Profits at Ennis-based Covid-19 PPE supplier surge to €2.9m

Profits at a little-known Ennis firm that was the largest Irish-based provider of Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Health Service Executive (HSE) last year rose to €2.86 million.

The profits of €2.86 million for 2020 follow profits of €139,827 for 2019. Accounts for EKO Integrated Services Ltd show that, at the end of last year, the company was sitting on accumulated profits of €3.23 million.

Range

Last year, figures released by the HSE showed that the company received €102.4 million for providing PPE and equipment to the HSE.

As EKO is a secondary supplier, most of the money paid by the HSE to it would be forwarded to the producer of the PPE in China.

Newbridge Silverware on course for 'solid profit' in 2021

---

Primark trading ahead of expectations, says parent company

---

Boohoo warns on outlook, blaming higher returns and pandemic costs

---

Dealz owner Pepco Group core earnings up 46% on new store openings

---

EKO Integrated Services is led by Clare man Eugene Keane, whose business background is building houses.

Today, EKO – with offices in Ennis, Dublin and Beijing – is the overarching company for a diverse range of businesses in the fields of property and asset management, renewable energy and product distribution.

The initial HSE order involved EKO organising 30 planeloads of PPE for the HSE, and EKO dealt with three different manufacturers in China.

A spokeswoman for the company said on Thursday that 2020 was “productive, diverse and challenging”.

“It opened up further new opportunities in highly unforeseen circumstances and built increased confidence in the company’s ability to deliver large-scale projects to high standards and tight deadlines,” she said.

Commitments

“EKO fulfilled its commitments to meet HSE orders placed in 2020 and delivered on all orders received from the HSE by February 2021,” she said.

The accounts show that employee numbers at EKO last year increased from 12 to 17 and the spokeswoman said that the current employee numbers were 40.

Commenting on the firm’s role in transporting PPE to Ireland, the spokeswoman said: “The company is gratified by its contribution in very urgent and demanding times. EKO is fully committed to best-possible service delivery to all clients and is especially pleased that its teams at home and abroad could support the HSE in a proactive and constructive way at a time of national need.”

Pay to directors last year increased from €44,132 to €348,603.