Pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly wins company of the year award

PHARMACEUTICAL firm Eli Lilly has been named Cork Chamber/BT company of the year at a prestigious ceremony for businesses in the region.

The US firm has been operating its biotechnology facility in Dunderrow, Kinsale, since 1981, providing what the judging panel described as “high-quality” development and manufacturing employment for more than 450 people in the area. More than €1 billion has been invested in the site over the past three decades, with current funding for expanding existing services reaching between €50-100 million per annum.

In 2007, the firm — which concentrates on Alzheimer’s, cancer and diabetes medications — began development on a new biotechnology facility at the site, investing almost €400m in the expansion, which is due to be opened by 2011, further increasing staff numbers in the region.

Eli Lilly general manager Dave Urbanek said the award was a “great honour” and an indication that employment opportunities continued to exist in Ireland. “It is a privilege to be a part of an industry that, through its daily work, positively impacts the lives of millions of people worldwide.

“Our success over the past years demonstrates the dedication of our employees, community, academic and industry business partners to sustain ongoing success of our operations and maintain the Kinsale site as key strategic value to Eli Lilly and company,” he said.

During the awards announcement last night, Newsweaver was named Cork SME company of the year after it was confirmed that its revenue had grown by 600% since 2004.

The firm, which is Europe’s leading email newsletter specialist, provides services for 800 clients in 25 countries, and for the past three years has been ranked in the top 10 fastest growing technology companies in Ireland in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50.

The firm is based in Bandon, where it employs 35 staff.

The Cork emerging company of the year award was presented to low-cost telecommunications firm Cubic Telecom, which specialising in mobile global roaming services by offering a MAXroam SIM card to replace existing SIM cards while abroad.

The awards were presented by a five-team judging panel of Cork Chamber president Joe Gantly; Cork Chamber chief executive Conor Healy; BT Ireland head of business sales Leo O’Leary; Welch & Co managing director Niall Welch; and Johnson and Perrott Motor Group chief executive Mark Whitaker.