Lite begins to shine on company’s fortunes

After some initial discomfort, Foamalite is now thriving in the knowledge that turnover is healthy, staff levels are increasing and plans are in place to build a new premises within the next year. Cian O Raghallaigh reports.

Experts in plastics - John Reilly of Foamalite, Gowna, Co Cavan

Gowna, Co.Cavan offers much natural beauty. The area is situated close to the Longford border, 13 kilometres southwest of Cavan. The village is located on the shores of Loch Gowna. The Loch Gowna lakes cover an area of 1800 acres and is also the source of the Erne river.

Fishermen can thrive on the stock of tench, hybrids, brown trout and other fish in Loch Gowna. Angling competitions are held annually. Walkers can enjoy the country strolls while golfers can travel nearby to the Slieve Russell, one of Ireland's best-known golf courses.
Amidst all the country beauty is a hectic company operation. Foamalite Ltd. is based in Gowna, Co. Cavan. In the last ten years or so, the firm has developed its PVC foam sheeting product, exporting it to a number of countries across Europe. Foamalite is the firm's major product (fomalite is also the company's brand name). The firm makes a wide range of foamalite products such as the foamalite echo product. The various kinds of foam sheets are used as the base for a variety of signs and in advertising products. They are ideally suited for screen and digital printing applications. Foamlite now employs 45 people. The product is now the preferred choice of professional printers, sign makers and exhibition contractors in Europe.

Raw materials are imported from Germany. Foamalite Ltd sells to a wide range of distributors who then sell to companies for print or fabrication. A high-quality sheet is used on the product with various sizes and thickness. The images are printed on various signs such as Coca-Cola signs. The company sells to the print and display sections of other firms. It is also hoped to sell to the construction industries in the future.

The Foamalite premises at Lough Gowna on the Cavan/Longford border

Christine Reilly is the company's managing director while her husband John works on the factory floor. Their sons John and Darragh and daughter Siobhón are also involved in the company. The firm has managed to achieve the highest standards of excellence in its work. In 2005 Foamalite Ltd. were finalists in the 2005 Export Award category. These awards were established to recognise Irish companies who demonstrate excellence in their exporting efforts.
When the company started, however, things were very different. A newspaper article in last September's Sunday Times detailed the difficulties experienced by the company when it began. Initially the work was frustrating. The process involved in developing the product was tedious. Developing the correct product required painstaking work and long working hours.

Award winners - Christine and John Reilly of Foamalite, Gowna, Co Cavan

"We had a lot of difficulties at the beginning. We had all the state-of-the-art equipment but the product proved a lot more difficult to do; the plans didn't really work out for us at the start," explains Christine.
"The factory was set up in 1995 but it was 1996 before we could get a product that was properly accepted. It was very frustrating as the project over-ran by a year but the key to it all was to keep going. We never thought we'd fail.
"It ended up costing us a lot of money and the budget was well over-run. We had purpose-built machinery. We had very good skilled staff and we invested our own money in the company. There were nineteen different ingredients in the product and it was a very difficult process."

Eventually, though, things began to fall into place. Flexibility, quality and price ensured the success of the company. By being flexible, the company was able to adapt to customers' needs. With little bureaucracy, decisions were made quickly and sales were made.
In future years, the company plans to employ another 25 people. According to Christina, the success of the firm is down to its dedicated staff as well as its ability to continuously invest in new products.

Cutting to size at Foamalite, Gowna

Developing a good customer base abroad proved a formidable task. Over the years, though, this hurdle was overcome. Eleven years since the company began, the vast majority of the country's markets are export markets. Sixteen countries avail of Foamalite's services and the company plans to cover another fourteen countries in the future. With good agents and sales representatives working abroad, the company needs to travel only twice yearly.
"We were very lucky in that we were able to target people who knew the industry. There was also an element of luck attached to it. But most of the time it was hard work. We now have a major market in the UK, France, Italy and Spain though we do service the Irish market as well," says Christine.

Adding the protective film which is part of the process at Foamalite, Gowna

The experience of her husband John has proved invaluable. John had worked in a successful insulation manufacturing business for twenty years. He then sold the business to the Quinn Group in 1994. He still works on the factory floor. He is, she says, "a very hands-on person" and along with John and Darragh, helps to ensure the smooth running of the business on the production line.

Christine agrees that her own background in accounting and management helped develop the company. She acknowledged though that the new venture presented a challenge.
"The new business was different. We were exporting to an export market, the process in working the product was much more difficult and the criteria was also much more difficult," she says.
Dedication to work has proved rewarding. Foamalite has established itself both at home and abroad. Christine is determined to achieve further growth, believing that there is potential for growth in Ireland.
What is needed, she says, is to bring the product to the next level. An indication of ambition is the firm's plans to build a new factory and have it ready by 2007.

What then is her advice to any young entrepreneurs?
"My advice is to make sure you plan as much as you can. Be prepared to have to overcome plenty of barriers. Be prepared for long hours and keep very focused on where you're going," she says.
Keeping focused from day one has made Foamalite Ltd a successful foam sheeting manufacturer.