Hollister Ballina transforms into ‘epicentre of global expertise’ with €80m investment

Hollister Incorporated, a global leader in ostomy, continence, wound care and critical care products has announced an €80m R&D investment and a digital transformation project that will create approximately 50 new jobs in Ballina.

The multimillion-euro investment aims to elevate Ballina into a global epicentre of expertise through novel device design and extensive site-wide training, setting a benchmark for digital transformation within Hollister’s global network.

This project is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht  Dara Calleary TD said: “This is a terrific day for Ballina and North Mayo with the announcement of 50 additional jobs for the region. Hollister is more than just a manufacturing plant in Ballina; it is one of the mainstays of our community. Today, second and third generations of families are employed there boosting the local economy and contributing to the everyday life of the town. I want to pay credit to Shane Caher and all of the staff in Hollister who have dedicated themselves to Ballina and to the West of Ireland but also to all of the past Hollister management and staff who’s work, and commitment is the foundation of the plant’s success today. Finally, I would like to acknowledge  IDA  Ireland for their continued support to Hollister and across Mayo. I very much look forward to what the next 50 years will bring for Hollister and Ballina”

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Alan Dillon TD, said“This €80 million investment by Hollister Inc. is very welcome news. It is a powerful endorsement of Ballina’s skilled workforce and Ireland’s reputation as a hub for innovation in healthcare manufacturing. To see a long-standing employer, like Hollister, continue to grow and evolve through cutting-edge research and digital transformation is very encouraging. The creation of 50 new high-quality jobs will also bring economic and social benefits to the region. On behalf of the Irish Government, I thank Hollister for its continued commitment to Ballina and the West of Ireland, and I wish the team there the very best for the future and many more years of success here in Co. Mayo.”

Founded in 1921 in Illinois, the US MedTech manufacturer has been part of the fabric of Ballina since 1976, where it now employs almost 1000 people.

Hollister is currently recruiting in the areas of Engineering, Data Science and Business Services.  To explore opportunities, visit Career Opportunities | Hollister IE

“We are thrilled to announce this significant milestone for Hollister Incorporated. Our commitment to innovation and excellence continues to drive us forward, and this investment in our research program and digital transformation project is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team,” said Shane Caher, Senior Director of Plant Operations and General Manager. “We look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to deliver on Our Mission to make life more rewarding and dignified for those who use our products and services.”

IDA Ireland CEO Michael Lohan said: “Since 1976, Hollister has been creating jobs and investment in Co. Mayo.  In the intervening near 50 years, Hollister has again and again committed to and delivered on its ambitions for its Irish operations.  Supporting Hollister and companies across IDA Ireland’s client portfolio with R&D investment and digital transformation endeavours sits right at the heart of Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation 2025-29.  I wish to congratulate Hollister and assure them of IDA Ireland’s continued support.”

What is the Difference Between Violet Glass and Regular Glass?

The History and Origin of Violet Glass: Why It Has Been Used for Centuries

Violet glass bottles, also known as biophotonic glass, has a rich history that dates back to the ancient Egyptians. These early civilizations used violet glass to store their precious oils, medicines, and cosmetics. The unique properties of violet glass ensured that the contents remained fresh longer and retained their potency. Unlike regular glass, which is often clear or light green, violet glass has a deep purple color that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional.

The Science Behind Biophotonic Glass: How Violet Glass Works

The functionality of violet glass is based on scientific principles that distinguish it from regular glass. Violet glass blocks the entire spectrum of visible light except the violet part, while also allowing certain parts of the UV and infrared spectrum to pass through. This unique filtering mechanism protects the contents from harmful light rays that can degrade quality and shelf life. Regular glass does not offer this protection, causing products to spoil faster or lose their effectiveness.

Sustainability and Environmental Friendliness of Violet Glass

Another important difference between violet glass and regular glass is sustainability. Violet glass is reusable and recyclable, contributing to a more sustainable world. The use of violet glass can reduce the need for disposable packaging, leading to less waste and a lower ecological footprint. Regular glass is also recyclable but does not offer the same benefits in terms of product preservation, which can lead to more waste.

Protection of Essential Oils: Why Violet Glass is the Best Choice

Essential oils are particularly sensitive to light and air, which can affect their quality and effectiveness. Violet glass offers superior protection by blocking harmful light rays and protecting the oils from oxidation. Regular glass does not provide the same level of protection, causing essential oils to spoil faster and lose their therapeutic properties.

Storing DIY Natural Products in Violet Glass

For those who make their own natural products, violet glass offers an excellent storage solution. Whether it’s homemade creams, tinctures, or herbal blends, violet glass helps maintain the freshness and potency of the ingredients. Regular glass cannot offer these benefits, meaning DIY products can lose their effectiveness more quickly.

Violet Glass in the Modern Apothecary: Traditional Medicine Meets Innovation

Modern apothecaries and naturopaths have rediscovered the benefits of violet glass. By combining traditional medicine with innovative storage methods, they can ensure the quality and effectiveness of their products. Regular glass is still used but does not offer the same level of protection and durability as violet glass.

Cooking and Storage: Why Violet Glass is Perfect for Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices quickly lose their flavor and aroma when exposed to light and air. Violet glass provides a solution by blocking these harmful influences, keeping herbs and spices fresher for longer. Regular glass does not offer the same protection, leading to flavor loss and waste.

Violet Glass and Aromatherapy: Preserving Scent and Potency

Aromatherapy products, such as essential oils and scented candles, greatly benefit from storage in violet glass. The unique properties of violet glass help preserve the scent and potency of these products, resulting in a better user experience. Regular glass cannot offer these benefits, meaning aromatherapy products can lose their effectiveness more quickly.

The Benefits of Violet Glass for Cosmetic Products

Natural cosmetic products are often sensitive to light and air, which can affect their quality. Violet glass offers superior protection, keeping these products fresher and more effective for longer. Regular glass does not provide the same level of protection, leading to shorter shelf life and reduced effectiveness of cosmetic products.

Violet Glass and Holistic Health: A Perfect Match

Holistic health is about maintaining balance and well-being through natural means. Violet glass supports this approach by ensuring the quality and effectiveness of natural products. Regular glass does not offer the same benefits, meaning holistic health products can lose their potency more quickly.

The Aesthetic Benefits of Violet Glass in Your Home

In addition to functional benefits, violet glass also offers aesthetic advantages. The deep purple color of violet glass can be a stylish and functional addition to your interior. Regular glass does not offer the same visual appeal, making violet glass a unique and attractive choice for both storage and decoration.

Violet Glass and Reducing Food Waste

By extending the shelf life of products, violet glass can help reduce food waste. Regular glass does not offer the same level of protection, leading to more waste and a larger ecological footprint.

Violet Glass and the Art of Fermentation

Fermentation is a process sensitive to light and air. Violet glass provides the ideal environment for fermentation by blocking harmful influences and ensuring the quality of the final product. Regular glass does not offer the same benefits, leading to inconsistent results in fermentation.

The Psychological Benefits of the Color Violet in Your Daily Life

The color violet has psychological benefits that contribute to well-being and relaxation. Violet glass can bring these benefits into your daily life by promoting a sense of calm and balance. Regular glass does not offer the same psychological benefits, making violet glass a unique choice for both functional and aesthetic purposes.

Violet Glass and the Future of Natural Products

The future of natural products and packaging looks promising with the growing popularity of violet glass. By offering superior protection and sustainability, violet glass can play an important role in the evolution of natural products. Regular glass will likely continue to exist but does not offer the same benefits, making violet glass an attractive choice for the future.


Curious about any glass dropper bottles? Check our websites aswell.

The Essential Digital Products That Every Business Needs

The digital market has become a haven for business opportunities and the perfect place to further develop and enhance your business. And more and more companies are recognizing the infinite potential of the World Wide Web, making competition fierce and the race to stay ahead of everyone else a true challenge. But there are shortcuts or better said, tools that are being widely used to ease jobs by streamlining whole procedures. That way resources are being saved and further invested in their projects that are more opportunistic, opening businesses to new endeavors and a chance for growth. In the text below, we’ll discuss some essential digital products that you, as a business, need to make sure you’re ahead of the curve and well-engaged in this new and changing digital world.

Managing Projects Like a Pro 

Digital tools that help you keep track of deadlines, how much work each employee has made so far, progress, and an overall overview of long-term goals make every project easier than it is or is supposed to be. These tools provide features such as task assignment, deadline tracking, and progress visualization charts, allowing you to really understand the work you’re doing. 

Customer Service

Your business relies on a loyal base of followers who are recurring and love your brand, services, or products you’re offering. By far the best way to keep your customers coming back is not sales and vouchers but rather excellent customer service that offers a chance to stay in touch and meet the requests and demands of your loyal fans. CRM software is an interesting and innovative way of keeping track of your customers, their purchases, statistics, and retention rates. Why does any of this matter? The key to personalized campaigns for your customers is proper data and this software offers endless information on key factors that greatly contribute to boosted sales and a better reputation. Many of these featured brands can be found online and are offered at retail prices to draw more sales and often you’ll find great package deals, making it easier for everyone. Its simple CRM software helps companies manage interactions with current and potential customers, giving a unique insight into the demands and behaviors. It’s a formula for success.

E-Commerce 

Having an e-commerce platform is as normal today as it is to have your phone in your pocket. Platforms that offer an easy way to open an online store and offer your product to a wider audience can only be beneficial in terms of spreading brand awareness, building a reputation, and boosting your sales.

Security 

With cyber attacks being more casual than bank robbers, protecting your data and the data of your clients is a must if you want to act professionally and stay ahead. Cybersecurity software allows you to keep your integrity and the data of your customers and loyal clients, making sure any breaches are handled and detected ahead of time.

It’s almost impossible to imagine today’s work without making sure you’re able to use all these tools to enhance your business and streamline whole procedures while guaranteeing confidence for you and your clients.

 

Salesforce Products Now Available in AWS Marketplace in Ireland

Salesforce announced today that select Salesforce products are now available for purchase in Ireland via the AWS Marketplace, a digital catalog with thousands of software listings from independent software vendors that make it easy to find, test, buy and deploy software that runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Ireland. This expansion is in addition to recent availability in the UK, the US and Europe, including Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain.

Available products via AWS Marketplace include Data CloudService CloudSales CloudIndustry CloudsTableauMuleSoftPlatform, and Heroku, making it even easier for AWS customers to subscribe to and manage Salesforce offerings. Customers will benefit from a single view across their information technology (IT) spend, simplified procurement processes, and flexible options like private pricing and consolidated billing through AWS, providing a seamless way to leverage pre-approved budgets and increase business performance.

AWS and Salesforce have been global strategic partners since 2016, with deep product integrations across data and AI, making it easier for customers to seamlessly and securely manage their data across Salesforce and AWS, and safely and responsibly infuse the latest generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into their applications and workflows.

“Today is a significant moment in our strategic partnership with AWS. With our combined offering and expertise, we’re enabling Irish customers to accelerate deployment of Salesforce products and generative AI technologies through seamless buying and billing experiences,” said Paul O’Sullivan, UKI CTO and SVP Solution Engineering, Salesforce.

“The expansion of our partnership will respond to customer demand in an AI-first digital economy, offering enhanced access to new opportunities to innovate and experiment, in turn driving better outcomes and faster time to value,” added O’Sullivan.

AWS customers in Ireland can now conveniently purchase select Salesforce products in AWS Marketplace. For more information on the availability of products and to get access to Salesforce products on the AWS Marketplace, get in touch here.

ABLIC Seeks to Reinforce Its Position in the European Automotive Sector with New Focus on High-Value-Added Products

Analog semiconductor manufacturer ABLIC Inc. embarked on a new start under a new company name in 2018, against the backdrop of a rich history spanning over 50 years. In June 2023, five years later, Seiji Tanaka took office as the new president. While focusing on planning and development capabilities as well as high-value-added products, Tanaka is also strengthening initiatives in the European market.

In November 2023, ABLIC obtained development process certification for the most stringent level ASIL-D under the automotive functional safety standard ISO 26262. Furthermore, by acquiring VDA6.3, which is an important process audit standard for German automotive-related companies, ABLIC has established a comprehensive setup. The company is now capable of handling numerous customer audits, which helps to steadily strengthen its foundation in the automotive market.

ABLIC’s Representative Director and President, Seiji Tanaka is an accomplished professional leader who has accumulated over 35 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, engaging directly with customers around the world and building experience in sales and management. Before joining Seiko Instruments Inc. (of which ABLIC was a division of) in 2012, Tanaka was in charge of sales at the semiconductor division of Japan Motorola and served as the head of sales at Freescale Semiconductor Japan Ltd. Tanaka became an executive officer of ABLIC in 2018 when it became an independent analog semiconductor manufacturer. Furthermore, since June 2021, Tanaka has been serving as Business Officer of Semiconductor & Electronics HQ at MinebeaMitsumi Inc., following ABLIC’s business integration into the company.

Since President Tanaka has taken office, he has been proactive in releasing new products. Presently, the company has been focusing on products for the automotive market, including automotive step-down switching regulators that are housed in the industry’s smallest package, window voltage detectors that realize advanced functional safety with the industry’s top-class high-speed detection, and high-withstand voltage LDO regulators that achieve the industry’s highest PSRR and the fastest transient response.

Tanaka has a clear vision for ABLIC’s future direction, stating,

“We will focus on developing high-value-added products that can functionally differentiate us from other companies. In 2023, we also integrated with Samurai Semiconductor Corporation (SSC), a collective of experts who have been expanding semiconductor designs in the global market. SSC is a group of engineers with abundant experience in both digital and analog engineering skills regarding semiconductors, as well as front-end and back-end processes. In addition to strengthening our engineering resources, we have appointed a Chief Product Officer (CPO) with an extensive background in leading semiconductor planning and development in the medical device field. In the European automotive market, we place a high priority on clear communication with the engineers, from the early planning stages to the final development of high-value-added products.”

For over half a century, ABLIC has developed products based on its corporate vision of ‘Small, Smart, Simple’. The company plans to continue under this adage, which stands for miniaturization and low power consumption, shifting from single-function products to multi-function products while focusing on development that closely meets customer needs. In addition, ABLIC is working towards realizing a more proactive support system by providing simulation data to solve customer problems.

As part of its high-value-added products, ABLIC offers automotive products that perform with high accuracy across a wide temperature range, such as those compatible with AEC-Q100 Grade 0, and high-function products that consolidate multiple features into a single chip. These products also contribute to enhancing the safety of ADAS and AD systems with industry-leading features.

ABLIC is also working on the development of medical ultrasound imaging ICs for medical equipment, which are already being used in ultrasound diagnostic equipment by major Western medical device manufacturers. Furthermore, ABLIC’s flagship technology, CLEAN-Boost®️, stores energy generated from minimal moisture or electrically generating bacteria, boosts voltage from that energy, and converts it into electricity to enable wireless communication. This technology holds infinite possibilities for IoT development and is expected to contribute to the SDGs. In Japan, this technology is already being utilized in ‘battery-less water leak sensors’ within several buildings and factories, with plans to expand this technology overseas.

ABLIC has established a comprehensive network utilizing online distributors, and a robust support system of Field Application Engineers (FAEs), which are now present in the European market. ABLIC’s products have been adopted by major Tier 1 suppliers in the automotive field in Europe, which support vehicle, medical, consumer, and industrial applications worldwide. ABLIC is actively preparing to introduce renewable energy in their effort towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

ABLIC plays an important role in the analog semiconductor business within the MinebeaMitsumi Group, which has set an ambitious target to increase its sales to 300 billion yen by 2030. ABLIC is taking steady steps towards achieving this goal.

Tech Review – Tudia Products Built in Magnet and Dual Shield Merge Grip cases for the Google Pixel 8 Pro

Tudia Products again are one of the first to drop some decent cases for the all new Google Pixel 8 series and there is two that you can pick from, one is their standard Merge Grip case and they also have a case that has a magnet built in which makes it MagSafe compatible which is excellent news for those who may cay both Android and iOS devices like me and makes them all work together with accessories.

The cases are built Rhino Technology and can take drops galore and do not add much built to the phone, I have been using the companies cases for some years now and almost always end up with their case on my phone full time in between testing other cases as we do.

You have dual layer drop protection with a soft TPU edge and this is what I like about these cases and then you have the additional grip factor the case offers which is why these have become one of my favourite case makers over the years for my phones.

You have raised edges front and back to protect the screen and camera array do the device can be placed face or back down and knowing it will not get marked on a flat surface.

The back of the case is anti- slip with extra grip so you can be sure your device is safe in your hand and on the surface it is left on. The cases are magsafe compatible and gesture compatible and the keys also work really well and overall makes these cases on of the first you should look at if you are picking up any of the new Pixel devices this year, they also cater for other brands and of course older Pixel devices.

Check out their range of Pixel cases here and the rest on offer here, then check out the video review below.

Video Review 

Selling Your Beauty Products Online: A Guide

The market for beauty products continues to increase rapidly year on year, with a growth rate that’s exceeding many other markets. That means that there are always new entrants to the scene, building companies that are looking to take a bite of the action. If you’re one of them, you’ll be looking to also build up an online presence so that you can sell products online – either solely or in conjunction with a physical store. This is how you’ll do it, getting the traffic and the conversions to drive your profits ever-higher in this exciting market. 

Website

Your website is critical for your online sales. It is, of course, possible to sell cosmetics and beauty products online without having a website – you’ll do it on sites like Amazon and eBay. But having your own home on the web increases your visibility, builds up your brand’s presence, and gives consumers a chance to shop all of your product listings directly instead of searching by product on larger online marketplaces. So building a website is a critical first step for ambitious startups in the beauty space. 

SEO Boosting

With your website up and running, it’s time to get seen by more consumers. And that’s a case of increasing your visibility on Google, through which the majority of consumers find the products they’re searching for. SEO, or search engine optimization, helps you finish higher up Google’s search results when consumers type in certain relevant keywords. Link up with a cosmetics SEO agency to build up your SEO and start seeing your website on page 1 of Google’s search results. 

Influencers

Another valuable way to tap into the growing beauty market is to show off your products via influencers. These individuals are real people with followers across the world who trust and admire them – ideal ambassadors for your brand. Pick them from Instagram and TikTok to sell to younger audiences who are digital savvy and who mostly shop online. These partnerships can be incredibly lucrative if you choose the right influencers to work with. 

Deals and Offers

We’re fast approaching Christmas and the following period of sales. This is a consumer bonanza, with many shoppers searching for beauty products to give to friends and loved ones. It’s something that you should consider going along with, setting up Christmas hamper options and special seasonal reductions that might appeal to the Christmas wave of shoppers. Come January, lower your prices to draw more people to shop with your brand. 

Emails

Finally, try to acquire the email addresses of those consumers who end up buying from your online store. That way, you’ll be able to reach their inbox when you have a new line in stock or when you’re running promotions. If your products are as good as you believe they are, this will help prompt repeat custom from loyal customers, which is a huge feature of a beauty market that is shaped around quality and loyalty. 

Make your beauty business boom with the above five tips – designed to bring you online customers and deliver you higher profits in the coming months.