Clarehill Plastics Limited

News

Harlequin Receives EFQM Mark Of Excellence At Northern Ireland Quality Awards

19th February 2010

For the second year in succession Co. Armagh based Clarehill Plastics Limited, manufacturers of Harlequin Oil Tanks, has received recognition at the Northern Ireland Quality Awards gala dinner and ceremony held recently in Belfast’s Ramada Hotel.

Organized by the Centre for Competitiveness in Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Quality Awards are based upon the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Business Excellence Model. The Model is used across the Europe and involves a rigorous assessment process. The model provides organizations in both the Public and Private sectors with a structured approach to managing organizational change, continuous improvement, benchmarking and enhanced competitiveness.

Building upon its success at the 2009 Awards, this year Clarehill achieved the EFQM’s Mark of Excellence, with almost a 20% improvement on the previous year’s score, when the company received a Gold Recognition Award. Clarehill Plastics Ltd was the only manufacturing company in Northern Ireland to receive recognition at this year’s Awards ceremony.

Clarehill's Managing Director Brian McCann said, “The achievement of the Mark of Excellence demonstrates the commitment of everyone in our business to the concept of continuous improvement. It builds upon a successful year in 2009, during which we responded well to the challenging economic environment in all markets. We were able to generate enhanced operational efficiencies, and we also launched a number of significant new products. We entered new markets in mainland Europe, and reinforced our brand presence in the UK. Most importantly, we achieved our objective of avoiding job losses.”

Established in 1981, Clarehill Plastics Limited is a leading manufacturer of rotationally moulded fuel and liquid storage solutions under the Harlequin brand. The company supplies a diverse and demanding customer base throughout the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland and actively exports to a growing number of European markets including Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Norway Poland and Slovakia. All Harlequin products are manufactured at the company’s Advanced Manufacturing Facility in Moira, Northern Ireland which employs 75 people and specialises in the manufacture of environmentally preferred, Bunded Tanks.