Sean Coyle, chair of the Keystone Group, was one of three well-renowned and respected manufacturing leaders from Northern Ireland who have been announced as the latest inductees to the Northern Ireland Manufacturing Hall of Fame.
This award was first launched in 2022, and its purpose is to recognise dedicated talent in the manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland. This year’s inductees were Sean Coyle, Founder of Keystone Group, Dr John Rainey MBE, Chairman of Denroy Group and Grainne McVeigh, Director of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering and Life Sciences at Invest NI.
The Northern Ireland Manufacturing Hall of Fame recognises leaders from across Northern Ireland who have made an exceptional contribution to manufacturing and engineering. This year’s event was hosted at the Slieve Donard Hotel, in Newcastle Co Down. This award highlights those in the manufacturing industry that have dedicated their professional lives to their communities, companies and staff, as well as having a positive boost on the NI economy.
In line with the values of the award, Keystone Group was founded at a time when Cookstown was experiencing high levels of unemployment. For the Founder, Sean Coyle, it was important to have a workforce drawn from the local community to grow and support the economy in Mid-Ulster. He states that “there is a great work ethic among the people in Mid-Ulster and they have helped make Keystone the company that it is.”
Sean had this to say about receiving the award:
“I am delighted to be inducted into the Northern Ireland Manufacturing Hall of Fame, it is a great honour to join such an elite group of industry leaders. It has been a real team effort to take Keystone to where it is today, as one of the UK and Ireland’s largest manufacturers of building products and I accept this accolade with a special thanks to all my staff for all their efforts.”
This prestigious accolade has been awarded at a special time for the Keystone Group as the company has just celebrated its 35th Anniversary. Last month the Keystone Group welcomed over 400 guests from around the world to their headquarters in Cookstown to help them celebrate 35 years of innovation. Guests were given a behind-the-scenes look at Keystone’s innovative manufacturing facilities, where cutting-edge technology and sustainable practices have propelled the company to the forefront of the construction manufacturing sector. This was followed by a 35th anniversary gala event in Titanic Belfast, hosted by popular broadcaster, Patrick Kielty.
This award is a testimony to Sean’s dedication and strategic vision which has seen the Keystone Group grow to become one of the UK & Ireland’s largest manufacturers of construction products over the last 35 years.
Manufacturing NI Chief Executive Stephen Kelly said:
“Sean, John and Grainne are talented and compassionate leaders from across Northern Ireland. They have worked tirelessly to create and sustain jobs, ensure that their products and services remain innovative and at the cutting edge, and have helped put Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector on the global map.
“The hard work of these three leaders and their peers over decades, through good times and bad for Northern Ireland, means that this small part of the world has a thriving international reputation for manufacturing and engineering excellence. On behalf of the membership of Manufacturing NI, I would like to congratulate and thank them for their efforts throughout their careers.”