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Odyssey Studios take overall prize in Limerick final of National Enterprise Awards
Odyssey Studios was the Winner of the Best Manufacturing Business and Entrepreneur of the year award at the National Enterprise Awards. Pictured are was Mark Maher and Ciaran Cooke, Odyssey Studios. Picture: Paul Mullins.
Odyssey Studios take overall prize in Limerick final of National Enterprise Awards
A company that supplies the international film industry with model making, set design/props and unique prosthetic developments have been announced as this year’s overall winner of the Limerick final of the National Enterprise Awards.
Mark Maher Models Ltd trading as Odyssey Studios was named at a gala ceremony in the Limerick Strand Hotel, which marks the start of Local Enterprise Week 2020.
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Odyssey Studios was set up in 2017 by Mark Maher and currently employs six people at its base in Corcanree Business Park, Dock Road, Limerick. The firm took the top prize of € 2,500 and will now represent Local Enterprise Office Limerick at the 22nd National Enterprise Awards in the Mansion House in Dublin in May.
Odyssey Studios is involved in core support to the international film industry and provides model making, set design/props, unique prosthetic developments (sales and rental). The products and services that the business provides are in high demand within the industry. Using cutting-edge 3D computer design technology, and 3D Printing and Robotic Manufacturing Processes they seamlessly move from concept, to design, and into production.
Prosthetic body parts and props for films from Odyssey Studios.
The business is planning on expanding into two key areas to include the area of exhibition fit-out and design, as well as the provision of specialist training to meet the growing demand of the industry.
The company was also named as Best Manufacturing company at the awards.
Speaking after the announcement Mark Maher said, “It’s absolutely amazing to win. We’ve had so much support from the Local Enterprise Office in Limerick, as starting off a new business is quite tough, but with their support, we were able to get a good kick start.”
“It’s going to be very helpful for us as we are looking to expand because of the success of Troy Studios. The Dock Road where we are based is fantastic. There is a terrific community here and any service or item we need, we can get it locally,” Mark added.
Other winners at the Limerick City and County Enterprise Awards were:
- Business Start-Up: Lough Gur Pottery
- Retail: Barker and Bowes
- Service: Precision Utility Mapping
- Innovation: Mackessy Technology Ltd
Odyssey Studios will now be competing against 30 other finalists from every local authority area for a share of the €40,000 prize fund as national judging gets underway in April.
Categories this year include ‘Best Export Business,’ ‘Future Focus’ and ‘Innovation,’ in addition to eight regional awards.
The Limerick Enterprise Awards at the start of Local Enterprise Week, which includes a series of events across Limerick run by LEO Limerick from 02 to 06 March 2020, aimed at unlocking the potential of Limerick’s micro-businesses and helping to light the spark of creativity and entrepreneurship among our local business community.
Speaking during Local Enterprise Week, Head of Enterprise with LEO Limerick Bernie Moloney said: “For the last two decades, the National Enterprise Awards have celebrated home-grown success stories from every corner of Ireland, putting their achievements into the national spotlight. And at the 2020 National Enterprise Awards, we are delighted to be represented by Mark Maher Models Ltd, yet another home-grown success story. The judges were particularly impressed by management and growth to date in this young business and we wish them continued success with their company expansion plans.”
Nineteen other local businesses were also shortlisted this year, showing this high standard in the submissions.
Other events taking place as part of the Local Enterprise Week include: – Preparing for a Revenue Audit, Business Banking made Simple, Brexit Customs Compliance Procedures, Coaching for Leaders Masterclass, Digital Media Programmes for Business, Tendering and Intellectual Property Seminars and lots more…
Local Enterprise Week is organised by the Local Enterprise Offices nationwide and supported by Enterprise Ireland, local authorities and the Government of Ireland.
Company Bios
Overall Winner and Best Manufacturing
Mark Maher Models
Mark Maher Models Ltd. trading as Odyssey Studios was set up in 2017 by Mark Maher, currently employs six people and operates at Corcanree Business Park, Dock Road, Limerick.
The business is involved in core support to the international film industry and provides model making, set design/props, unique prosthetic developments (sales and rental). The products and services that the business provides are in high demand within the industry. Using cutting edge 3D computer design technology, and 3D Printing and Robotic Manufacturing Processes they seamlessly move from concept, to design, and into production
The business is planning on expanding into two key areas to include the area of exhibition fit-out and design, as well as the provision of specialist training to meet the growing demand of the industry.
Business Start-Up
Lough Gur Pottery
Lough Gur Pottery was set up in 2018 by promoter Clair Jones and is based at Rockbarton near Bruff in Co Limerick. Lough Gur Pottery is an independent pottery studio. The products are handcrafted and designed by Clair. The carved surfaces and patterns of her work are inspired by the mystical and picturesque area of Lough Gur. Clair also runs pottery classes and workshops throughout the year. Clair sees the location of the business in this area of tourism as the key strength as the area is of historical significance in relation to pottery given the large amounts of pottery artifacts, which were discovered in the area near Lough Gur.
Retail
Barker and Bowes
Barker & Bowes was set up in 2018 by Grace Gallagher and operates from Newtown Centre in Annacotty. Barker and Bowes is a luxury dog grooming salon offering a five-star service with a doggie bakery and retail. They also offer an educational calendar of classes for children. The business is currently developing online sales of doggie food produced onsite using natural and healthy ingredients. Their key strengths, according to Grace, are the great team, their product and their range of services.
Service
Precision Utility Mapping
Based in Mungret just outside Limerick City Precision Utility Mapping was set up in 2017 by Jonathan Markham. Precision Utility Mapping provides subsurface engineering services. They attend engineering and construction sites during design stages, where they use ground-penetrating radar to map the subsurface infrastructure (underground cables, pipes, structures) so that clients can use the information for project design purposes and minimise the risk of damaging underground utilities.
The key internal strength of the business is the quality of service, in their line of work, their quality is in what they find on-site (the survey) and how they communicate this to their clients via survey drawings and reports.
Innovation
Mackessy Technology Ltd
Mackessy Technology Ltd was established in 2014 by Philip and Mary Mackessy and is a leading provider of automotive management systems. The company focuses mainly on technology solutions and services for all stakeholders in the automotive sector. Designed and built in-house, the sole purpose of the technology is to add efficiency and transparency to all processes while connecting all parties seamlessly.
Mackessy Technology’s award-winning platform, AUXION is a complete software solution for the automotive sector adding efficiency across all elements of a motor insurance claim while ensuring full compliance with legislation. AUXION powers the First Notice of Loss, Claims Management, Assessment & Salvage Disposal processes of some of Ireland’s leading Insurance providers.
National Enterprise Awards 2020
Award Categories and Prize Fund
The 2020 National Enterprise Awards take place on Thursday, 28 May in the Mansion House in Dublin and are organised by the Local Enterprise Offices
- Overall Winner, National Enterprise Awards 2020 (Cash Prize for business: €10,000)
- Best Export Award (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)
- Best Innovation Award (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)
- Future Focus (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)
- Eight Runner-Up Winners (Cash Prize for business: €2,000 each)
- Runner Up Regions:
- Dublin City, Fingal, Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown and South Dublin
- Kildare, Laois, Offaly and Westmeath
- Wicklow, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny
- Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan
- Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Longford
- Galway, Mayo and Roscommon
- Limerick, Clare, Kerry and Tipperary
- Cork City, South Cork, Cork North & West and Waterford
- Runner Up Regions:
