Quadcrates in rural business final

Editorial Department • Published 8 Apr 2010 15:06 0 Comments

See also:

Farmer a finalist for latest national business award

Fermanagh entrepreneur, William Allingham from Garrison,has reached another business innovation award final. William's business Quadcrate has qualified for the finals of the JFC Innovation Awards for Rural Business. Quadcrate is a clever loader attachment system making the quad bikes, now prevalent on farms around the country, more useful and functional. It allows farmers to carry loads on both front and back of the bike while maintaining traction even on hills and in wet ground. The crate system stays on the body of the ATV, rather than detaching like a trailer. It folds up out of the way when not needed, or when a trailer needs to be towed.

"It was an idea born out of practicality", says William, "I had a ewe in the trailer of a quad bike I was driving and couldn't get up a hill. I realised I needed something that brought the weight of the sheep over the back wheels of the quad, instead of dragging out the back. I've always had an interest in agricultural engineering and so the Quadcrate was born".

William sees this as a global product and is already pursuing patents in Ireland, the UK and the USA. Quadcrates are sold through the website www.quadcrates.co.uk.

The winner of the fourth all Ireland JFC Innovation Awards for Rural Business will be crowned in the Slieve Russell Hotel, Cavan on Monday next,April 12. Appropriately, products from food producing finalists will be on the dinner menu. Thirteen farmers and rural-based finalists from all over the country are in contention for the €40,000 (£37,000) prize fund. They represent the very best in rural innovation and entrepreneurship, including green energy, selling farm produce direct to the public - and even bringing tourists to see the genuine Father Ted house.

The overall winner will be chosen from the four category winners and walks away with a prize fund worth €15,000 (£13,400). This includes a cash prize of €5,000 (£4,900), mentoring and business support worth €5,000 (£4,900) and €5,000) worth of advertising space.

Entry to the competition was open to any rural-based business on the island of Ireland either at set up or in the early stages of operating. Finalists went through a rigorous Dragon's Den style selection process with Higher Ground TV presenters Paul McCarthy of Teagasc and Peter Young of the Farmers Journal, and Gareth Gormley, DARDNI. Three finalists come from north of the border, two from Clare, two from Meath and one each from Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Limerick, Mayo and Wexford. Interestingly two finalists have honed in on the quality lamb trade, with groups of farmers selling directly to the public in their local areas and further afield.

The JFC Innovation Awards for Rural Business are sponsored by Tuam based manufacturing company JFC in association with Teagasc, Department of Agriculture & Rural Development NI (DARD), LEADER and the Irish Farmers Journal.

The full list of finalists is:

-Tom O'Brien, Eggs Direct, Cork (selling eggs directly to the public through special vending machines)

-Roger Fahy, Milk Vending, Clare (selling home pasteurised milk to the public through self dispensing vending machines)

-Clare Farm Heritage Tours, Clare (group of eight farmers coordinating tours onto their own land taking in interesting archaeological features)

-Patrick & Peter Farrelly, Farrelly Brothers Willow Project, Meath (large scale project contracting farmers to grow willow for processing into woodchip and construction of power plant)

-Pa Nolan, Growing Together Ltd., Meath (new family parks concept, developing urban parks with allotments, polytunnels, bbq area, playgrounds etc.)

-Noel Regan & Pat Madigan, Flylight, Limerick (innovative suitcases with built in weighing devices)

-Lamb Direct Ltd., Mayo (sheep farmer group selling quality lamb direct to consumers at keen prices)

-Andrew Byrne, Greenflame, Wexford (group of experienced Miscanthus growers who are now making and selling Miscanthus briquettes)

-Ring of Kerry Quality Lamb, Kerry (group of sheep farmers marketing high quality lamb direct to the public and through butchers)

-Gerard & Margaret Kirwan, Goatsbridge Trout Farm, Kilkenny (suppliers of live trout for restocking lakes etc., plus trout for restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and wholesalers)

-Robert Goligher, Chapel of Rest, Eglinton, Co. Derry (pet crematorium, allowing people to say goodbye to pets with dignity, can handle all sizes of animals)

-Catherine Harris, Natural Balance Food Company, Co. Armagh (Souptonic - a fresh wholesome soup aimed at people in recovery, made with only the most nutritious of natural ingredients.

-William Allingham, Allingham Quadcrates, Co. Fermanagh (range of clever attachments for the quad bike making it more functional on all terrain).

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 08 Apr 10

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.