Now is the time to enter your business in the Louth Business Awards 2023. There are 21 categories of awards this year, giving you a fantastic selection to choose from. We would encourage you to enter up to four different categories.
Our Corporate Sponsors
The Business Awards are an excellent opportunity to show-case your business and give it the recognition it warrants. The awards attract a record attendance of over 600 guests on the night. This year’s awards are booked for Saturday 21st October 2023 in the Carrickdale Hotel. There will be excellent media exposure in the run up to the event and it is now the social highlight of the Dundalk business community.
The awards are an excellent opportunity to showcase your business to customers and suppliers. They also help to raise your profile, attracting potential new customers, suppliers and investors. The awards offer excellent PR & marketing exposure. The awards night helps to boost staff morale and is a great networking opportunity.
There are 21 categories to choose from and you can enter up to four. You can enter below.
Note: There is a separate, additional form for Retailers, Bars, Restaurants, Eating Establishments, Pubs, Beauticians, Hairdressers – it can be obtained from Brenda in Dundalk Chamber of Commerce on Tel: 042 9336343 or email her to brenda@dundalk.ie
There is no charge to enter the awards and closing date for entries is Friday the 27th July 2023. Shortlist will be published on Monday 7th September. Awards on Saturday 21st October 2023.
Chairman of Awards: Mario McBlain
The Judges: Representatives from DkIT, Regional Development Centre, Local Enterprise Office Louth
Award Categories
You may enter up to four of the following categories. Click the title of a category for further information.
Best Customer Service in the Retail Sector
This award is for retailers and recognises what the business offers to the customer that separates them from their competitors, giving the best customer experience along with commitment to offering the highest level of service to each customer (Mystery Shopped). Sponsored by Net1.ie.
Best Shop Front Both Interior & Exterior
Best Shop Front Both Interior & Exterior sponsored by Av Direct. This award recognises excellence in exterior and interior premises in terms of visual impact for customers. Window displays, floral displays, cleanliness, and overall appearance will be taken into consideration (Mystery Shopped). Sponsored by AV Direct.
Best Hair and Beauty Award
This award is open to all relevant businesses in these sectors who have demonstrated strategic growth, innovative entrepreneurship, and sustainability with a strong focus on excellent customer care and satisfaction (Mystery Shopped). Sponsored by L’Oreal.
Best Licensed Premises
Open to all Licensed Premises that offer exceptional ambience, service along with cleanliness, hygiene, exterior and interior décor (Mystery Shopped). Sponsored by Diageo.
Best Hospitality Business
This award is designed to celebrate the best hospitality in Louth and is open to any hospitality business that can demonstrate how they have successfully created an attractive guest friendly environment which exceeds expectation and delights customers (Mystery Shopped). Sponsored by Dundalk Stadium.
Culture, Heritage & Tourism Award
Open to all businesses operating in the Tourism Sector including visitor attractions, activity based or guided experience, museums, historic houses, garden exhibition centres, hotels, conference and banqueting venues. Judges will look for commitment to excellence across all areas of the business (Mystery Shopped). Sponsored by Value Centre Cash & Carry.
Best Not for Profit Organization
This award is designed to celebrate the success of Community and Voluntary Groups. Nominees will be organisations who have made a significant, sustained contribution to their community. Often working behind the scenes, these organisations provide their time and efforts to help their fellow citizens. Sponsored by Dundalk Credit Union.
Best New Business
Open to all businesses with 1- 5 employees in any sector who have demonstrated growth potential and sustainability in the past 3 years. Sponsored by The Argus.
Micro Business of the Year
Open to all small independently owned businesses who employ 10 staff or less, whose growth and quality of management has enabled it to outperform the competition. This company will show strong leadership, evidence of robust and appropriate management of systems, evidence of innovation and have a carefully planned growth strategy to sustain current/future success. Sponsored by Recruit Island.
Best SME Business
For a company with 10 to 49 staff who has succeeded through innovation, investment expansion and service performance which has led to a significant increase in business. Sponsored by AIB.
Large Business of the Year
Open to businesses with 50 plus employees involved in the production of goods for supply and /or sale that can demonstrate excellence and best practice in all aspects of manufacturing including but not limited to the following: innovation, design, quality control, sustainable manufacturing processes, supply chain and logistics management, a commitment to continuous improvement processes etc. Sponsored by Bank of Ireland.
Best Training Initiative
This award will be open to any company that has engaged in staff training programmes over the previous 12 months. The award demonstrates a commitment to upskilling of staff in personnel enhancement. This award recognises a company that invests in its people and the importance of human potential in its future growth. Sponsored by Dundalk Skillnet.
Best Family Business Award
Open to all family owned and run businesses across all sectors who are at least second generation that have successfully blended strong business acumen and family engagement. Sponsored by Prometric.
Team of the Year
The Team of the Year award has been designed for businesses that can demonstrate and show real life examples of how teamwork has led to their success and their consistent, high levels of customer care and service. Sponsored by The Carrickdale Hotel.
International Business Award
This award is for companies that are successful in exporting and committed to continued growth in their international trade. Entrants will show expertise in planning and implementing an export strategy including managing currency fluctuations, credit control, international marketing and the successful development and expansion of their overseas operations. Sponsored by Enterprise Ireland.
Young Businessperson of the Year
Open to Louth’s young entrepreneurs (35 years or under on the 31st of May 2023) who will have achieved commercial success in building their business or, who hold a strategic and influential position within a company. Entrants must be able to demonstrate their business prowess and give examples of their successes to date and future. Sponsored by Oriel Hub.
Technology, Research & Innovation Award
The award celebrates innovative ideas, processes, products, services, technologies, and applications that have the greatest impact on a company’s success and the county’s reputation as an innovative place. This award will recognise a business that has most successfully applied innovation to their own business and can demonstrate how they have improved business results and financial performance through innovation. Sponsored by Regional Development Centre at DkIT.
Best Green Business
This award is open to businesses small and large from across all sectors that demonstrate meaningful commitment to the implementation of green and sustainable practices within a business. Sponsored by Permanent TSB
Best Use of Digital Marketing/Social Media
If your business made clever use of digital marketing /social media as building tools this category is for you. Judging is based on how your business integrated/adopted digital/social media marketing into your overall marketing plan. Did you invest in training, apply for grants, develop a website or stronger digital presence. Have you an attention-grabbing campaign? Sponsored by Local Enterprise Office Louth.
Overall Business of the Year 2023
Winner will be selected from among the category winners. The overall Business of the year 2023 will be given to the company that distinguished itself among the other category winners as being outstanding in its field. The winner will have made a significant contribution to the economic life of Louth through its commitment to responsible business practices in all its endeavours, its innovation, its creativity, and its integrity in dealing with people. Sponsored by Vhi Healthcare.
Lifetime Award for contribution to Louth
For an individual (active or retired) who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to the business life of Louth in every way, demonstrating social/economic/community leadership within our county. Winner will be nominated by the Management of Dundalk Chamber. Sponsored by PayPal.
You can apply to be nominated in up to 4 categories. The form is best filled in on a laptop or desktop computer.
If including supporting documentation we suggest you choose your materials carefully, these could include customer feedback forms, policies and procedures, special project information, photographs, press cuttings or endorsements. These are non-returnable so please do not send originals and post to:
Dundalk Chamber, Unit 4 Partnership Court, Park St. Dundalk.
Judging Process
All information will be treated confidentially and will only be circulated amongst the judges. Entries are judged on merit only, with no reference to external considerations.
Finalists and Confidentiality
All entrants will be informed as to whether, or not, they have got through to the final stage of the process. Therefore entrants are requested to keep any contact received from the chamber office or judging panel confidential until the process is complete.
If posting your entry we STRONGLY advise you to send it recorded delivery.
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We’re in an Investment Ready Region!
The region offers unrivalled access to talent and infrastructure. There are 2.25 million people within 60 minutes of Dundalk & Drogheda, over one-third of the population of the island. Read more about the M1 Corridor at http://m1corridor.ie.
Dundalk has an extremely active Chamber of Commerce. Dundalk’s business network and business voice consist of 200 members representing all business sectors in the town. Chamber members meet monthly with a view to promoting economic development throughout Dundalk.
Contact
Dundalk Chamber of Commerce Unit 4 Partnership Court Park Street Dundalk Co. Louth A91 N8FY Ireland
