CEMS-Dalian to open ship recycling centre in Chinese port
Irish-owned CEMS-Dalian (CEMS-D) is to develop a centre for ship dismantling and recycling in Zhuanghe near Dalian, one of the busiest ports in the world, located north-east of Beijing. A delegation from Dalian, including city officials and industrialists, is in Ireland this week to meet with government ministers and senior level government officials as well as leading academics in environmental science and maritime engineering. All manner of ship dismantling waste, including hazardous materials, will be recycled or disposed of to the highest standards of environmental safety at the new centre. “We have formed a strategic alliance with a private Chinese company to design, develop and operate a state of the…
Read MoreKeogh’s Crisps appoints brand communications agency Surname & Surname for UK launch
Keogh’s Crisps has appointed brand communications agency Surname & Surname to launch its product range in the UK. The launch will coincide with St Patrick’s Day and the range includes Shamrock & Sour Cream and Dubliner Irish Cheese & Onion potato crisps. The rollout in the UK will see the snacks available to buy in Selfridges and Tesco stores across the UK. “We are the only potato growers in the world who grow, cook and sell a fresh potato and potato crisp under the same brand,” said Keogh’s Crisps founder, Tom Keogh. “We needed a PR agency that is going to do the same. Surname & Surname understands our brand,…
Read MoreBewley’s returns to QVC for fourth St Patrick’s Day appearance
Bewley’s will return to the home shopping channel QVC this St Patrick’s Day for the fourth time. According to the Tea Association of America, 2011 was the 20th consecutive year that consumer purchases of tea increased. In 2011 over three billion gallons of tea were consumed. On 17 March, QVC will once again showcase Bewley’s to over 98 million US households. “Given that over 98 million US viewers tune in to QVC, we are delighted to be asked back again for the fourth time to showcase Bewley’s to our US customers,” said Mark Saunders of Bewley’s. “Our export market is important to us and this appearance on QVC will enable…
Read MoreDebenhams launches collect in store service for online shoppers
Debenhams customers in Ireland are now able to order online and collect from store through a new service that launched this week. The department store said 78pc of shoppers in its research panel described “waiting for delivery” as the biggest downside to online shopping. With the new service, customers can browse and shop from the full range online and have the convenience of collecting their purchases at their leisure from the store of their choice. “As part of our ongoing strategy to grow our online business in Ireland we are continually developing the services that customers have available to them,” said Fiona Lay, online director for Debenhams. “Multi-channel retailing allows…
Read MoreMunster Rugby and Trend Micro Join to Promote Children Internet Safety
Promoting the positive aspects of the internet as well as internet safety is the theme of Trend Micro’s annual ‘What’s your Story’ competition, which invites children to create and submit a two-minute video or a poster to enter. Munster Rugby has been working with Trend Micro in recent weeks, participating at school training sessions to explain to children and students that people of all ages can experience cyberbullying and need to be aware of safety online. “Munster Rugby has been really supportive of the What’s Your Story competition run by Trend Micro,” explained Avril Ronan, co-ordinator of the Internet Safety programme for Kids and Families. “Getting kids to express the…
Read MoreLinked Finance brings online crowd funding for SMEs to Ireland
An online crowd funding initiative called Linked Finance has been launched in Dublin with the backing of Irish entrepreneurs and international investors. The new Linked Finance technology facilitates person to person lending, or ‘crowd funding’ for Irish business. Business borrowers, vetted as part of the Linked Finance registration process, can access cashflow from a pool of potential lenders, who, in turn, can request and earn good returns on their investment, and engage with the businesses they invest in, both as customers and backers. Linked Finance CEO Peter O’Mahony explains: “Linked Finance is technology offering a new and painless way for Irish businesses to borrow money from a large group of…
Read MoreEcocem to create 61 jobs as it seeks to increase green cement exports to Northern Europe
Ecocem Ireland said today that it is planning to create 61 jobs as part of a new three year, €19m investment programme that will see the company expand its exports of eco-friendly cement. The announcement was made at the official opening of the company’s new facility at Dublin Port. The plant will be used to bag Ecocem’s eco-friendly cement, which, according to the company, has a 50pc lower carbon footprint than traditional cement. The company said the new plant will lead to the creation of 25 direct jobs and 36 indirect jobs in other, directly-associated and Irish-based suppliers. The €19m investment includes a €5m investment in machinery and infrastructure already made, and will…
Read MoreCRH profits down 5pc and Myles Lee to retire
Building materials group CRH has reported a 5pc drop in profit before tax for 2012 to €674m and its chief executive Myles Lee is to retire at the end of this year, having reached the age of 60. Sales revenue for the group went up by 3pc to reach €18.65bn. Lee, who has been at the helm for five years, said the results for 2012 reflected progress in CRH’s Americas operations helped by a strong recovery in residential construction and improving overall economic activity in the US. In contrast, he said, its European businesses had to contend with weakening consumer and investor confidence within the Eurozone. “Assuming no major financial…
Read MoreGalaxy Runs New Advertising Campaign Starring Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn returns to screens across Ireland as chocolate brand Galaxy launches its new advertising campaign. The ultimate screen and style icon stars as the new ‘Galaxy girl’, with the brand reviving its signature strapline, ‘Why have cotton when you can have silk?’ In a world first, the star is brought back to life using cutting-edge post-production CGI techniques, to create what appears to be never-before-seen footage of Audrey in a Galaxy advert. Set in the 1950s on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, the setting is reminiscent of the romantic look and feel of award-winning classics that shot Audrey to fame. The narrative sees Audrey, a beautiful young girl, sitting on a…
Read MoreCork Airport launches new advertising campaign
Cork Airport has announced a new advertising campaign to promote direct routes from Cork for 2013. According to those behind it, the ‘Better Still’ campaign aims to cement Cork Airport’s status as the No 1 airport in the south of Ireland. Niall MacCarthy, airport director, Cork Airport, said: “This is an exciting new advertising campaign showcasing all the reasons why it’s so easy and convenient to fly direct from Cork Airport. This campaign will naturally resonate with those living in Cork city and county but this campaign is also designed to reach our customer base throughout Munster and further afield”. The ‘Better Still’ campaign is inspired by the famous ‘Cork…
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