On the journey to the Randox Health Grand National…Rule The World returns to Mouse Morris’ stables in Tipperary
On the journey to the Randox Health Grand National…Rule The World returns to Mouse Morris’ stables in Tipperary
On a crisp and sunny winter morning in the County Tipperary countryside, Grand National 2016 winner Rule The World returned to the busy stables that prepared him for his victory over Aintree’s fences.
Trainer Mouse Morris had not seen his winning horse since he made the decision to retire him earlier this year, and so the launch of the Randox Health Grand National 2017 was an emotional reunion for all involved.
Winning jockey David Mullins was also there to welcome back his Grand National partner. His win with Rule The World was a fantastic introduction to the world’s most famous race – a victory on his very first attempt!
And the team from Everardsgrange Stables in Fethard fancy their chances at another Aintree victory – this year entering three horses in the Randox Health Grand National, including Irish Grand National winner Rogue Angel.
Morris explained;
“There is no point in sleeping if you don’t dream. To win the Grand National with him would be a dream come true.”
Stuart Penrose, Global Marketing Manager for Randox, was excited for the journey to the Randox Health Grand National 2017 to begin;
“The Grand National is a massive race right across the world, and this year the teams expect the new broadcaster ITV will deliver an audience in excess of 12m. While we’re a global leader in the business world, we are now launching ourselves as a company with direct interaction with the public through our Randox Health clinics and we couldn’t have picked a better way to broadcast our message. We are extremely happy.”
Eamon Lenehan, Global Marketing Manager, commented;
“It is truly one of those events that transcends the sport. I think what really resonated with us is that it is known as ‘The People’s Race’, and so our commitment to improving people’s lives through health is a great fit.”
While the race is so accessible, its popularity and wonder also lies in its unpredictability. Rule The World, a horse who’d been carefully brought back from a twice fractured pelvis, won the race in 2016 as a maiden over fences.
John Baker, Aintree Managing Director, rounded off a wonderful day at Mouse Morris’ yard by saying;
“Hopefully we can write some more history next year.”
Listen to the full interviews with Mouse Morris, Eamon Lenehan, Stuart Penrose and John Baker, with Racing Journalist Dave Keena below!
For more information about the Stable Visit, please contact randoxpr@randox.com
Secretary of State Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP visits Randox Science Park
On Monday 21st November, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, visited our new Randox Science Park facility.
The visit was part of the Mr Brokenshire’s recently established Business Advisory Group sectoral meetings, of which the Life Science sector is a key stakeholder.
Following the visit, the Secretary of State said:
“I was absolutely delighted to visit the very impressive facilities at the Randox Science Park, in what used to be Massereene Barracks. During my tour of the site, I was struck by the powerful symbolism of what used to be the defence estate of the old Northern Ireland to what has now been transformed into world class laboratories and life sciences facilities. This showcases Northern Ireland as a leading contributor in the world of knowledge economy, and this is an area which I am confident will continue to grow.
“My visit here is to help re-affirm the Government’s commitment to do whatever is needed to safeguard the economy and forge a new global role for ourselves as we leave the European Union. The UK Government remains committed to making this country the best place in Europe to own and grow a business and to building a stronger economy that works for everyone.”
Dr Peter FitzGerald, Managing Director of Randox, said:
“We were delighted to welcome the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP to our new Randox Science Park in Antrim, and we are encouraged by the Government’s support for the creation of a positive business environment. Since 1982 we have championed Northern Ireland and the very talented people who work with us. Our commitment to a positive future is perfectly illustrated by the evolution of this site from former army barracks to state-of-the-art biotechnology hub.
“As an innovation-led company, these revolutionary facilities are fundamental to enable us to develop more accurate and sensitive diagnostic capabilities and promote preventive healthcare globally. It will also contribute significantly to supporting the Northern Ireland economy with the creation of new jobs and increased exports. This is a significant investment, which markets not only a dynamic Randox to the world but also a positive Northern Ireland.”
For more information about the Secretary of State’s visit to the Randox Science Park please contact our PR team via email: randoxpr@randox.com
Randox celebrates Women in STEM at Armagh Planetarium Ask A Scientist Event
“Have you always known that you wanted to be an Engineer?”
“Is there opportunity for career progression and promotion within Engineering?”
“So you do for the Randox machines what app developers do for smartphones?”
These were just some of the astute and intriguing questions posed by students of Dungannon Integrated College, Drumcree College Portadown, and St Ciaran’s Ballygawley, to our Randox Software Engineer, Ciara Shaw, at Armagh Planetarium’s Ask A Scientist Event on Friday 18th November.
The event took place as part of Science Week 2016, organised by the Science Foundation Ireland, and the day took the format of a Speed Networking session. Students each spent 10 minutes chatting with a scientist, asking them all the questions they’ve ever wanted to know about careers in STEM, and then moved on to the next candidate!
This year the event had a particularly exciting twist – all the scientists involved were women!
Ciara was one of a group of nine women with a career in STEM – science, technology, engineering and maths – who took the time to meet with the students in attendance to chat to them about working in STEM.
As a hard-working and proud engineer, Ciara took the opportunity to inspire young women to take up STEM subjects for their GCSEs and A-Levels.
Currently, only 9% of the UK’s engineering and technology workforce is made up of women, a statistic which Ciara highlighted in her key note speech at the Ask A Scientist event.
Following the event, she commented;
“I’ve always been interested in IT and Engineering and so it surprises me that only 9% of the engineering and technology workforce in the UK is made up of women. I wanted to showcase to the pupils at the Ask A Scientist Event today that working in STEM is an exciting and valid career choice for women as much as it is for men. At Randox alone there are opportunities to work across a wide range of STEM disciplines – software developers and testers, IT support, engineers, research scientists, mathematicians working in finance and accounts…the list goes on. I hope that through today’s event I was able to encourage some pupils to choose to study STEM subjects at school, so that they can aspire to these jobs in their future.”
Chatting to the pupils in their Q&A sessions, Ciara found the pupils had aspirations in abundance.
“One pupil told me they wanted to be an Orthopaedic Surgeon, and another said they were going to be an Architectural Engineer. It was amazing getting the chance to listen to their hopes and plans for the future, and hopefully by answering their questions, helping them get on the path to achieving their goals.”
Joining Ciara at the event were representatives from the CSI Service of the PSNI; Siobhan Stevenson, Head of Collections Care at National Museums Northern Ireland; Kerry, Heather and Sam, Education Support Officers at the Armagh Planeatarium; and a number of PhD students currently carrying out their research at Armagh Observatory, including Eliceth Rojas-Montes, who gave a key note speech on her astronomy research.
Each scientist was able to provide the students with an insight into their line of work, and similarly share their experiences and knowledge with the other scientists!
Juie Shetye, PhD student at Armagh Observatory, said she was delighted to be able learn about different areas of science from the other scientists and engineers.
And Ciara agreed.
“Each area of science is so niche that our areas of work are worlds apart,” she commented.
“It’s been an extremely enjoyable day celebrating the work of Women in STEM and being positive role models for young women considering a job in the STEM industries.”
For more information about this event please contact our PR team via email: randoxpr@randox.com
For current STEM vacancies at Randox, please visit our Careers website.
Randox Trade Mission to Massachusetts
A delegation led by the Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Terence Slowey and the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Hilary McClintock, are in Massachusetts this week as part of a joint endeavour to build relationships and forge partnerships.
Randox joined representatives from a wide range of sectors including education, food and drink distribution and manufacturing to attend meetings with a range of business contacts across the State of Massachusetts and key influencers.
Randox also made a number of key technology and business visits to Harvard and the State House and will participate in the Golden Bridges Conference.
Randox Senior Manager Mark Campbell said;
“The US is one of Randox’s most important markets and we are delighted to participate in this joint trade mission. There is clearly a strong regional and cultural link with Massachussets, and with facilities in Co Antrim and Co Donegal we seek to further develop our business relationship and increase exports. Our innovative diagnostic technologies have much to offer this US high tech hub – and will allow us to create further employment at home.”
In 2015 Randox announced plans to invest €25 million in Randox Teoranta, located in Dungloe in County Donegal. The investment included increasing staff numbers to 540 by 2020, offering world class careers in state-of-the-art R&D and manufacturing facilities. Randox also unveiled the Randox Science Park which will become the prime manufacturing and R&D facility in the UK. This new state of the art facility will generate 540 high value job opportunities over the next four years and will accelerate the development of new products into a wide range of clinical needs. These include various cancers, stroke, heart disease and neurodegenerative disorders, through more efficient, high specification manufacturing and the provision of state-of-the-art R&D laboratories.
Randox founder and CEO Dr Peter FitzGerald said;
“Our vision is to revolutionise healthcare through continuously improving diagnostic solutions. As well as employing locally we want to draw top class talent back to Donegal from the wider Irish diaspora and establish better relationships with the wider Massachusetts area. Randox offers world leading career opportunities to life scientists, electrical and mechanical engineers and software developers, and a chance to join a pioneering team creating diagnostic tests and analyser systems that save lives across the world.”
For more information on the delegation in Massachusetts please contact Randox PR via email: randoxpr@randox.com
Ballymacrickett Primary School pupils visit Randox as part of a new collaboration to enhance pupil knowledge of STEM based work.
As an international organisation that aims to deliver world class pioneering research that will revolutionise healthcare worldwide, we are always pleased when the next generation of scientists want to come and visit us. So we were delighted when Ballymacrickett Primary School got in touch with us to organise a visit.
Last week Randox welcomed primary 7 pupils from Ballymacricket Primary School to our Randox labs to gain a first class insight into the work that we carry out here. As part of the collaboration Randox is sponsoring Ballymacrickett Primary School to conduct their very own STEM project that will allow primary 7 pupils to take part in the Junior Innovators project. This project is run alongside Sentinus, a non-profit educational charity that works with schools throughout Northern Ireland to deliver programs to promote engagement in STEM subjects.
As part of the project the primary 7 pupils will conduct cross circular project work which can include workbooks, exhibition materials, models of products and even the development of a mini enterprise and their very own products. The aim of this project is to support the development of links between primary schools and local business and industry and to give classroom learning relevance to the world of work through a structured program of activity.
The first step in the project involves a visit to a local company, and we were thrilled to welcome over 50 pupils to our headquarters here in Crumlin from the 24th-27th October. The tour included a visit around our different departments and behind the scenes access to our science labs to gain a better insight into the work that we pioneer which was especially interesting.
At the end of the tour each pupil received a goodie bag filled with plenty of Randox stationery to take back to school with them.
We are delighted that the tour was both enjoyable and informative and sparked an interest in many more pupils to enter the world of science!
Good luck Ballymacrickett Primary School- We can’t wait to see your final project!
Make sure to follow Randox Careers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the hashtag #WeAreRandox
NI business leaders and MLAs take a trip to Randox China
A number of business leaders and MLAs from Northern Ireland took time to meet with members of our Randox team based in China this week.
The group visited China in a bid to develop and nurture business relationships between the two countries, during a trip organised by the Northern Ireland Assembly Business Trust.
The Trust works to forge business relationships between local businesses and parliamentarians in Northern Ireland, offering a unique opportunity for each to better understand the industry in which they operate. The Trust organises educational visits, fellowships, seminars and trips for local businesses and MLAs to encourage participation on issues of mutual interest.
David Hu and Karen Li, members of Team Randox based in China, met with the group made up of MLAs Colin McGrath, Conor Murphy, Danny Kennedy, Clare Bailey, Kellie Armstrong, and Joanne Dobson, Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive of Manufacturing NI, Colin Neill, the head of Pubs of Ulster, and representatives from the Confucius Institute at Ulster University, an organisation which aims to develop academic, cultural, economic and social ties between Northern Ireland and China.
The group’s trip also involved a visit to the Shenyang Party Congress and Department for Commerce, and to the Irish Embassy in Beijing.
Susan Hammond, Randox China Sales Manager, commented;
“As a key market we have for the past 20 years exported to and worked across China, where Randox is a well-known and respected brand within the healthcare landscape. It is our dedication and hard work within this dynamic market, through both our HQ based team in Northern Ireland and our dedicated local team spread across China, that has enabled this. Our success so far drives us in our continued efforts in growth in this market, and our continued investment in introducing new and innovative products to the market.”
David Hu, Business Development Executive at Randox China, commented;
“It was a fantastic occasion meeting with the delegation from Northern Ireland. We work very closely with the team at Randox HQ in County Antrim, and so we relish the opportunity to engage and develop relationships with relevant representatives from Northern Ireland, whether in the political or business sphere. We’re delighted to be able to gain further insight into the relationships that exist between our two prosperous nations and look forward to nurturing these relationships in the future.”
For further information about our team in China, please contact our Randox PR Team.
E: nicola.mchugh@randox.com or amy.mcilwaine@randox.com
T: 028 9445 1016
Pictured left to right are:
Stephen Kelly, Manufacturing NI; Jill Xie, David Hu and Karen Li, Randox China.
Horse-racingās most successful jockey AP McCoy joins Grand National sponsor Randox Health
In time for the return of the highly anticipated jump season, Randox Health, the new sponsor of the Grand National has unveiled the 20-time Champion Jump Jockey Sir Anthony McCoy as its brand ambassador. It signals a new era of sponsorship for the racing industry and is an active move to promote a healthier and more positive lifestyle for jockeys and fans alike.
Randox is a world leader in the promotion of effective preventive care and long-term wellbeing. The global diagnostics company, the new sponsor of the Randox Health Grand National and the Official Healthcare Partner of The Jockey Club, is opening healthcare clinics across the UK, Ireland, US and Middle East which will revolutionise healthcare through the use of its patented biochip array technology.
Using a comprehensive range of blood tests and biochip arrays, Randox enables early and accurate diagnosis of a wide range of clinical conditions and can carry out risk assessments on longer term threats including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Sir Anthony McCoy commented;
“My days of competitive horse racing might be behind me, but I’ve no intention of slowing down. I always try and enjoy life to the full, and staying healthy is key to that. You’re happiest when you’re healthy, and that’s why I’m delighted to be an ambassador for Randox Health. They’re leading the field in preventive healthcare and can give you an entire breakdown on not only how healthy you are now, but also on future risks and how best to maintain your health.”
Randox founder Dr Peter FitzGerald welcomed the announcement;
“AP McCoy didn’t leave any aspect of his racing career to guesswork and he is making sure the next stage of his life is no different. He is recognised around the world as an incredible sportsman who pushed his body to its limits during his career. I am delighted now that he is working with Randox Health to ensure not only that he stays healthy, but that his fans do too. Our goal is to transform global healthcare – it’s not enough to achieve long life on its own, we must strive for long health too. Given the choice, few people will leave that to chance. By joining forces with the world’s most popular jockey and the world’s most popular horse-race, we believe we can share that message and improve people’s health across the world.”
One of the central pillars of the partnership between AP McCoy and Dr FitzGerald is a shared love of horses. Randox has worked for over 20 years with the equine industry in delivering products to ensure the health and well-being of endurance racehorses. The complete equine health programme includes tests that minimise the risk of injury to horses by measuring the impact of training. Randox has worked with the Irish Equine Centre and 15-times National Hunt Champion, Martin Pipe.
Randox Health Clinics are currently located in London and Belfast, with ambitious plans to roll out a number of new centres across the UK and internationally including in LA and Dubai. Using the latest blood science technology, Randox’s scientists analyse over 350 different indicators of your body’s wellbeing across a range of different areas including cancer surveillance, fertility, heart, nutritional, digestive and diabetes health. Not only do you find out how healthy you are now, but you are also empowered with the knowledge of how you can stay healthy for years to come.
For more information contact the Randox PR team on 028 9445 1016 or email nicola.mchugh@randox.com or amy.mcilwaine@randox.com.
Students at World Space Week discover opportunities for STEAM graduates in NI are increasing
“Opportunities for STEAM graduates in Northern Ireland are limitless” was the message from Randox at this year’s World Space Week. Students taking part in the UN event came together today in Armagh Planetarium to learn about the career pathways available to them in this industry.
Engineers, scientists and graphic designers in the world-leading diagnostics company have this year alone participated in creating a biochip that identifies risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease to designing the logo for this year’s Grand National as part of the company’s sponsorship of one of the world’s most popular steeplechases.
Randox has embarked on a significant recruitment drive following the announcement of a £161m investment in the Randox Science Park, at the site of the former Massereene barracks in Antrim and a €25m investment in Randox Teoranta, in Dungloe, County Donegal.
One of the people invited to address the students at the STEAM careers talk was 27 year old Sean Rafferty, a Software DevOps Team Leader. He joined Randox full-time two years ago after graduating with a first class honours in Computing Science from the University of Ulster.
“There has never been a better time to consider a career within the STEAM industry. Employer demand is growing, supported by top-level understanding that future economic success depends on increasing the number of highly-skilled STEAM workers. There is a rich variety of positions available and on a personal level, I love what I do in software design, particularly within problem solving.
“One of the key messages I can give to students is to avail of all opportunities to fully equip themselves for the work force, and participate in industry placements. A common concern reported in business surveys is that people lack that essential knowledge. Randox has always supported new talent through our competitive student and graduate programs which have been running for over 25 years. This year we had our highest intake and many of those people will secure full-time jobs with us once they finish.”
Randox is creating more than 1000 new jobs in software and mechanical engineering, life sciences and other fields over the next four years. To find the placement programme or job that suits you, please visit: http://careers.randox.com/
For further information, please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email nicola.mchugh@randox.com
Randox helping to transform healthcare in Cameroon following partnership with Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Foundation
Randox helping to transform healthcare in Cameroon following partnership with Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Foundation (LUKMEF)
Treating general health conditions and patients with HIV/AIDs in rural Cameroon is being transformed thanks to an initiative and partnership between global diagnostics company Randox and the not-for-profit organization LUKMEF Cameroon.
Until now thousands of people living in the remote village of Awing, in the Santa District, in the North West region of Cameroon, struggled to pay the costs of travel to the North capital city of Bamenda, in order to be tested for complications associated with conditions like HIV/AIDs. Many never made the journey at all, and many died as a result. Now, following the purchase of the state-of-the-art clinical chemical analyser ‘RX Monza’ has been installed in The Awing Health Centre and testing is being offered at minimal cost for the community.The purchase of the Rx Monza was fully financed by the subsidiary office – LUKMEF Switzerland.
The RX Monza is part of the RX Series which has been developed by Randox to meet the growing needs of clinical laboratory testing. This analyser will open exciting opportunities for both routine and specialised testing including coagulation testing worldwide.
LUKMEF, a non-governmental organisation based in the South West of Cameroon, delivered the RX Monza to the hospital in Awing on the 13th September. LUKMEF was founded in 1999 and has completed dozens of projects in peace building, democracy, education and human rights, helping thousands of Cameroonians live healthier and more powerful lives.
Sharon Martin, LUKMEF Board Member and Director of Youth Programmes, said,
LUKMEF aims to empower communities by enabling them to take responsibility for themselves but poverty has been a major obstacle to that when it comes to accessing healthcare. The cost for transportation to Bamenda, coupled with the cost of testing for complications associated with these life-threatening viruses – even at 1 or 2 GBP – was too high for many and the natural consequence was that many never got the help they needed. By providing very low cost testing for people by installing the RX Monza in the Awing Health Centre, we will ensure that people no longer experience unnecessary suffering caused by poverty.
Collaborating with Randox has been fantastic and we are looking forward to expanding this partnership for future initiatives.
Co-founder of LUKMEF, Mr. Tanyi Christian said,
This is a development in healthcare our communities could have only dreamed of until now. There are over three million people living in this region. This piece of equipment will enable the hospital lab to conduct low cost biochemical testing for patients from more than five villages.
Business Development Manager Colin Palmer for Central Europe, EMA and Sub-Saharan Africa said,
It is fantastic for everyone here at Randox to see real life examples of how we are achieving our goal of revolutionising healthcare worldwide. The RX Monza is a semi-automated chemistry analyser that allows the user increased-testing speed in comparison to manual testing, meaning more samples can be run in less time and at a much cheaper cost. This is going to have a significant impact on the local community and nearby villages who couldn’t afford to pay for transport to Bamenda, the region’s capital. The RX Monza delivers accurate results that Awing hospital can depend on and will help save thousands of lives.
Randox is dedicated to creating innovative high quality products aimed at improving and enhancing diagnostics and people’s wellbeing across the globe. Over 100,000 end users are using Randox products and every second of every day 80 Randox tests are used across the world.
For further information please contact our Randox Comms Team on 028 9442 2413 or email randoxpr@randox.com
App that warns children about dangerous stress levels wins Randox Invent 2016 award
A gaming app that helps children learn how to deal with stress and prevent serious mental health problems has scooped one of Northern Ireland’s most prestigious prizes for innovation during the annual INVENT Awards. Entrepreneur Fintan Connolly, a pharmacist, won the Randox-sponsored Life and Health category for his app which is based on providing real-time biofeedback to players – educating young people and helping them consciously control their emotions.
Following the ceremony last night an emotional Fintan said,
“This is a validation of all I’ve done – it is recognition that you’re on the right path, that what you’re doing is meaningful. I’ve always been fascinated by stress particularly in young children, and I wanted to upskill kids to help them deal with everyday situations. Young people face greater mental health problems today than ever before – the figures are startling and frightening. If they don’t understand the concept of self-regulation – they can’t understand the sense of empowerment. However by showing them in a visual way what is happening inside them, they get it. You use technology to help them because that is their domain.”
As well as sharing the £33,000 prize fund, the Take Ten team now travels to California as part of the NI Tech Mission. TakeTen are due to launch an advanced version of the app next month, which is designed to specifically support children diagnosed with cancer. Early in the New Year, they’ll also begin trials of the app in schools in California.
Randox Chief Scientist John Lamont who was part of the judging panel said,
“We were very proud to sponsor the Life and Health award at Invent 2016. This competition, run by Catalyst Inc, plays a crucial role in supporting the many inspiring innovators across Northern Ireland. We recognise that desire as it was of course the very reason Dr Peter FitzGerald established Randox and why we established our own student and graduate programmes, which had a record intake this year. The judges were blown away by the quality of the ideas we were presented with during Invent 2016, and every one that made it through to the finals of this prestigious competition deserved their place. Fintan’s passion to improve the health of young people was clear from the start and his app has great potential. We look forward to following his journey and wish him the very best in the future.”
For further information contact Nicola McHugh nicola.mchugh@randox.com
