NEWRY COMPANY TOPS IN FIRST ALL-ISLAND AWARDS FOR BUILDERS MERCHANTS
Haldane Fisher Newry has won the overall Octabuild Award for Excellence 2022 at the first-ever all-island Octabuild Builders Merchant Excellence Awards. The company also won the Northern Ireland Regional Award. Other winners came from Dublin, Galway, Longford, Louth, Meath and Waterford.
The Octabuild Builders Merchant Excellence Awards ceremony was held on Thursday 13th October at a gala event in the Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin. It was attended by over 300 guests including shortlisted merchants and representatives of the builders merchant trade from across the country. The event was hosted by the eight Octabuild members, Dulux, Etex, Glennon Brothers, Grant Engineering, Gyproc, Irish Cement, Kingspan Insulation and Wavin.

Guest of honour at the awards was Michael McGrath TD, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Congratulating all the winners the Minister said: “I would like to congratulate all the finalists and winners at this year’s awards, particularly Haldane Fisher Newry who won the overall Octabuild Award for Excellence 2022. This is the first year the awards were held on an all-island basis and I want to commend the organisers and Octabuild Chairperson, Ray Molyneaux for such a great event.
These are a unique set of awards designed to promote excellence within the Irish builders merchants industry and highlight the importance of the industry to the wider construction and building sector.”
Since these prestigious awards were first introduced in 1986, this is the first year they have been held on an all-island basis. Previously awards were held in Ireland and Northern Ireland on alternate years.
This year builders merchants competed for four Regional Awards, five Individual Category Awards and a Rising Star Award, which acknowledged up-and-coming talent in the industry.

Octabuild Chairperson, Ray Molyneaux said: “It’s important for Octabuild that the Awards highlight to the building and construction industry the excellence of Irish builders merchants amidst its ever-changing landscape. Congratulations to all finalists and winners from all over the country who represented absolute excellence in the industry.”
Commenting on the quality of the entries, Chair of the independent Judging Panel, Liam O’Gorman, said: “It is evident that the industry has evolved hugely and that merchants have led the way in embracing this changed landscape. These merchants have transformed their processes, systems and operations to reflect this new way of doing business.”

In total eleven awards were presented at the awards ceremony as well as the Octabuild Lifetime achievement Award, which was presented to Brian Wogan, Dunleer Hardware, Dunleer, Co Louth.
In addition to the two awards won by Haldane Fisher, Newry other winners were:
Connacht/Donegal/Monaghan/Cavan Regional Award: Joyce’s Hardware & Home, Galway
Leinster Regional Award: Rooney’s Homevalue, Kells, Co Meath
Munster Regional Award: Morris Builders Providers Ltd, Waterford
Excellence in Business Management Award: Chadwicks Coolock Dublin
Excellence in Customer Service Award: Nioclás Ó Conchubhair Teo Homevalue, Connemara, Co Galway
Excellence in Sales & Marketing Award: Ganly’s Longford
Excellence in Sustainable Business Award: Brooks Timber & Building Supplies Ltd, Galway
Excellence in Community Outreach: Chadwicks Thomas Street, Dublin
Rising Star Award: Laura Cassidy, Rooney’s Homevalue, Kells, Co Meath
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Denise Maguire Editor of Irish Construction Industry Magazine & Plan Magazine
Email: denise@mcdmedia.ie WWW.MCDMEDIA.IE WWW.IRISHCONSTRUCTION.COM