New Award to Encourage Continuous Improvement Launched

A new award has been launched by the Shannon Chamber-managed Mid-West Lean Network to recognise and support organisations pursuing continuous improvement to achieve business excellence. The Mid-West Lean Network Continuous Improvement (CI) Award is open to organisations in any sector who are at the early stages of their CI development and who are a member of the Network.

Announcing the award, Mid-West Lean Network chairman Claude Costelloe, operations director with Zimmer Biomet, said: “The Network has gained a lot of momentum since it was established in late 2016 at the instigation of Shannon Chamber. We now have a membership of over 65 companies, many of whom have introduced lean concepts into their businesses; however, we want more companies to understand and see the value and payback from becoming lean, hence introducing this award. It will incentivise companies to consider lean.”

To enter the new awards, a company simply has to submit their proposal on an agreed template, outline the project they are working on, the tools being used and the benefit to their organisation. An evaluation panel will undertake on-site visits and review each proposal. Three companies will then be shortlisted and the overall winner will be announced at the annual Mid-West Lean Network Conference in November.

Pictured above: Mid-West Lean Network Chairman, Claude Costelloe with Robert Hernan, Enterprise Ireland; Shane O’Neill, Atlantic Aviation Group; Cillian Griffey, Shannon Chamber Skillnet; Helen Downes, Shannon Chamber; John Mulleady, AiP Thermoform Packaging; Padraic McElwee, LEO Clare; and Senan O Riain, IDA Ireland

Photograph by: Eamon Ward