Paddy Kelly (Tegral) and Adrian Conlan (Athy Enterprise Network)
We’re an in-TEGRAL part of the community
Paddy Kelly, outlines Tegral’s 80-year history in Athy
The series of monthly ‘First Friday’ lunchtime networking meetings for businesses, located in the Athy Municipal District, continued last Friday in the Clanard Court Hotel. The event was co-chaired by Adrian Conlan, of the Athy Enterprise Network* and Vivian Cummins, Athy-based President of the North Kildare Chamber of Commerce.
A presentation on Tegral, the building product manufacturer and Athy’s largest employer was made by Managing Director, Paddy Kelly, who gave a comprehensive and very entertaining history on the company that was first established in Athy in 1936. The choice of Athy as a site for the factory owed much to the efforts of Matt Minch, managing director of Minch Nortons and his brother Sydney Minch, who had been elected a TD for County Kildare in the 1932 general election. The company’s first Board Meeting was held on 14th May 1936.
Paddy Kelly explained how Tegral placed most emphasis on engagement with its workforce and suppliers. The good news is that the company is now back in profit after a few very difficult trading years and plans to embark on a € 12m investment at its 44 acre Athy site.
The next ‘First Friday’ business networking event will be on 3rd June 2016.
MK Humalo (Athy Concentrates) and Clodagh Judge (Local Employment Services)
David Fanning (AIB) and Liam Corr (Clanard Court Hotel)
Brian Dooley (Athy Enterprise Network) and Trevor Shaw (Shaw’s Department Store)