Michael Commins
A BALLA-based company, formed three years ago, is fast emerging as a market leader in its field. The PEL recycling equipment company, formed by Tommy Griffith from Brownhall, Balla, is proving so successful that it already includes the renowned Hilton Hotel group in the UK among its clients.
In mid-March, PEL received an accolade for innovation from An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, at the Small Firms Association awards in the Mansion House, Dublin. The awards celebrate the achievements of small businesses in Ireland and recognise the vital contribution of the these businesses to the Irish economy.
The Balla company was also selected as a winner of a Best Business award in the Mayo Business Awards in December last year and was the winner of the Shell Livewire Award for Innovation in 2006. The company’s flagship product is the Bottle Crusher, which was developed after Tommy Griffith noticed the dramatic amount of waste building up at the back of pubs and hotels across the country.
“We have been manufacturing the bottle crusher for the last three years and it has generated huge interest around the country and in the UK, especially in the hospitality sector. “Space is a big problem at many hotels, especially in Dublin and other cities. Our invention reduces bottles in wheelie bins from five bins down to one. We also manufacture machines for reducing cardboard and plastic by 80 per cent. Food waste machines are also popular. We can reduce commercial sector waste costs by 80 per cent and what we do is also very environmentally friendly as the products are all recycled. We liaise with waste management companies so there is a very good and reliable service from start to finish,” says Tommy, a member of Balla Golf Club and former player with Balla GAA club.
Tommy set up the company in 2005 and his brother Pat is also very involved, while he currently has a staff of eleven.
The PEL company has now become a leader in the manufacturer and supply of bottle crushers, cardboard and plastic balers, food disposal units and oil filter crushers. As well as supplying the hospitality, retail and commercial sectors all over Ireland, it also sells into the UK and Europe.
