Athlone business leader to retire
Athlone man Pat Beirne, CEO and founder of Mergon, the Castlepollard based multi-national plastics engineering firm, has announced he is to retire later this month.
Mr Beirne is stepping down as the CEO of the firm he founded in 1981 and will officially hand the reins over to Padhraic McGinn on Monday, September 18.
A native of Athlone, Mr Beirne said that it “has been an honour to oversee Mergon's growth from a small start up to a multi-national engineering group”.
“The pandemic delayed this change of leadership as I wanted to provide continuity through that difficult period. I am delighted that the company has found a great new CEO to lead future success and growth. I look forward to continuing as chairman of Mergon Companies and as a board member of MAPP (Manufacturers Association of Plastics Processors) in the USA."
In a statement released in recent days, Mergon paid tribute to its departing CEO. “Under Pat Beirne's guidance, Mergon has grown from modest beginnings in Ireland to become a global plastics engineering group. With a steadfast commitment to excellence and a strong emphasis on core values, Mergon has expanded its operations to encompass six state-of-the-art plants spread across five countries, including Anderson, SC, and Saltillo, Mexico. The company is headquartered in Castlepollard. Mergon currently employing over 1,100 highly skilled professionals.
“Since its inception, Mergon has been driven by the core values of care, confidence, and curiosity. Pat's unwavering dedication to the company's core values has not only earned Mergon an excellent reputation but also cultivated an environment of innovation and collaboration.”
In 2019, British private equity firm Elysian Capital secured a majority stake in Mergon in a multi-million euro deal with the Beirne family retaining a significant shareholding.
James Cunningham, partner at Elysian Capital, said: "This is a momentous day in Mergon's history as the baton is passed to a new CEO. Pat Beirne has built a formidable company from its base in Ireland, and I am extremely grateful for his extended leadership through the pandemic. I am very pleased that we have found an excellent successor in Padhraic McGinn who will continue the work of growing this great company."
Mr McGinn has over 25 years leadership experience in medical device, pharma, diagnostics and automotive manufacturing including plastics.
He says that he is “thrilled to take over the reins at Mergon from Pat Beirne”.
“He and the team have built an impressive company which is now at a point of new expansion. I want to thank the team for their welcome to Mergon and look forward to great success in the years ahead."