TRALEE businesses have been shortlisted in the Energia Family Business Awards 2019.

Ballyroe Heights Hotel, Tralee is nominated in the Family Business Longevity Award category; Landers Outdoor World, Maura’s Cottage Flowers and Medical Mobility are up for the Best in Customer Service award.

Landers Outdoor World is also shortlisted in the Best Small Family Business of the Year category. Outside of Tralee, Energywise Ireland in Ballyduff, is shortlisted in the Property and Construction Family Business of the Year category.

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The Energia Family Business Awards take place on May 24 in the Round Room of the Mansion House, Dublin. Over 200 entries were received for family businesses both old and new across Ireland.

Launched by renowned business commentator and MC for the Energia Family Business Awards, Matt Cooper, the Awards the first of their kind in Ireland will recognize family businesses of all shapes and sizes across the country.

A COMPANY based in the Spa has won an E-Commerce Award at the inaugural Realex Payments E-Commerce Awards held at the RDS in Dublin recently.

Purchase.ie based in the Spa, Tralee was one of 11 companies shortlisted as a finalist as best Micro E-Commerce Business in Ireland and won the award.

Purchase.ie who specialise largely in the sale of products aimed at helping customers reduce energy bills and other domestic charges was selected as winner of the award.

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“We are completely chuffed to win this award,” said Colm Griffin of Purchase.ie. “It has been a struggle at times since the business was founded back in 2009 and many people advised me over the years to give up and get a 9 to 5 job. Being selected as a winner of this award is like getting vindication for seven years of hard graft.”

Purchase.ie initially operated out of Dublin but relocated to Kerry back in 2014 and has grown from strength to strength since then.

“The great thing about E-Commerce is that you don’t have to be based in an area which has a high population density” said Colm. “In my opinion the government should be looking to encourage more E-Commerce type businesses to locate in rural Ireland and create rural employment considering there is a growing housing crisis in Dublin whilst villages and small towns the length and breadth of Ireland are secluded and in decline.”

Moving forward, Purchase.ie hopes to continue to grow their product range and will be attending a number of International Trade Shows early in 2017 in an effort to find suitable goods to offer customers. They also hope to create a few local employment opportunities over the next 12 months.

“I would genuinely like to see County Kerry becoming some sort of E-Commerce Hub and if I can find a few local business people that feel they could share that vision then I would love to sit down and talk to them and make something happen,” said Colm.

FOUR Kerry companies have been shortlisted for the Bank of Ireland Startup Awards 2016 national final in The RHA Gallery, Ely Place on Thursday, May 26.

The companies are among the shortlist of 133 companies nationally in the awards. Kerry Signature Furniture in north Kerry and Tom Henry’s TSH Photography have been shortlisted in the Home or Craft Based Startup category, while Tralee-based Wazp are shortlisted in the Innovative Startup category.

Dingle-based Martin’s Safety Equipment has been shortlisted for awards in both the Product Startup and Sustainable Startup categories.

On the night, awards will be presented to gold, silver and bronze winners across ten categories along with, the ‘Startup Hero Award’ and the ‘Grand Prix – Startup of the Year Award’.

Established in 2012, the Startup Awards recognise innovative, successful and aspirational Irish start-up companies who have launched their businesses in the last three years. The initiative recognises and rewards Irish startups for their success in business across a range of sectors including sustainability, digital, food and drink, retail and technology.

The Startup Awards are run by Startups.ie, in partnership with Bank of Ireland, and were open to sole traders, partnerships and Irish companies in business for three years or less with up to 30 employees.

For more information on the awards and for the full list of companies nominated for an award visit www.startupawards.ie