Warrenpoint based Kelly Brothers Building Contractors has been commended for its achievement in Inter Trade Ireland’s FUSION programme and awarded with a ‘Project Exemplar’ for outstanding innovation. The FUSION programme enables knowledge and technology transfer from business to support innovation and increase capability within SMEs. Through Intertrade Ireland support the family owned construction firm was able to appoint graduate Stephen McGlew to lead their innovation project and team up with IT Sligo who provided the academic expertise. The Project Exemplar Award recognises exceptionally high levels of innovation and collaboration between a firm, their graduate and an academic as part of the FUSION programme. Through the project the team developed a new low cost eco friendly modular housing model for both the domestic and export market. “With the construction being one of the most severely affected sectors in the downturn we soon realised it was either ‘innovate or evaporate,” said Leonard Kelly a Director with Warrenpoint based Kelly Brothers. “In recent years we have been committed to the use of sustainable materials and energy efficient construction processes in all our work. In the current economic climate in order or to continue to be affordable to our clients it was vital that a more cost-effective eco-friendly building model was developed. We needed excellent skills resources to take this idea forward and the Inter Trade Ireland FUSION programme proved to be the perfect solution. We have already started to use this model in a new private housing scheme in Northern Ireland and have plans to introduce it further afield. The link with the academics from IT Sligo will also be invaluable for future developments and we already have additional ideas which we would like them to take forward with them”.
Newry Reporter
12thFebruary 2014
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