Trophy firm has eye on prize

If someone had said to Mullingar entrepreneur, Bernard Flynn, one year ago that his next business venture would be a crystal business which supplies trophies and awards to Ireland’s sports clubs, he would not have believed it. However, when it comes to business, the Mullingar based businessman can spot a new business opportunity crystal clear. Having already developed and sold on several successful businesses, the concept for Mullingar Crystal came to Bernard Flynn whilst on the 9th hole of Castle Barna golf course and by the 18th hole, he had decided to set up yet another new business venture.

As a keen golfer, Bernard had seen how frustrated sports committee members were, trying to source quality golf prizes and trophies within a tight budget. A massive 15 million euros is spent each year on golf trophies alone in Ireland, however, there wasn’t a company out there that he felt was able to provide contemporary style trophies, personalised and finished within a manageable budget for clubs.

Bernard Flynn, Managing Director, Mullingar Crystal comments, “Mullingar Crystal provides a complete solution to sports clubs sourcing prizes on a restricted budget, offering them personalised trophies which are contemporary and very far from the eye-sores found on some mantelpieces! Trophies are a huge headache for all clubs, whether it be golf, rugby, tennis, bridge, or any other sport as they are often funded via small entry fees for competitions, presenting committee members with a problem”. Special pieces can also be commissioned as one-off trophies for special sporting competitions, or to mark significant milestones. Bernard comments, “We currently employ four people at our factory in Mullingar - Mullingar Crystal pieces are cut from blocks of crystal which are then engraved and polished before being sent to clubs around the country. The beauty of our service is that we offer personalised trophies tailored to each sport, so there is huge potential for this business – we aim to be the number one prize provider in the country”.

Bernard Flynn established his first business during the late 1980s when he realised that there was nowhere locally to buy a sandwich other than the pub! Initially he developed a small local sandwich business, which he then developed by convincing service stations nationwide that sandwiches would sell through their outlets. Five years later Bernard Flynn’s business,
Sandwich Man won contracts to supply service stations right across the country. He subsequently sold the business on in 1995.

Next Bernard turned his talents to glassware establishing Glassware Express which supplied customers in the on trade - from bars to the hotel & catering trade with new glassware – a commodity that regular needs replacing. When Glassware Express reached the 3,000 customer mark, Bernard Flynn decided to sell the business on, he comments “I love the excitement of coming up with a winning concept, taking that concept to fruition to the point in time when the business can be sold to a buyer whilst the business still possesses plenty of development potential. This is as far as I want to take it … the challenge has gone for me at this stage and I’m happy for someone else to take hold of the reins”.

Mullingar Crystal is just nine months in business and is already supplying customers in the UK and has future plans to tackle the US market. Bernard Flynn comments “We believe there is huge potential in the States for an Irish business such as Mullingar Crystal – we can easily compete as an exporting business from here on the ground in Ireland undercutting US suppliers”. For further information on Mullingar Crystal, or club prizes, call t: 044 9331572 or log onto www.mullingarcrystal.com.