Moldflow congratulates Avenue Mould on winning the Plastics and Rubber Weekly 'Toolmaker of the Year' Award; the company was the first Irish toolmaker to produce 96-cavity moulds.
Moldflow Corporation is delighted to congratulate its Irish customer Avenue Mould on winning the Plastics and Rubber Weekly (PRW) toolmaker of the Year Award, after three consecutive years on the shortlist for this category of the Plastics Industry Awards (PIA). From its base in Sligo, in the heart of Ireland's mould and toolmaking sector, Avenue Mould has over the past 15 years developed a powerful niche position in production of high-precision multi-cavity injection moulds for applications in the medical and teletronics industry. Its customers include many leading international names across Ireland, the UK and northern Europe.

This achievement is even more impressive given that Ireland was seen as lacking in high-quality mouldmaking skills when managing director Felim McNeela and a group of seven employee shareholders decided to set up in Sligo.

Since then Avenue has become used to setting standards: it was the first-ever winner of the PIA Toolmaker of the Year award; it was the first Irish mouldmaker to move into 96-cavity mould manufacturing; it was the first to use the Moldflow Fusion package in Ireland; and it was the first to implement the Moldflow MPX moulding machine optimisation system.

Avenue's efforts have been clearly recognised in this year's PIA voting, pushing it back to top position once more.

The company achieved sector-leading scores from PRW readers in three of the PIA categories - design and manufacturing investment, project support and product quality.

In fact, its performance in the product quality category was far ahead of its rivals.

The company operates a well-equipped mouldmaking shop supported by first-class mould trialling facilities.

But it maintains this is only one element in its success.

It says that what it does with its machinery investments differentiates it from its competition.

Avenue makes full use of Moldflow software to predict performance and to establish mould operating windows prior to delivery to customers.

Its machining centres are extensively robotised to provide unattended 24-hour operation.

However, it is also people that make the difference.

'The equipment on the market is open to everyone, but it is how we use it that gives us the edge.

The better designed we can make the mould, the faster and more efficient it will be for the client, and the less maintenance will be required,' says managing director Felim McNeela.