Blinds company pulled on to shortlist for greatest new Irish innovations awards

A Co Derry- based firm is among the 21 finalists from established companies, innovators, start-ups and academia which have been nominated for an accolade at the prestigious Irish Times Innovation Awards.

There are seven categories in total and Bloc Blinds, from Magherafelt, has been nominated in the manufacturing category.

The aim of the awards, which are now in their seventh year, is to showcase and reward excellence in innovation across a range of products and services.

Bloc Blinds wants to revolutionise a long-established household feature.

Bringing window blinds in the accessories market, the firm’s new design allows owners to easily change the fabric of the blinds without replacing the barrel, fixtures or fittings or even have to remove the system from the window.

As it prepares to enter the US market, the company has recently increased employee numbers.

The winners of the competition will be announced at a high profile awards ceremony in early October in Dublin.

Each category winner will secure a €10,000 media package with The Irish Times and an iPad with a subscription to The Irish Times e paper.

The overall winner of ‘Innovation of the Year’ will win a communications and advertising package from The Irish Times, worth in excess of €150,000.

In addition, they’ll also win a UCD Smurfit Business School scholarship for an Executive Education programme commencing in 2017 and a state of the art laptop with subscription to The Irish Times e paper.

Photo shows Cormac Diamond, Bloc Blinds founder. (Photo; Lorcan Doherty PhotographY

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