you don’t always have to take impressions of patients’ mouths and moulds; you can simply digitally scan the patient’s mouth and turn that into a 3D print. We have a digital scanner and a 3D printer at our clinic, and we hope to have a fully digital workflow by this time next

Brendan McDonald, South-East Regional Business Development Manager at IDA Ireland, speaks about how the construction of an Advance Building Solution will make Carlow an even more attractive location for Foreign Direct Investment opening of a global technology operations centre in Kilkenny, creating 60 new jobs and in Carlow. US insurance company Unum announced an expansion of its technology centre with the creation of an additional 50 jobs, bringing the total number of jobs there to 200. In November 2020, Trilateral Research announced they were establishing an EU Centre of Excellence for software development, data science and data ethics in Kilkenny, creating 40 jobs. In Gorey, Co Wexford, CSC Global announced in July last year, it was establishing a new European Centre of Operational Excellence, Capital Markets, Fund administration and depositary services activities, creating 75 jobs.

Brendan McDonald

7Sunday Independent December 5 2021

Construction of IDA Ireland’s new Advance Building Solution (ABS) in Carlow is underway, with the site aiming to be completed and ready for occupation to a potential new investment by the end of summer 2022. IDA Ireland has developed a number of building solutions to meet potential clients needs over the past several years. This is one of 19 Advance Building Solutions being constructed across Ireland, as part of IDA Ireland’s strategy, Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021 – 2024, with the aim of attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Carlow and other locations acrossThisIreland.newfacility, which is located on the Dublin Road, just outside Carlow town, and similar facilities being constructed across the country, reinforces IDA Ireland’s commitment to attracting and retaining FDI in regional locations.Thereare 74 IDA Ireland client companies in total in the South East region, employing more than 13,400 people. In addition to direct employment and skills transfer benefits, IDA Ireland client companies continue to have a substantial wider positive effect on local economies, with more than eight jobs being created for every 10 jobs in an FDI company. In the South East region, that translates to more than 10,700 jobs being created indirectly from the FDI companies employing more than 13,400 to give a total of more than 24,200 jobs created.There have been some very good recent announcements across the South East including, at the start of September, the news that financial services company State Street Corporation is expanding its operations in Kilkenny to include a new, 400-strong specialist team. This team will provide technology infrastructure and cyber security services in support of its global operations. The company has been in Kilkenny for 20 years now. It currently employs around 2,000 staff in Ireland between its offices in Dublin, Drogheda, Naas and Kilkenny. Healthcare provider and insurer UPMC announced in June 2020 the

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Building for the future

The new Carlow ABS is one of three planned for the South East – construction on an ABS for Waterford is underway and we are working with Wexford County Council on advance planning permission for an ABS there. Additional upgrade works and investment in our IDA Ireland parks across the region to assist in our efforts to continue to win FDI for the region continues. In addition to our own property solutions, IDA Ireland will also continue to work with commercial property developers and Local Authorities to market other property solutions across all regions where they exist. We are also looking at acquiring other lands for strategic development right across the region. Attracting FDI Carlow is a very attractive location for FDI, due to its proximity to Dublin and the fact it has a large catchment area. It’s about an hour drive from Dublin and easily accessible via a good motorway network to the Midlands and beyond.Added to that, Carlow has a rich history as a third-level location. The Institute of Technology has played a key part in Carlow’s development over the years and now, Carlow is becoming a Technological University town, with Institute of Technology Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology merging. This, in turn, will lead to more engagement with our client companies in industry-focused research as well as the existing strong talent pipeline across a range of disciplines. Carlow has the potential therefore to attract employees from quite a large hinterland. Then, there’s also the advantage of it being a more affordable location. Carlow has lots of things going for it. Location of choice IDA Ireland has already helped to support investments in Carlow. For example, US Pharma company MSD, which develops and commercialises medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases, have developed their sites and grown headcount over their 12 years in Ireland. Today, one of the most significant locations in the MSD group is the large manufacturing biopharma plant, located just outside Carlow town. Carlow’s workforce has contributed in no small way to the site’s success.IDAIreland is actively marketing the Carlow ABS to potential investors. Once occupied, this will, in turn, show that Carlow is a sought-after location for investors. When multinational companies choose Ireland and Carlow as their location of choice, over other locations around the globe, it shows that we are attractive within which to invest. It’s saying that Carlow is an ideal location in which to establish, build, grown and scale theirWinningoperations.investments to regional locations across Ireland is a key pillar of IDA Ireland’s current strategy. Ultimately, this property investment by IDA Ireland in Carlow highlights the organisation’s commitment to the region and in turn, will support the winning of new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), generate new employment and help to build a stronger business hub.” idaireland.com

Facilitating a skilled workforce The building, which spans c.2,930m2, will include approximately 1,537m2 of production space, and office space will be arranged over two floors extending to approximately 1,157 m2. The building is targeting LEED accreditation.

The building could facilitate, for example, a multinational that is established in Ireland and might be looking for a second site location. Or it could be used for a brand-new company considering investing in Ireland for the first time and looking for a high-quality property to support their international manufacturing expansion requirements.

SPONSORED

Kieran Comerford, Local Enterprise Office Melissa Doyle, Craft Hub, Local Enterprise Office Nicola Brown Glen Lucas

“The team is currently myself and my wife Cornelia, and some local people every now and again, so we want to have more people employed to help with elements of the business. I also have many ideas about creating some new products.”

“VISUAL has enormous potential to create and generate value as a spur for the development of social and economic benefits and as a hub of creativity and innovation within the region.” VISUAL houses a 335-seat theatre and the largest white-cube gallery space in the country - a massive 12m high. Here, it produces a programme of both commissioned and existing high-quality national and international contemporary art. It also has a learning and engagement programme, plus a host of performances and events in multiple disciplines, including theatre, dance, film, comedy, literature, andEmmamusic.adds, “VISUAL is one of the country’s most impressive sites for cultural production. It is unique to Ireland and features an expansive gallery space with a ceiling height of 12m to accommodate large-scale sculpture and installation. The scale of this cannot be accommodated elsewhere in Ireland.

The refurbishment of Presentation Building means it will stand as a landmark, as well as a generator of public space in the town. It will set up a sequence of civic spaces (Library and Community Hub/Museum/Cathedral/VISUAL/ Carlow College) knitted into the fabric of the Cultural Quarter. The Cultural Quarter reinforces the cultural hub and library as a unifying and strategic link between culture and the commercial area of the town.

We speak to John Shortall, Librarian at Carlow County Library, and Emma Lucy O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer at VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art, about the vision for the Cultural Quarter in Carlow

Presentation Building currently consists of three sections:

Creating a redeveloped Cultural Quarter helps make VISUAL part of the overall cultural campus. It will help it remain vital in the cultural, social, and economic development of the region. “As a civic space, VISUAL is an important site for people to gather and consider the world through artistic practice,” says Emma Lucy O’Brien, Curator at VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art.

VISUAL, a project of Carlow Arts Centre within the Cultural Quarter on the Carlow College campus, opened in 2009. It is an interdisciplinary space and regional centre of excellence for the arts and creativity. Emma says VISUAL connects local, national, and international audiences through contemporary art projects.

In short, the community need has outgrown the existing facilities.

Visualising a future and creating a cultural campus

John Shortall, County Librarian at Carlow County Library

The proposed redevelopment aims to develop the library as part of the core of the university town, providing a community hub involving a modern extension, plus refurbishment and conservation work on the existing premises.

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An artistic development

The original 19th-century convent building, which houses the Central Library, County Library, Headquarters and County Archive The central branch library/lending area and bookstoreTheconvent building renovated to house the County Museum and Tourist Office In the plan, the Tourist Office will house a gift shop and the building will be the front face of many public services supporting education, technology, community development and programming.Johnsays,“The Library Services sees the building as the front door to the Cultural Quarter. Our vision for the redevelopment of the site allows for the provision of a state-of-the-art, modern complex for the people of Carlow Town, County and the wider South East.”

“It is important that library buildings have the appropriate space and layout to accommodate the full range of facilities, equipment and technologies required to underpin library services and support all types of users. For example, study spaces, digital suites, and hot desking facilities.

A regenerated library

“The people of Carlow need a modern, progressive, and high-quality public library.” This is why John says the regeneration of Presentation Building’s Central Library, County Library Headquarters and County Archive is so important. It will provide enhanced facilities for the local communities.

arlow Town’s Cultural Quarter has played an important role in Carlow Town. The Cultural Quarter currently includes Carlow Cathedral, Carlow College, St Patrick’s Carlow College, VISUAL Centre for Contemporary Art, and the George Bernard Shaw Theatre. These buildings have helped make a creative and unique public space.“The development of the Cultural Quarter, and of a cultural campus, will purposely add value for the community as an economic asset in a number of areas,” says John Shortall. “Project Carlow 2040 provides the future vision for the public realm in Carlow and the Cultural Quarter forms part of that plan. It will create linkages between different parts of the town and cultural buildings.”“Aspartof

Future Vision for Public Space in Presentation Buildings

The population of Carlow Town has grown by almost 10,000 since Presentation Building opened as a library in 1998. John, who has worked at Carlow County Library for five years, says the present size of the Central Library in a rapidly developing urban area like Carlow, is too restrictive to allow for a large range of services.

Project Carlow 2040, the vision is that Presentation Building will be redeveloped and extended as a library, and a cultural, civic, and learning space.”

“Carlow is a University Town with two thirdlevel institutions. It now has the Technological University for the Southeast as well, with approximately 10,000 students overall. There are also 8,104 primary and post-primary pupils.

“It is anticipated that the renewal will attract more visitors to spend time in the Town Centre. This will be an added bonus for local businesses and a driver for the local economy. Carlow County Council really understands the value of investment in the fabric of the town with these ambitious proposals for a rejuvenated public realm.”

“Not to mention, a range of facilities and services will be offered to support Reading and Literacy, Learning and Information, and Community and Culture in the proposed development. It will be a vital part of the town and county social infrastructure.”

Emma Lucy O’Brien, Chief Executive VISUALOfficer,

Confidence in Carlow

Building flourishing communities This will be Glenveagh Properties’ second offsite manufacturing facility, after their facility in Dundalk. “Ourbusiness model aims to bring the latest technology to the homes we build and achieve design benefits that we can pass on to our customers. We offer them high-quality, energyefficient homes in flourishing communities. We do this by relentlessly innovating the way we plan, design and build.

Photo by Alan O’Reilly

Former Braun Site, Dublin Road, Carlow Carlow.

It gives us confidence that we will have access to a local workforce that has the wide range of skills we need. Our existing operations are in Maynooth and Dundalk – both towns with very substantial educationalthird-levelfacilities.Carlowisthesame.

Tony McLoughlin, Managing Director, Planning, Design and Operations, at Glenveagh Properties PLC, speaks about investmentGlenveagh’sin the old Braun site and what this means for Carlow

11Sunday Independent December 5 2021 SPONSORED Located on the northeast outskirts of Carlow Town, in Rathnapish, the Braun factory has been a longstanding landmark and reminder of Carlow’s industrial Braun,history.theGerman electrical manufacturer, set up in the regional town back in 1974, becoming its biggest employer with 1,400 workers. These were mostly women, who manufactured small personal appliances and later, electric toothbrushes. However, due to a ‘decrease in consumer demand’, the company closed its doors in Now,2010. prospects of new employment opportunities in Carlow have come to fruition once again, as the 30-acre site has been sold to leading Irish homebuilder, Glenveagh Properties PLC.“We are very excited about locating part of our business in Carlow,” says Tony McLoughlin.

“This will be a manufacturing facility for off-site panelised construction, a key part of the way we deliver“We’rehomes. stillat an early stage in our plans for the facility, but we intend to have a state-of-the-art facility that combines our technology with the skills that people living in, or close to Carlow, can provide. This will create jobs in Carlow and hopefully bring other benefits to the town.”

The company has grown strongly over the past four years and currently has 22 active construction sites, with 1,150 homes for customers to be delivered in 2021. They are targeting an output of greater than 3,000 homes per annum. Access to a skilled workforce One of the main reasons Glenveagh Properties picked Carlow as a location to invest in, is the presence of the Institute of Technology Carlow. “It gives us confidence that we will have access to a local workforce that has the wide range of skills we need. Our existing operations are in Maynooth and Dundalk – both towns with very substantial third-level educational facilities. Carlow is the same. “The IT is only 3km from the site of our planned facility and has about 10,000 students. Many of these students are on courses that are highly relevant to our business – engineering, architectural technology, construction/project management, and courses with a carpentry/ joinerySpeakingelement.” about Glenveagh Properties’ vision for the future, Tony says, “Our plans for Carlow are a real statement of intent about our plans to grow our business, incorporate the latest technology and design processes into the homes we deliver, and create high-skilled jobs in an area that has the skilled workforce that we need.”

“By locating significant parts of our manufacturing in specialist facilities like Carlow, we can achieve a greater focus on innovative technologies and methods of construction. This includes better and smarter use of timber-frame, light gauge steel, precast concrete, insulated concrete formwork, and volumetric modular construction.”Supportedby innovation and supply chain integration, Glenveagh Properties PLC is focused on three core markets. These are: suburban housing, urban apartments and partnerships with local authorities, and state agencies.

Along with upgrading the hotel and adding modern developments, they had to create safe spaces during Covid to ensure the safety of their staff and guests. This included building an outdoor dining area for their food offerings from the Oaks Bar carvery and T.D Molloy’s Restaurant.“Wechanged up our menus and tried new dishes, so it took a lot of time and effort.” Michael describes the hotel as familyfriendly and the perfect way to discover the Southeast. The Seven Oaks Hotel is just 50 minutes from Dublin City Centre, making it easy for guests around the country to visit, and has been awarded TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence for 2011 to 2019.“We are proud to have made it this far,” says Michael. “We survived the economic crash in 2008 which many others didn’t. We have survived Covid, and we achieved our 4-Star status in 2015. That was an incredible achievement and something we worked hard for, and still work hard for, every day. “We are continuing to invest in the hotel, training staff in our Customer Care programme and keeping the hotel at a national standard. It’s all about the guests and remaining consistent.”

Huntington Castle

12 Sunday IndependentDecember 5 2021SPONSORED With so many developments and tourism opportunities in County Carlow, there is no better time to make a break for the county. But in order to stay relevant, tourism companies have had to innovate and diversify their services.

We speak to Alex Durdin-Robertson of Huntington Castle and Michael Walsh of the Seven Oaks Hotel in Carlow about how they have innovated their services to provide the best tourism experience in Ireland’s Ancient East

Alex Durdin-Robertson, Owner of Huntington Castle (huntingtoncastle.com) in Carlow, says while they have developed the estate into a tourist attraction, the most unique thing about the Castle is that it is first and foremost, a family home. When Alex’s father sadly passed away in 2009, Alex and his wife Clare moved back to take over the grounds. And they decided to give it a makeover to create a tourist site. “One of the first things we did was create a tearoom,” says Alex. “It lacked these kinds of facilities to allow visitors to spend the day here. It is now also a big source of income. A big part of any attraction, whether it’s visiting gardens or doing a tour, is that you have the opportunity to sit down and have a cup of tea. This also doubled as a visitor reception area. We then started to develop the gardens into a real tourist attraction.”TheCastle and Gardens are presently lived in by three generations of the Durdin Robertson family, Alex, Clare and their three young sons, who are all hands-on with the business. They can frequently be found giving tours, working in the gardens, or making tea in the tearooms. They developed their other offerings including B&B stays and self-catering options. Plus, their website was created, along with social media, to give them an online presence. Alex says, “All of our online assets and developments grew over time, nothing happened overnight. And we still have lots to do. But that’s how we like to grow, in a very organic way and we are learning all the time. If we make money from these ideas, we put it back into the business and create a good quality, diversified business.” And it’s certainly good quality as it brings many tourists to the area of Clonegall. Visitors to the Castle can take a guided, informative tour of the castle and garden. A recently converted 17thcentury barn has operated as a private theatre for concerts, christenings and small family gatherings, and the formal gardens are used as a weddingVisitorsvenue. canstroll through the stunning gardens, through the lime tree avenue and yew tree walk, and see the fascinating Fellowship of Isis Temple in the basement, created in the 1970s as a place of worship of the Egyptian Goddess and the divine feminine. It also has a working farm.“It’s a lot of work but there is a lot of variation too, and that really helped during Covid lockdowns. The farm was relatively unaffected by Covid, as were the gardens which were able to stay open for most of it. It really highlights the importance of diversifying a business!”

Wandering off the track

Staying in Carlow Michael Walsh, General Manager of the Seven Oaks Hotel (sevenoakshotel.com) on the Athy Road in Carlow, says the hotel has a long, storied history dating back to the 1820s. Seven Oaks opened as a hotel in the 1950s and has been named the Crofton Hotel and Oaklands before settling on its current title in 1977. “It started out as a 16-bedroom hotel with a bar, restaurant, and function room,” says Michael. “It has been developed over the last 40 years and now we have 89 bedrooms, a much bigger restaurant and bar, conference and banqueting suites, and a stateof-the-art Leisure Club, open to residents only during the Covid-19 thereofofismakesMichaelpandemic.” sayswhatthehoteluniquetheteamattheheartthebusiness,manywhomhaveworkedforover20years.

Michael himself joined the team in 2001 and has been there ever since, innovating the hotel in the heart of Carlow. “Working here is a passion for me and everyone here because it’s different every day, you’re not just doing the same job over and over again. And we get direct feedback from the guests which makes it all worthwhile. A lot of the comments we get from guests is about how friendly the staff are and that’s something we pride ourselves on. We have a Customer Care programme in operation and our staff are trained to give top-quality service all the Michaeltime.”says each member of the staff is empowered to take care of any problems, and has the authority and autonomy to offer something extra in order to fix a situation. “It prevents it from going up the chain of management and stops it from becoming a bigger problem. It’s all about taking care of any issues while you still can, and that’s why our customer service is so good.”

But looking to the future, Alex says they are always aiming to create different features on the grounds, because the type of tours and getaways people want has completely changed over the years. “We are looking at bespoke, behind-the-scenes tours of the farm and the gardens as we always get questions about them more than anything else. We are looking at more sustainable practices, and just making good use of the unique areas we have here such as the Temple of Isis. “I think we are in a very good spot here in Carlow. It’s a beautiful place to be, with a very supportive County Council and Carlow Tourism. I’m just very proud to have secured the future of our home here, both as a family home and as a business. I hope to hand this onto my sons in the future.”

has already been responsible for the creation of a number of successful enterprises in the region. “All programme participants have access to innovation supports from the seven research centres at IT Carlow, as well the Design+ Technology Gateway. The ERIC centre supports an entrepreneurship ecosystem and is integral to enterprise development in the Southeast region. Since 2016, the programme has supported the creation of 144 jobs and achieved €7.2 million in sales, of which €3.6 million were export sales.”

Expansion Dean adds that Carlow is a unique destination for growing a business, “Dublin seems to be ‘full’ or certainly close to full. This creates challenges for younger people looking to start their careers, particularly around areas such as accommodation and“Bytransport.remaining in Carlow, we have access to graduates coming through IT Carlow, who are likely to be skilled in areas that we need to grow the business. IT Carlow provides a steady flow of potential new candidates for us, and we provide an employment opportunity locally.” Gemma adds, “Carlow is an attractive destination for enterprises to locate to, due to its lower cost base for competitiveness, access to a strong talent pool, proximity to Dublin, and state-of-the-art facilities and research supports at IT Carlow. The supportive ecosystem within IT Carlow, involving the public and private sector working together in unity, really benefits all of Carlow.”Looking forward, Dean says Carlow will always remain Seed Golf’s base, but they are continuing to ramp up their international expansion, “We are aiming to grow Seed to be the largest digitalnative golf brand in the world. The US and UK are crucial markets for Seed in our expansion. We’ll be focusing our efforts there in the coming year or two.”

Planting the seed –innovation at IT Carlow

“We found there were more women, juniors and millennials coming into the game. So I felt there was an opportunity to start a new digital native golf brand that would appeal to this emerging market and the changing buying behaviour.” That was the beginning of Seed Golf, “Our first product was a golf ball, which we designed to perform as well as premium tour-grade golf balls, but sell for around half the price. The directto-consumer business model helped achieve the value for money offer we wanted for the customer. It has worked really well for us.” Since starting the company in late 2017, Seed Golf has customers in 39 countries and is currently opening offices/warehouses in the UK, USA and Australia. “It was just myself at the start, and now I have a large office space in the Enterprise Research and Incubation Campus (ERIC) at IT Carlow, with five staff.”

Speaking about his experience participating in the New Frontiers programme at IT Carlow, Dean says, “Moving from Australia, I’d left behind a large network of business contacts and had to start from scratch here in Ireland. “When I first arrived in Carlow, Seed Golf was just myself and an idea. The programme gave me the chance to work up the business plan, develop that business network again, and engage with other businesses. It also gave us access to DesignCore, which is a rapid prototyping/ research lab with Computer-Aided Design (CAD) capabilities and 3D printing. We also had access to the Department of Aerospace Engineering and their wind tunnel. This meant that we could develop, test and evaluate our product on-campus in County Carlow.” Dean continues, “As a one-person start-up, there’s only so much you can achieve by yourself. IT Carlow gave us access to facilities and technical skills we needed to help develop and grow the business. “I’m not sure that Seed would have been as successful if we started in Australia. The network of mentors, industry contacts and exposure to like-minded peers were very valuable here, as well as the financial support from EI and the Local Enterprise Office.” Gemma says, “When Dean applied for a place on the New Frontiers programme at IT Carlow in 2016, he had identified an opportunity within the golf industry for a direct-to-consumer business model. Key to the success of any company is identifying a problem and addressing that need. “The New Frontiers programme enabled Dean to create his value proposition and identify a clear route-to-market. Dean leveraged the research expertise and resources within IT Carlow to enhance his product development. He completed New Frontiers in March 2017 and successfully launched Seed to the market in July of that year. Along with exporting to 39 countries, they recently raised €370,000 through a crowdfunding campaign, and achieved €1 million sales in 2021.”

“That led to brand management positions with large US-based golf brands for the Australian market,” says Dean. “I ended up selling that business to SRI Sports (Japan) in late 2008. My wife is from Newbridge and we had three small kids at the time, so we decided to move back to Ireland in 2009.” After working for some US golf brands in Ireland, the UK and Europe, Dean noticed that sales were growing quickly in the online channel.

riginally from Brisbane, Dean Klatt had been working in the golf industry for most of his working life. His dad was a well-known golf pro back in Australia, and Dean started working in the industry straight out of college.

Dean Klatt Gemma Purcell Institute of Technology Carlow

13Sunday Independent December 5 2021 SPONSORED O

New Frontiers Dean says IT Carlow has played a big part in helping him achieve success with his innovative business idea, after he participated in the Enterprise Ireland-funded New Frontiers programme.GemmaPurcell, Enterprise Development Manager at IT Carlow, says, “The New Frontiers programme provides a comprehensive set of business development supports and mentoring to start-ups, with innovative projects that have a scalable market. It is focused on the development of the founder, as well as the enterprise. The support package is valued at €30,000, including a €15,000 tax-free stipend in Phase 2. And no equity is taken in your business.” Gemma says IT Carlow has been delivering the New Frontiers Programme since 2007 and We look at how the Institute of Technology Carlow supports innovation in local enterprises

Everyone has the opportunity to discuss any change, and to look at how we can work better together and innovate.

We speak to two top businesses in Carlow about how they have innovated and managed their companies to success with managementLean

Hotel sector success

Colin Duggan, General Manager of Woodford Dolmen

Woodford Dolmen Hotel

14 Sunday IndependentDecember 5 2021SPONSORED

Optimising Lean - a key to business success for County Carlow SMEs

“If you don’t do these simple, background tasks, then you can lose money and therefore, your business. We were able to work on the programme with our mentors and figure out where and how to sell our different products. And they took us through costings, and margins. It really helped us a lot.” Jim and his son Laz run the business today and they are leading innovation to diversify the different brand offerings under one roof. They have invested in the business and created a coffeehouse, wine off-licence and bakehouse, in an attempt to make shopping there more of an experience.“Werecently launched a new website, and we give our customers lots of choice in products. This includes ready meals, marinades, additions to meals such as potato gratins, and baked goods. We also try to lose the waste in the business. For example, we are aiming to be more sustainable, and to recycle going forward and replace plastic packaging with grease-proof paper. It’s all about adapting to change.” The future looks bright for the award-winning butchers, and they are even planning more expansion in the future, from a food area with a designed menu to an ice cream parlour! Jim adds, “We always want to offer our customers something new and that is what we are focusing on for the future.”

One of Carlow’s longest-established hotels, the Woodford Dolmen, set on the banks of the River Barrow, faced hardships after closing during lockdown. But today, it has more than doubled its staff to 105 and even added a fourth star to its rating.“Despite many challenges in the sector, we took the learning we had from our partnership with the LEO in Carlow on Lean management and Optimization + Programmes,” says Colin Duggan, General Manager of Woodford Dolmen. “That has really helped us to reopen, as it made us think very methodically about how we reopen. We considered staff flow, customer flow, social distancing, and the safety of reopening, including temperature and air control in a public space. It really gave us a great base to work from.”

Carlow LEO Lean for Micro Programme supported by Carlow County Council Optimization + Programme supported by NelsonStuart

competitive, be more sustainable and, ultimately, provide a better product or service to customers.”

An example of a business that has used this Lean business model is the Woodford Dolmen Hotel (woodforddolmenhotel.ie) in Carlow.

Developing local businesses Another example of successful Lean management, and going through the Lean programme, is in a more traditional business which is seeing new ideas being put into place by a new generation. The award-winning Murphy’s Butchers (murphysbutcherstullow.ie) in Tullow, Carlow, is a family business that goes back five generations.Thecompany uses a great mix of tradition and new technology. For example, the butchers own the last small abattoir in Carlow. It adjoins the site and has been in use since 1934. But Jim Murphy says it was the new Lean management ideas that have helped drive the business in the last few years. “We spoke to the Lean mentors on our programme, who helped us break down a lot of things like costings and other areas of the business, which can be overlooked. Sometimes you get so caught up in providing the service, that you forget you have to make money, and keep the business open!

Whether that is doing takeaways during the lockdown or creating outdoor spaces that are fun and enjoyable for theextensivelyThegroundworksuccessDolmen’sguests.”TheWoodfordconsistentlaidtheforexpansion.hotelhasbeenrenovatedduringlastthreeyears.TheHotel

Jim Murphy of Murphy Butchers

has even received a number of consumer and trade awards, including Best Place to Stay, Hotel Venue of the Year for Leinster, and a Customer Service Excellence Award from Fáilte Ireland.“Each team in the hotel takes responsibility in developing the business. We’re always looking to innovate, and we see a bright future for the hotel,” says Colin.

One of the ways they managed the hotel was by reinventing the way the space was used and trying to improve the workflow. “One example of a change was the very heavy linen trolley. This linen trolley had everything the staff needed for the day, new linen, old linen, and guest amenities. But it was so heavy, and it needed to be pushed around over and over again. We decided to replace this with three different trolleys on the corridor, so no one needs to push the heavy trolley down and refill it. This simple change helped with safety for the staff, and time management, all by just reimagining the workflow.“Wetake a very holistic view of the hotel.

Innovating and developing a business is no easy task. It is all about continuous improvement, a relentless approach to doing things better, and finding ways to provide a better output for customers. This is the only way to manage a company to success.

Stuart Nelson is the co-founder and Director of Jigsaw Better Business. Jigsaw is an awardwinning Enterprise Ireland, IDA, and Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Lean Service Provider. Stuart says using Lean business principles is the way to move forward with a business. Lean is centred around the belief that waste exists in all processes. The aim of every Lean project is to identify and eliminate that waste and retain only the steps that add value to clients. “For many businesses, Lean has given them the ability to get home on time and work less at the weekends, while still getting the work done,” says Stuart, whose business Jigsaw has supported almost 300 businesses to sow the seeds of Lean Thinking. “These businesses achieved these outcomes by focusing on eliminating waste from their processes, creating standards, and implementing visual management.“Theyalsoapply a 6S-Workplace organisation (a system that promotes a high level of productivity and safety throughout a workspace) and accept that what has taken them this far in business may not take them where they want to goAsnext.”waste is everywhere within any business, Jigsaw is currently working with the Local Enterprise Office in Carlow County Council on the Optimisation+ Programme, targeting food waste reduction for hospitality businesses. The programme involves a waste volume and cost audit, which is benchmarked against national standards.“Leanand Green projects are about looking at new or innovative ways to do things within your business. But also looking at your business in a new or innovative way. This can help with the future of a business to reduce costs, remain

Stynes Eoin Hennigan John Brophy

Margaret Stynes, Pharmacy Manager at McCauley Health & Beauty Pharmacy, says, “Most of the team at McCauley’s are from Carlow and they know most of the customers. We support a lot of local charities and become involved when we can. We have three pharmacies in Carlow, at Fairgreen, at Carlow Shopping Centre, and at Shamrock Plaza, so we are dedicated to the town. “I think people enjoy the welcoming staff, and all the different big brands that we stock in the pharmacy that aren’t available anywhere else. This keeps customers coming back for more. I think Carlow has definitely become a retail destination.”Oneofthe more famous stores in Fairgreen is the Eason bookshop. Having located to the shopping centre 10 years ago, the Irish franchise brand made the news in 2016, when it sold the €66 million-winning EuroMillions ticket to a group of friends. Eason Store Co-owner Eoin Hennigan says, “There was huge coverage of the shop and the centre nationally, and even internationally, because of the amount won. It was fantastic to be a part of it all. It was a great boost to the economy, it was good for the area, and it’s good for the shopping“Everyonecentre.inIreland knows what Eason is, but it’s the local connections that develop the shop. Our staff know a lot of people on a first-name basis, whether they are buying books, stationery, cards, or playing the Lotto.”

We speak to managers of quality retail stores and centres in Carlow on how Carlow has become a retail destinationMargaret

There is major scope to expand the retail operations in Carlow, with Fairgreen Shopping Centre planning an extension to form a new streetscape linking up to the town centre. Such an extension could allow for an additional 12 retail units.John adds, “Not only does it expand the retail brands available here, but it also expands the number in employment. Carlow has positioned itself as a retail destination and that will continue to grow.”

Growing retail in the town John Brophy says that the growth in retail is all about the mix of stores. “If you don’t have the right shops, you can have the nicest shopping centre in the world, and people won’t come and visit,” says John. “I think people can underestimate how much a good shopping centre can add to a town. People want the comfort of an indoor, air-conditioned, centre with trusted stores. In McCauley’s, they are really on the frontline of medicine with prescriptions, vaccines, or even just advice from the pharmacist which would normally cost them €50 at the doctors. “There is also a lot of employment within these shops. Right now, there are around 400 people employed here. I’d say most people in the town have worked at the centre at some point in their lives, whether it’s after school or at the weekends. Retail establishments like these have become the centre of the community.”

John Brophy, Centre Manager of Fairgreen Shopping Centre, says, “As people move to work from home, or indeed a hybrid model, it is important that people have a good local economy and shopping experience. We used to have a strapline when we first opened, ‘City styles without the miles’, because there is no need to go anywhere else for your shopping!

Carlow town has become an incredibly important retail destination. People from other areas of Carlow, plus Laois, Kildare, and Kilkenny, now come to indulge in high-quality, retail therapy in Carlow town. The town has a number of welcoming, stylish and fashionable shops and shopping centres located right in its heart. Shopping centres like Carlow Shopping Centre, and Fairgreen Shopping Centre, the biggest shopping centre in the Southeast. Found on Barrack St, at the heart of the Town Centre, Fairgreen Shopping Centre’s stores include Tesco, Next, Eason, and McCauley Pharmacy, as well as a number of high street fashion retailers such as JD Sports, Argos, New Look, Jack Jones, GameStop and many more.

“Carlow was always considered a market town. So it has a strong background in retail. It’s the 13th largest urban centre in Ireland, which is sometimes overlooked, because it’s still referred to as a ‘town’ and not a ‘city’. I think having big retail destinations like Fairgreen and other areas, give people an ideal spot to meet friends and clients in a nice comfortable atmosphere. They don’t have to leave the town to find this type of space anywhere else.” John says that Carlow has proven itself to be an ideal retail destination. Compared to other towns of similar size, it is incredibly well-serviced. “We attract about 100,000 shoppers a week because of our line-up of national and local stores and the convenient surface car park, with 762 spaces. It has also become a satellite town for Dublin and many people commute to Dublin for work from Carlow. Plus the town is very easy to travel to from other counties. These have both become a huge part of our trade.”

Retail at the centre of town McCauley Health & Beauty Pharmacy has been located within Fairgreen Shopping Centre for 18 years. The pharmacy chain, which became the first pharmacy group to partner with Guaranteed Irish, has spent the last two decades becoming a part of the local community.

A focus on retail

And while the lockdown affected everybody, John says retail establishments also provided a getaway for people to escape to when everything else was shut down. “They could engage with people and have a chat in the centre, it became a key part of the town.”

15Sunday Independent December 5 2021 SPONSORED

CarlowTourism.com

Duckett’s Grove Historic House and Walled Gardens, near Carlow Town

16 Sunday IndependentDecember 5 2021

Uncover a world of hidden gems in Carlow when you wander o the track.

Take the path less trodden, through the timeless and unspoiled Carlow landscape. Where every picturesque village, sleepy nook, meandering riverbend and rolling valley holds another treasure trove of hidden gems, waiting to be discovered. Hear the land whisper with colourful tales of our people, past and present. It is rural life, but not at all how you’d expect it. Feel inspired. Feel charmed. Feel free.