Looking back to last year's highlights, the Manufacturer of the Year – Large Business category at the Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2025 brought together some of Ireland's most prominent manufacturers, each demonstrating a distinct capacity to operate at scale while maintaining high standards of performance, quality, and operational discipline.

Astellas Ireland (Kerry Plant), Carey Glass, Merck, and Haleon made up the shortlist, representing a cross-section of Ireland's large-scale manufacturing capability across the pharmaceutical, architectural glass, life sciences, and consumer healthcare sectors. Their inclusion reflected the awards' commitment to evaluating manufacturers that consistently perform across multiple dimensions, from innovation and sustainability to workforce investment and process excellence.

Astellas Ireland (Kerry Plant) brought a compelling combination of operational precision and sustainability credentials to the category. Carey Glass, a family-owned business marking its 60th anniversary in 2025, demonstrated how long-established manufacturers can sustain relevance and competitive performance across international markets. Merck's shortlisting reflected its position as a major contributor to Ireland's life sciences manufacturing landscape, while Haleon's inclusion highlighted the strength of consumer healthcare manufacturing within the large business category.

Astellas Ireland (Kerry Plant) was named winner, with the judging panel recognising the company's performance across innovation, quality, sustainability, and operational efficiency as setting a benchmark for large business manufacturing in Ireland.

The Manufacturing Excellence Awards evaluates entries through an independent panel drawn from state, academic, and private sectors, with the Manufacturer of the Year categories serving as a core measure of competitive manufacturing performance at every scale.

Visit the official Manufacturing Excellence Awards website to explore the full list of 2025 winners, review award categories, and subscribe to the newsletter for updates and exclusive coverage from Ireland's manufacturing sector.