Entrepreneurial Contribution - JCI Ireland

Tommy Griffth, founder & CEO of PEL Waste Reduction Equipment is awarded for his entrepreneurial contribution by JCI Ireland at an awards ceremony in Breaffy House, in Castlebar, May 2013.

The awards were hosted by JCI Ireland, a worldwide community of active citizens who share the belief that in order to create positive change we must take collective action to improve ourselves and the world around us.

Tommy Griffith was recognized for his entrepreneurial contribution as a result of his design and manufacture of the world’s first under counter bottle crusher “Baby Jaws”. 

Positivity is Tommy Griffith’s most important attribute, and the ability to see the positive in what others considered a problem led him to the idea of developing PEL Waste Reduction Equipment and Baby Jaws, the Under Counter Bottle Crusher.

Before the PEL Bottle Crusher entered the hospitality sector would store empty bottles in bins in the bar, and outside the bar. Space is often limited, and a publican once explained that if one rubbish bin collection was missed the business would not physically have the space to store new stock coming in. In terms of searching for a solution, efforts were placed on increasing bin collections, or optimizing delivery of stock. Tommy viewed the problem from a different angle; he disrupted the status quo, and turned a source into a resource. Crushed glass is in high demand, especially when it is available in the larger quantities, as is often the case in busy city centre pubs. Tommy Griffith effectively turned a problem into a win-win situation for all involved.

JCI states that it “engages in activities ranging from sustainable development to international projects, taking responsibility for our communities while improving ourselves through participation, leadership and action”. Tommy was commended for his contribution to his local community by creating employment and establishing a manufacturing plant in his local area, and for his contribution to a global waste management problem.

“By developing the bottle crusher, Tommy had successfully shattered the status quo, and has uncovered change. By exploiting this opportunity, Tommy has successfully created a new business and thus brought a new revenue stream to his local area, and a solution to a problem encountered by the hospitality industry globally”. JCI Ireland

Other winners on the night included Katie Taylor, who was awarded for her sporting achievements and Mayo based Jenny Brennan, founder of Virtual Office Worx.