Displaying items by tag: water systems

1st March 2012

Whale Gets Third 'Best Company to Work For' Accolade

#BUSINESS - Water systems firm Whale has featured in The Sunday Times' Best Small Companies to Work For list for the third year running.

The 2012 edition of the list sees the Bangor-based company - and the only Northern Irish representative - rise 19 places to number 77.

Whale was particularly commended for looking after the wellbeing of its staff, its overall ranking of eighth place reflecting the faith in managing director Patrick Hurst and the employees trust in the “sound capabilities” of the leadership.

Patrick Hurst commented: “To be listed again in 2012 is just fantastic for all the team at Whale. Our employees and their attitude and loyalty is what defines the business and is core to its continued commercial success.

"The Whale team in the are a credit to the company and themselves. They have all worked hard together to continually maintain the quality and introduce innovative, market leading products."

Whale (Munster Simms Engineering Limited) is a key player in the leisure marine, recreational vehicle, shower drainage and industrial markets. The company specialises in the design and manufacture of water, waste and heating products including manual and electric freshwater, bilge and waste pumps, Quick Connect plumbing systems, faucets, showers, space and water heaters, and accessories.

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour