Three Longford craft and design businesses exhibit at Showcase 2024
Some of Longford’s best craft and design businesses exhibit at Showcase 2024
Three local up-and-coming design businesses featured
Press Release
12 February 2024
Some of Longford’s best up-and-coming craft and design businesses were part of over 100 companies from across Ireland who had the opportunity to meet with buyers from all over the world as part of the Local Enterprise Showcase at the 2024 Showcase event in the RDS, which ran from 21-23 January.
An initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, the Local Enterprise Showcase, is a special area at Showcase that houses a range of Ireland’s newest design talent, which this year featured three local businesses from Longford all of whom work closely with the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) in Longford.
BenDec Lighting is based in Moyne and owned by Declan O’Connor. BenDec Lighting creates hand crafted vintage and modern lighting using recycled or repurposed parts where possible. For more, visit BenDec.ie.
Also in attendance was Shelley Corcoran of Tabitha & Norah - tabithaandnorah.ie. This new business creates original works of art inspired by life using the mediums of photography, paint, pencil, and ink as well as digital illustration.
Also representing Local Enterprise Office (LEO), Longford was Wendy Louise Designs available from wendylouisedesigns.ie. Wendy Knight is a milliner producing bespoke hats and headpieces using traditional skills and sustainable materials.
Showcase is a pinnacle event in the global design and crafts calendar which opens doors to thousands of buyers from across the world, including Ireland, the UK, USA, mainland Europe, Asia and Africa. The event generates millions of euros of sales orders during the show. Once again it is estimated that over 4,000 buyers from across the world attended the event over the three days with almost 400 exhibitors showcasing their unique products (including LEO Showcase exhibitors).
Showcase is presented on behalf of Design and Crafts Council Ireland, with support from Enterprise Ireland in promoting the trade show internationally through their network of offices overseas, and the Local Enterprise Offices nationwide.
Local Enterprise Office, Longford Head of Enterprise Michael Nevin believes this is an opportunity like no other for up-and-coming craft and design clients looking to make that breakthrough. “To be exposed to this many high-quality buyers in one place is an incredible opportunity for any business starting out. If things go well at this event, a business could fill their book for the year and may well establish a partnership that could extend longer than that and help them grow. While that won’t happen for every business, being there, seeing other clients and gathering new ideas to develop skills in marketing and sales will always stand to participants in the future.”
The Local Enterprise Showcase is one of several enterprise initiatives run by the Local Enterprise Offices across the year to foster entrepreneurship and help small businesses to start and grow. Other events include Local Enterprise Week, National Women’s Enterprise Day, the National Enterprise Awards, the Student Enterprise Programme and the Local Enterprise Village as part of the National Ploughing Championships. For more information on the Local Enterprise Offices and the supports they can provide, please visit LocalEnterprise.ie.
For further information on Showcase, businesses may contact Anna Lane at the Local Enterprise Office Longford on 043 334 33 49 or by emailing alane@leo.longfordcoco.ie.
ENDS
All media queries should be directed to the Longford County Council Communications Officer via mediaenquiries@longfordcoco.ie or by calling 043 33 433 62.
If you no longer wish to receive press emails from Longford County Council, please reply to this email with “UNSUBSCRIBE” in the subject line.
