The network of companies who hold the Best Managed title have a combined turnover of €17 billion and provide over 53,000 jobs across a range of sectors – from manufacturing and tech to construction and food and beverage. The network includes a total of 130 indigenous businesses representing 24 of the 32 counties across the island of Ireland.
Eight companies achieved Best Managed status for the first time this year, including innovative Lisburn-based refrigeration, commercial catering equipment and kitchen rental company Lowe Corporation.
The companies received recognition following a detailed judging process that evaluates the entire management team and business strategy, looking beyond financial performance at areas such as a company’s environmental, social and governance standards, strategic planning and talent strategy.
Aisléan Nicholson, Lead Partner for the Best Managed Companies Awards Programme at Deloitte in Belfast said: “This year we’re celebrating 15 years of the BMC programme and the incredible companies that have qualified. Even though this year’s cohort faced into another challenging period, over the past 15 years we’ve seen how indigenous Irish businesses find opportunities in change. Strengthening governance and recognising the value of specialist expert advice on critical areas such as ESG were key discussion points in the coaching sessions. We also saw companies increasingly focused on innovation. Despite the uncertainties of the past few years, the confidence of Irish and Northern Irish businesses is clear to see.”
Established in 1977, Lowe Corporation has grown to be one of the world’s largest suppliers of rental refrigeration, catering and kitchen infrastructure to a wide range of sectors and more recently has launched an innovative IoT asset monitoring and SaaS platform.
Rachel McCausland, CEO of Lowe Corporation said: “We’re thrilled and honoured to be included in this year’s Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies awards, a recognition that underscores our relentless commitment to innovation, teamwork, and operational excellence. A heartfelt thank you to our team, clients, and partners who continue to fuel our journey towards setting new industry benchmarks. This milestone reminds us that while we have much to celebrate, the best is still yet to come.”
The eight newly qualified companies are: APC Ltd (Dublin), Codex (Dublin), JJ Rhatigan & Company (Galway), Kyte Powertech (Cavan), Lowe Corporation (Antrim), Mail Metrics (Dublin), Production Equipment Europe (Galway), and Topflight Travel Group (Dublin).
There were also 31 companies that requalified as a Best Managed Company, five companies achieved Gold Standard, including Strabane-based cooking oil supplier and waste oil collector Frylite Solutions, and five companies were awarded Platinum Standard, including Belfast-based price comparison technology company Seopa.
Senior Director Nikki Canavan, Head of Origination & Sustainability, Bank of Ireland Corporate Banking said: “Bank of Ireland is delighted to be the Lead Sponsor of the Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards for the sixth consecutive year. Once again this year our judging team has been extremely impressed by the resilience and flexibility displayed by businesses who have successfully navigated the choppy waters of the Irish commercial landscape. These businesses have also integrated sustainable practices into their everyday operations, embracing new challenges and deploying targeted resources as their business models evolve. I want to congratulate every one of this year’s winners, especially the 8 new first-time winners, and wish them sustained success into the future.”
Rachel McCausland, CEO of Lowe Corporation and Aisléan Nicholson, partner at Deloitte.
Advertisement
