By Business & Finance 
Business & Finance has released the annual Top 100 Index, recognising the leading companies operating in Ireland in 2022.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
The full list is available to download here
ABP Food Group
Founded in 1954, the award-winning beef processing group operates with a network of over 35,000 farmers, and contributes an estimated €1.3bn each year into the rural economies in which it operates, turning over €3bn. The core business—ABP Beef—is supported by its renewable, pet food and protein divisions, which combine to ensure the value of by-products is maximised and the environmental impact is minimised. It operates across 51 locations in 9 countries across Ireland, the UK and Europe. ABP won 29 awards at the World Steak Challenge 2018, including World’s Best Fillet Steak, and repeated the win for World’s Best Fillet Steak at the World Steak Challenge 2019. They were awarded 13 gold, 14 silver and 13 bronze accolades across a number of different categories, reaffirming ABP’s position the leading beef processor in the EU. These awards are an endorsement of the unique Ultra Tender Process that the company utilises. Last year ABP Foods announced a ground-breaking deal with Chinese online retailer JD.com one of the largest B2C online retailers in China by transaction volume and revenue, with 301.8 million active users recorded in the first quarter of 2018.
AerCap
AerCap is the global leader in aviation leasing with one of the most attractive order books in the industry. AerCap serves approximately 300 customers around the world with comprehensive fleet solutions. AerCap is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (AER) and is based in Dublin with offices in Shannon, Miami, Singapore, Memphis, Amsterdam, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Seattle, Toulouse and other locations around the world.
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus is the national airline of Ireland, founded in 1936. It operates 65 aircraft on over 70 destinations in the UK and Europe and 12 destinations in North America. Customers travelling to the USA via Ireland can benefit from the Customs and Border Pre-Clearance, allowing customers to save valuable time on arrival into the USA. Aer Lingus is Ireland’s only 4-Star airline, awarded by Skytrax, the international air transport rating organisation. Its mission is to be the leading value carrier operating across the North Atlantic. Its home base is Dublin Airport. Aer Lingus is a member of International Airlines Group (IAG), one of the world’s largest airline groups.
Aerogen
Galway MedTech firm Aerogen, is the world leader in Acute Care aerosol drug delivery, employing almost 400+ people between its HQ in Ireland and Commercial and Clinical Support teams across Europe, Middle East, North America, LATAM, and Asia. The company’s multi-award winning products are used in over 75 countries around the globe and to-date more than 16 million Acute Care patients from neonatal through to adult have benefitted from Aerogen’s market-leading aerosol drug delivery technology.
AIB
AIB Group is a financial services group operating predominantly in Ireland and the United Kingdom, with three core operating segments: Retail Banking, Capital Markets and AIB UK. AIB’s shares are quoted on the Irish and London Stock Exchanges. AIB is a member of the FTSE4Good Index. Whether it’s adapting to a greener way of living, planning for the future, growing a business or simply navigating day-to-day life, AIB’s ambition as a Group is to be at the heart of its customers’ financial lives.
AMCS
Limerick-based AMCS was founded by CEO Jimmy Martin. AMCS is the leading supplier of integrated software and vehicle technology for the environmental resources and complex logistics industries with over 3000 customers in 23 countries worldwide. AMCS is headquartered in Limerick, with 13 offices around the world in the UK, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and the US.
An Post
An Post is a major commercial organization providing a wide range of services encompassing postal, communication, retail and financial areas. It is one of Ireland’s largest companies directly employing over 10,000 people through its national network of retail, processing and delivery points. An Post has had the third year in a row of profit and growth, making it one of the best performing postal organisations worldwide. An Post was forecast to make a loss of €150m in 2019 but is on course to make a profit of €40m.
Ardagh Plc
Ardagh Group is a global supplier of sustainable, infinitely recyclable, metal and glass packaging for brand owners around the world. The consistent pursuit of market-leading innovation, quality and customer service, backed by investment in our people and processes, underpins everything we do. Ardagh operates 57 metal and glass production facilities in 12 countries, employing 16,000+ people with sales of approximately $7bn.
ATA Group
The Cavan-headquartered precision engineering toolmaker operates in over 90 international markets and has operating facilities in Ireland, the UK, Germany, Switzerland and the US. The business has been built up over 50 years, serving industries including aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding, steel fabrication and power generation. Backed by London private equity, acquisitions in the US in 2012 and the UK in 2014 expanded the companies’ position in the manufacturing of tungsten carbide burrs. In 2016, an MBO funded by AIB and Bank of Ireland exited private equity. Further equity fundraising led by BDO Development Capital in 2017 and ISIF in 2019 helped the groups’ expansion plans. The 2019 acquisition of cutting tools specialist Karnasch in Germany and the 2021 acquisition of the micro tool manufacturer Napflin in Switzerland positions the business with a broad range of performance tools serving major industrial sectors across the globe. ATA employs over 330 people worldwide.
Avolon
With Ireland the global leader in aviation leasing, Avolon is one of the most important pieces of the jigsaw—it was the largest funded startup in the world, raising $750 million in equity, and is currently the third largest lessor in the world with the youngest fleet. The year 2018 saw the completion and opening of Avolon’s new global HQ at One Ballsbridge, Dublin, complementing its offices in the US, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland’s purpose is to enable its customers, colleagues and communities to thrive. The Bank offers a wide range of banking and other financial services and was established by Royal Charter in 1783. In the UK, the Group has long-established partnerships with the Post Office and the AA providing consumer financial services. The Group’s international business is conducted by its Corporate Banking and Global Markets teams operating from Dublin, London, and offices in continental Europe and the United States.
Bimeda
A global leader in animal health, Bimeda has established markets in more than 70 countries worldwide and has R&D, manufacturing and distribution capabilities across Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Bimeda employs almost 800 employees worldwide with US headquarters are based in Oakbrook Terrace, IL. The Bimeda US product portfolio focuses on five key categories: ecto- and endo-parasiticides, water soluble antimicrobial, injectables and nutritional products.
Boylesports
BoyleSports is the second largest bookmaker in Ireland, 231 retail branches throughout the country. Founded in 1989 by John Boyle, it is headquartered in Dundalk, County Louth.
buymie
buymie is Ireland’s largest same day grocery e-commerce platform, enabling consumers to order grocery, and household items, from their favourite retailers using their mobile, and have them delivered in as little as 1 hour. buymie partners with large retailers like Dunnes Stores, Lidl and Woodies in Ireland and Asda in the UK. It connects customers, via the app, to a fully trained network of personal shoppers who pick, pack and deliver their orders.
BWG
BWG Group is a leading Irish-based retail and wholesale business operating in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, with annual revenues of approximately €1.7 billion. BWG Foods operates the Group’s substantial retail, wholesale and wines & spirits business in Ireland. In partnership with independent retailers, BWG’s expansive retail portfolio comprises more than 1,000 SPAR, EUROSPAR, MACE, LONDIS and XL symbol stores across the Republic of Ireland, in addition to a further +300 SPAR stores through its UK based Appleby Westward business. BWG Foods Wholesale Division owns and operates 21 cash and carry locations across Ireland trading under the Value Centre, 4 Aces and Better Deal brands. It also comprises BWG Foodservice, along with Corrib Foods and Heaney Meats, which together service over 14,000 customers across the hotel, restaurant, pubs and catering sector, as well as a number of Gala stores. The Group has a separate property division, BWG Properties (Triode Newhill), which owns a portfolio of retail stores.
C&C Group
Best known internationally for its Magners cider brand (Bulmers in Ireland) C&C Group has production facilities in Ireland, the UK and the US. It grew out of a Belfast chemist business, Cantrell & Dyas, which manufactured mineral waters, ginger ale, lemonade and soda water in the 1850s. Merging with the soft drinks business of Henry Cochrane, Cantrelll and Cochrane gave their names to today’s C&C Group.
Chanelle Pharma
Chanelle Pharma is Ireland’s largest indigenous generic pharmaceutical manufacturer of both medical and veterinary products. Serving customers in 96 countries worldwide, Chanelle Pharma is a partner of choice in the development and manufacturing of pharmaceutical products to the world’s leading human generic and animal health multinationals and distributors. We are passionate about understanding and addressing the challenges facing our medical and veterinary customers and bringing them innovative and effective products and solutions.
Circle K Ireland
Circle K Ireland, part of the global fuel and convenience store brand Circle K, is the leading fuel and convenience retailer in Ireland. With over 2,400 employees, its retail network is made up of 420 service stations across the island of Ireland. Of these stations, 160 are owned by Circle K and 250 are owned by independent retail partners. With an ambition to grow our offering in Ireland, Circle K recently added 10 high street convenience and food stores in Dublin to our established and extensive forecourt network. The Circle K forecourt and convenience retail offering covers a range of products and services including Circle K’s own specialty coffee, fresh food ranges, our next generation miles and milesPLUS fuel, EV charging facilities, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) solutions for the freight and haulage sectors, largest fuel card network in Ireland and extensive carwash facilities. The company also operates a large commercial fuels business, with over 20 depots and two owned terminals across the country.
Coillte
Coillte, Ireland’s semi-state forestry company, is responsible for managing 440,000 hectares of primarily forested lands. It is the nation’s largest forester and producer of certified wood, a natural, renewable and sustainable resource. Coillte is also the largest provider of outdoor recreation space in Ireland, it enables wind-energy on the estate, processes forestry by-products and undertakes nature rehabilitation projects of scale. Coillte delivers the multiple benefits of forestry, including forests for climate, for nature, for wood and for people. For further information visit www.coillte.ie.
Combilift
Forklift manufacturer and material handler solutions provider Combilift announced 200 new jobs in 2018, at its new €50 million global headquarters in Monaghan. Combilift currently employs 550 people in manufacturing its forklifts and material handling products. Established in 1998, Combilift currently exports 98% of its products to 85 countries through its international dealer network of 250.
Cpl
Cpl is headquartered in Dublin and is a global provider of talent solutions including specialist recruitment, managed services, outsourcing and strategic talent advisory services through Cpl’s The Future of Work Institute. Cpl employs almost 15,000 people who support their customers globally. They have almost 50 office locations operating in 12 countries world-wide – Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Tunisia and the United States. This international office network works with Cpl’s clients on a domestic and global markets basis to provide the most impactful talent solutions.
DAA
daa is a global airport and travel retail business headquartered at Dublin Airport with operations in 16 countries. Its principal activities include the operation and management of the state’s two largest airports at Dublin and Cork and has international airport operations and investments in Cyprus, Germany and Saudi Arabia. ARI, its travel retail subsidiary, has outlets in Europe, North America, the Middle East, India and Asia-Pacific. Its aviation consultancy arm, daa International operates Terminal 5 at KKIA Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Group’s core purpose is to connect Ireland with the world and its vision is to be an airport industry leader.
Dalata Hotel Group
Dalata was founded in 2007 with the acquisition of 11 leasehold and managed hotels. The strategy was to build a strong base in Ireland, expand into the UK, and at a later stage into mainland Europe. The financial crash in 2008 changed everything. A young company like Dalata would not be expected to survive such an event. In 2009 there were 900 hotels in Ireland. By the end of that year, 300 of those hotels were insolvent. In all this chaos Dalata spotted an opportunity. As banks appointed receivers over hotels, they needed someone to manage these hotels. Dalata took on the management of 37 hotels on behalf of these banks. Virtually overnight Dalata became the largest hotel operator in Ireland. Cognizant that at some point the banks would need to sell on those hotels at well below replacement cost, the company floated on both the London and Dublin stock exchanges in 2014. In the 18 months following floatation, Dalata raised equity from fund managers in Ireland, the US, the UK and Europe to acquire hotels across Ireland and in the UK. Dalata owns 29 hotels, leases 15 hotels and has 3 management contracts with almost 10,200 rooms. In the five years from listing to 2019 the company’s revenue has grown over five-fold from €79m to €429m and EBITDA has grown to €162m. Dalata is now the largest hotel company Ireland with the two largest hotel brands, Clayton Hotels and Maldron Hotels. The Group is growing in the UK and has established a presence in continental Europe. The Covid-19 pandemic emerging in 2020 once again threatened the ambitions of the company but Dalata has navigated the fall-out by protecting the business, its liquidity and the very heart of its success – its people. In the teeth of the pandemic, liquidity was enhanced through the strength of its relationships with its partners. This included a sale and leaseback of a Dublin hotel, the amendment and extension of its debt facilities and an oversubscribed equity raise.
Dale Farm
Dale Farm, Northern Ireland’s largest farmer-owned dairy processing cooperative reported a group operating profit of £12.2m (€13.75m), with the announcement of its latest financial accounts. The Group turnover is £504m to the 12 months to March 2020. Dale Farm is made up of more than 1,300 dairy farmers across the North, England and Scotland. The Group’s activities span the food chain, from providing farm inputs and services, to collecting and marketing its members’ milk supplies, manufacturing an extensive range of dairy consumer and food ingredient products, and distributing these to both the domestic and over 40 export markets world-wide.
Dawn Farms
Established in 1985, Dawn Farms is a family-owned company and the largest dedicated supplier of cooked meat and plant-based ingredients and fermented and dried sausage products outside of the US. Dawn Farms is Europe’s leading dedicated multi-species cooked meat ingredients company. Offering the most comprehensive range of fermented and dried sausage products (pepperoni, salami and chorizo) for the pizza, sandwich, snack and prepared meal sectors. Their extensive product range is further complemented by a growing selection of other cooked protein options to meet today’s developing consumer trends. They are a family company with a global reach, exporting to over 44 international markets and proud to supply many of the world’s leading food brands from our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Ireland, Germany and the U.K.
