Tipperary Mineral Water Company

WATER Tipperary Mineral Water

Established 1986

Origin County Tipperary, Ireland

Type Still & Sparkling

WATER ANALYSIS (mg/l)

TDS 272.0

pH Factor 7.7

Calcium 37.0

Chlorides 15.0

Bicarbonate 282.0

Magnesium 25.0

Nitrate .5

Potassium 17.0

Sodium 25.0

Sulphates 10.0

TDS = Total Dissolved Solids

ND = Non-Detectable

Wine and spirits distribution is a potential growth area, although falling alcohol consumption is a cause for concern.

However, Mr Cooney is optimistic that the company will continue to prosper.

"We are a very tightly controlled company; we don't have anyone earning huge salaries, including the managing director, so we're in a much better position to cut the cloth to suit our measure than a multinational with overheads, which we don't have," said Mr Cooney.

"So we feel we're better able to weather any storm than any other competitor in this business."

However, this is just one of many products from a company that has grown from bottling and distributing stout into a successful manufacturer of water, soft drinks and cider. It is also a wholesaler of well-known brands like Finches, Bavaria Beers, with a wine and spirit division that recently bought Gilbey's Wine business from Diageo, in a deal work close to €6m.

That the deal is subject to approval by the Competition Authority is a measure of just how big the Gleeson Group is and how demanding being in charge of marketing is.

I worked hard at product placement. For instance, when Ireland hosted the EU Presidency, I persuaded the Department of Foreign Affairs to put our water on the table for the whole six months. I also worked at getting our water on TV and in all the soaps and films that were being shot here.

''The association, through sponsorship, with sporting events like marathons, golf tournaments, basketball, and triathlons is another aspect. We have 10 regional managers and depots round the country. I find events all over the country that are suitable to sponsor,'' Marie explains. It's done through detailed sponsorship sheets and agreement on all the details, such as the signage and product placement