€800,000 Innovation Deal Between Nuálach Automation and The Nestbox Egg Company.
Skillnet Innovation Exchange has marked a major milestone with the signing of an €800,000 contract between Cavan-based Nuálach Automation and The Nestbox Egg Company in Monaghan.
The deal was facilitated through Skillnet Innovation Exchange, a government-supported initiative that connects large businesses with innovative SMEs to solve strategic challenges.
“The process was comprehensive and effective, laying the foundation for a long-term partnership”
The Nestbox Egg Company, which processes around 5m eggs weekly, sought to enhance its production line efficiency. Nuálach Automation responded with a tailored solution, the Eggsact Robot Packer, designed to reduce manual labour and increase scalability.
Evan Roarke, Co-founder of Nuálach Automation, described the Eggsact Robot Packer as “a high-speed, high-volume precision robotic solution for egg packaging” that will improve efficiency and sustainability across Nestbox’s supply chain.
Eoin McEvoy, CFO of The Nestbox Egg Company, added: “Skillnet Innovation Exchange gave us access to a pool of talented solution providers and helped us quickly identify and shortlist five strong contenders. The process was comprehensive and effective, laying the foundation for a long-term partnership.”
Laying foundations
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Niamh Smyth, TD, praised the collaboration. “Today’s announcement is a powerful example of what can be achieved when innovative Irish SMEs are connected directly with larger companies through initiatives like Skillnet Innovation Exchange. I commend both companies for using this proven initiative to innovate and build competitiveness.”
Skillnet Ireland CEO Mark Jordan highlighted the broader impact of the programme, noting, “This success demonstrates how Skillnet Innovation Exchange empowers SMEs to secure high-value contracts while helping larger businesses address strategic needs.”
Since its launch in February 2022, the initiative has enabled over 120 SMEs to pitch directly to corporate buyers. Corporate members include Ryanair, Glanbia, Horse Sport Ireland, and InterSport Elverys.
Conor Carmody, director of Skillnet Innovation Exchange, said: “The success of the programme is driven by the active engagement of our members. Today’s announcement reflects the value of collaboration between Ireland’s most ambitious corporates and its most innovative SMEs.”
Image at top: Rachel Hubble, programme manager, Skillnet Innovation Exchange; Mark Jordan , CEO, Skillnet Ireland; Niamh Smyth, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Eoin McEvoy, CFO, The Nestbox Egg Company; and Evan Roarke, co-founder of Nuálach Automation
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