Our Story – Speedpak Group

Milestones

Key Milestones in Speedpak’s Evolution:

- 1995
Speedpak Limited was founded by local development company Northside Partnership and began trading as Speedpak Contract Services to Industry. It was contracted by then state training agency FÁS to operate a Community Employment programme.
- 1999
Secured a 999-year lease for premises in Clonshaugh Business & Technology Park, Dublin 17. It also received Government grant support to build its first training facility and acquired a craft industry business, Shamrock Rosettes to expand its work experience and training opportunities.
- 2004
Obtained the company’s first finance loan from social finance lender Clann Credo to support investment in its capital expenditure programme.
- 2008
Commissioned research to develop a Distance Travelled monitoring system to capture a trainees progression to employability while working and training in the company.
- 2009
Piloted a Workplace Accreditation Model (WAM) that converted workplace learning into an educational qualification equivalent to the Leaving Certificate.
- 2010
Won an Arthur Guinness Fund Award in Social Entrepreneurship for WAM and expanded its delivery. Responded to the economic crisis by increasing its trainee workforce by 50%. Secured its first Community Service Programme contract from Government to deliver more social impact through the company’s work integration model of operating.
- 2016
Developed a new Enhanced Skills Programme (ESP), funded by JP Morgan Chase Foundation with industry partners (AbbVie, IKEA, Bewley’s, Butlers and Realtime Technologies), matching local unemployed talent with jobs in warehousing and logistics. The company had now employed and trained 1,000 long-term unemployed people since its foundation.
- 2017
Expanded our commercial facility to 1,200 sq metres by leasing an adjoining unit.
- 2018
Refurbished our Learning Centre with grant investment from corporate supporter AbbVie. Co-produced the first Traineeship Programme in the City of Dublin ETB with Coláiste Dhúlaigh College of Further Education. Built on our Enhanced Skills Programme, the traineeship was delivered from the Speedpak Learning Centre with investment support from The Ireland Funds Flagship Fund and Rethink Ireland. Speedpak Contract Services also added a new e-commerce fulfilment service to its offering.
- 2019
The Irish Government launched its first National Social Enterprise Policy from Speedpak HQ. A new “Distance Travelled” software database was also developed and trialled to monitor employability indicators.
- 2020
Speedpak was awarded the Rethink Ireland Social Enterprise Development Fund and Dormant Account Fund ‘Kickstarter’ Programme. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company provided essential services as a distributor of Personal Protection Equipment for one of its commercial customers, remaining operational throughout to support the health sector in Ireland.
- 2023
Built a new bespoke manufacturing facility for Shamrock Rosettes operation which facilitated expansion of Speedpak’s Contract Services & e-Fulfilment business. This project was managed by lead partner AbbVie with social investment support from AbbVie, Northside Home Care Service and the Dormant Account Funds alongside repayable loan finance secured from Clann Credo.
- 2024
Winner of the Business & Finance ESG Social Impact Award (SME). Employed and trained 1,650 people since 1995.
- 2025
Secured People & Planet First Verification. As part of the company’s Sustainability Charter ambition, installed solar panels with investment support from The Ireland Fund Peoples Impact Fund. Secured investment from Governments Dormant Account Fund to improve physical accessibility for trainees with mobility challenges and upgrade to LED lighting to reduce emissions in line with our Sustainability Charter ambitions.
- 2026
Secured impact investment funding from Rethink Ireland to develop and run Enhanced Tech Skills Programmes for 30 previously unemployed young people with ESG support from our lead industry partner, AbbVie. This practical, future-focused training and development programme is designed to equip participants with in-demand digital, technical and transversal skills to access entry level IT user or IT support roles.