Cork firm awarded for innovative contribution to Covid-19 effort
In response to Covid-19, Bensons Workwear adapted their business to manufacture medical garments and scrubs for the HSE. Picture: Clare Keogh
A Cork firm which manufactures and supplies workwear and school uniforms has been awarded for its innovation in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Midleton-based Bensons Workwear halted production of their regular stock when the pandemic hit, and instead focused all their efforts on making personal protective equipment (PPE) such as surgical gowns for hospitals across Ireland.
Bensons won the small business category of Design & Craft Council Ireland’s Business Design Challenge and will receive a share of the €50,000 prize fund.
Jess Fouhy, Sales Executive at Bensons Workwear said they identified the demand for PPE in Irish hospitals and knew they had the facilities to help.
“We went from producing 400 gowns per day, to exceeding 3,000 per day,” she said.
Ms Fouhy said to cope with the demand the company took on new staff, and they were delighted be recognised and supported by Design & Craft Council Ireland (DCCI), Enterprise Ireland and the various LEOs for their contribution to the Covid-19 effort.
Commenting at the Irish Business Design Challenge award ceremony, the judges said that as well as Benson’s contribution to the national effort to tackle Covid-19, they were impressed by the retention of traditional shops in the textile manufacturing sector and growth of export sales demonstrated a longer-term positive impact.
The Irish Business Design Challenge was launched in September by DCCI in partnership with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices to recognise the resilience and innovation of micro, small and medium-sized companies that have adapted their business in response to the challenges of Covid-19.
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