Carbon Group Celebrates an Impressive 50 Years in Business:
From Start-Up Dairy Farm Supply Business, to Global Manufacturer and Distributor
13th February, 2017
Over the last five decades, Ireland has experienced both the best and worst of economic fortunes. Business and entrepreneurship can be a fickle and thankless endeavour; businesses that embark on new projects inspired and motivated by great hopes and ambitions, don’t always have the capacity to fulfill their aspirations.
As a consequence, it’s always reassuring to encounter Irish business ventures that have had the strength and durability to withstand some of the tougher years of our country’s recent economic history.
Carbon Group, based in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork is one of those resilient and inspirational businesses – unlike many of its industry competitors, Carbon Group has not just endured the more challenging periods of economic activity since the late 1960s, but has flourished, expanded and become a key innovator within the Irish agri-business sector.
Established in 1967 as a no-nonsense supplier of essential farm detergent products to Irish dairy farmers, Carbon Group has grown to become a dynamic business with a global outlook, supplying farming, food and pharmaceutical products to an international customer and client base.
Managing Director of Carbon Group, Brian Walsh, explains how the business evolved from a small scale dairy farm detergent supplier, to become a global manufacturer and distributor:
“As an Irish company entering into the marketplace in the late 1960s, we were very much growing with the Irish dairy farming sector and responding to the requirements of a changing marketplace.
My predecessors at Carbon Group would have been developing new product ranges and formulations in response to the new technology and increased production associated with that progressive era of Irish farming – Irish dairy farming was changing and our business was there to evolve alongside the farming community at that time.
Part of our business development background is also linked to the co-operative movement – we grew with the co-operative movement. Later, we began supplying products to the food manufacturing industry; today, we are now also well-recognised as a supplier to the pharmaceutical industry”.
So, with celebrations underway to mark the fifty year anniversary of the business, what are the likely factors that have contributed to the company’s success?
According to Group Sales Manager, Ken O’Grady, innovation has been a crucial dimension to Carbon Group’s business development strategy. “While we’re frequently presented with headlines that assert the overnight success of the latest IT or bio-pharma business, those of us who have worked for a small business venture (or perhaps have even launched our very own enterprise), will know for certain that success doesn’t materialise unless it is coupled with dedication and innovation, along with a sincere commitment to getting to know the wants and needs of your target market”, explains Ken.
“Plus, there is a learning curve – the failure of many aspiring businesses can be traced back to a failure to create good channels of communication with their customers. Knowing that you need to connect with your customers and establish their precise requirements, can mean the difference between success and failure.
At Carbon Group, we’re extremely focused on maintaining excellent communication with farmers. Our roots are in the traditional family farm, but we’ve grown with our customers – research and development at our on-site laboratory is continuous and our range of products is designed to meet the specific needs of the modern Irish farmer.”
From the point of view of the contemporary Irish farmer, we all know that quality and adherence to strict food production requirements are paramount. A comprehensive understanding of ‘fit for purpose’, and a dedication to always meeting best practice in food regulations and standards underline the Carbon Group approach.
Managing Director, Brian Walsh, believes the company’s tireless dedication to quality is “certain to secure Carbon Group’s future for many a decade to come! We’ve always been focused on quality and farmers see us as a trustworthy supplier. Our knowledge and reliability is sure to see us through several more landmark anniversaries!”
All Carbon Group products are supplied form our manufacturing and distribution base in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork.
For more information about our dairy farming detergents, email cork@carbon.ie or phone 021 4378 988.
