Dunbia in line for two top manufacturing awards

Dunbia, a leading UK food manufacturer and Northern Ireland's biggest red meat business, has been shortlisted for two regional awards.

The company, which employs over 1,000 people across the UK, including more than 800 at its Dungannon headquarters in county Tyrone, is featured in the Made in Northern Ireland Awards for manufacturing businesses.

The family owned and managed company is shortlisted in the prestigious Manufacturer of the Year (turnover over £25M) and the Food and Drink categories. The company now exports to around 20 countries.

Now in their fourth year, the accolades reward the excellence of the country's manufacturing sector and recognise the achievements of innovative and productive businesses. The awards are organised by Insider Business.

This year's event, which is sponsored by business advisors Tughan's and HSBC in association with the Department for International Trade, is taking place at a special lunch event at The Europa Hotel, Belfast on 12 May.

All of the winners will be automatically entered into Insider's national manufacturing final, the Made in the UK Awards, which is taking place in Liverpool on 22 June.

Philip Cunliffe, Insider's regional business editor, says: "Building on the success of previous years, we extended the number of award categories this year.

"This has not only led to a record number of entries but the level of interest from some of the leading manufacturing businesses in the region has been hugely encouraging. It should make for a very exciting event."

Insider has been assisted by Manufacturing NI, Invest NI, the NI Centre for Competitiveness and the NI Polymers Association, representatives from which formed the judging panel for the awards.

Also shortlisted in the Food and Drink category are Linden Foods in Dungannon, county Tyrone, a major red meat business, leading bakery Genesis from Magherafelt, county Derry and smaller firms such as Echlinville Distillery, a recently established whiskey produced from Kircubbin, county Down and New Found Joy, a Portadown-based producer of gluten-free tray-bakes.