Cookstown manufacturing company CDE was presented with a Board of Trade Award (BOFTA) by International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP last Thursday (16 May 2019) in recognition of their exporting success.

For over 25 years, CDE has designed, manufactured and commissioned more wet processing plants than any other company in the world. Its headquarters in Cookstown, Northern Ireland, is the world’s largest campus dedicated to the wet processing of materials in the sand and aggregates, mining, construction and demolition waste recycling, and environmental sectors.

CDE works with clients across eight strategic regions spanning the globe including Latin America, Middle East, Africa, North America, Australasia and Europe and Russia. The company’s export sales have doubled since 2014, with further growth forecasted for this year, and sales into more than 100 countries worldwide.

Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, The Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP, said:

“I was delighted to present CDE with a BOFTA last week. The company is contributing to a stronger economy not just for Cookstown and Northern Ireland, but for the UK as a whole.

“My international economic department is committed to supporting more businesses in Northern Ireland to expand and sell overseas. Last year alone we provided £33 million of UK Export Finance support to exporters from Northern Ireland, which has already resulted in more than £46 million worth of overseas sales.”

The BOFTAs celebrate businesses who are championing free trade through exporting, bringing investment into the UK or demonstrating an innovative approach to entering international markets. CDE received a BOFTA as the Board of Trade visited Northern Ireland for the first time in its almost 400 year history.

CDE Founder and Chairman, Tony Convery, said:

“CDE has designed and installed almost 2,000 turnkey wet processing projects across the world. Working across 5 sectors and 8 regions, CDE has been co-creating with customers for over 25 years to deliver collaborative, imaginative and unique processing systems which are delivering significant efficiencies in the construction, recycling, mining, industrial sands and environmental sectors world-wide.  

“CDE’s growth and expansion in international markets is underpinned by the talent we have in Northern Ireland, whose forward-thinking and innovative work is supporting our business to continue its success and significant ambitions.

“We are honoured to be one of the six companies presented with a BOFTA last week. To be recognised alongside other outstanding businesses is a tribute to our team at CDE. As we continue to expand our workforce in Mid-Ulster and at our new facility in Monkstown, this will help us communicate to a wide range of potential employees the calibre of environment we can offer.”

During the awards, Dr Fox also urged Northern Ireland businesses to become Export Advocates and to provide advice, encouragement and support to other companies looking to sell their products and services overseas.

The Export Advocate community is a network of UK companies acting as ambassadors for exporting, sharing their success stories, offering practical advice and leading by example. They can be contacted via great.gov.uk and on the Exporting is GREAT Facebook group. Businesses in Northern Ireland can sign up to become Export Advocates via great.gov.uk/community.

Manufacturing Northern Ireland CEO Stephen Kelly was also appointed to the Board of Trade last week to be the 'eyes and ears' of the modern business community, ensuring that the benefits of free trade are spread equally across the UK. He joins the existing 22 advisers, drawn from a cross section of business, industry and nations of the UK.