Waterford Area Partnership undergo major company rebrand
Pictured outside the offices of Buíon, formally known as Waterford Area Partnership were the staff and management who attended the re-branding launch. Photo: Noel Browne
Waterford Area Partnership have launched a new company brand identity, which includes a name change.
The Local Development Company oversees a number of roles, including community development, addressing food poverty, ensuring employment training and access and providing education and personal development opportunities.
The new brand, Buíon Phort Láirge, is a result of a yearlong process to review, refresh and update the company’s identity.
Buíon is an Irish word for a group or crew of people working together in partnership.
The group will also be proceeding with a new logo and tagline, “Supporting People and Communities”.
The re-branding project was managed by a working group made up of the groups' CEO, Chairperson and a number of staff representatives who worked with the Waterford design agency True Output.
Speaking on the re-brand, Liam Quinn, CEO said: “We are modernising our brand identity to reflect the company’s mission, vision, values and objectives. Buíon Phort Láirge will continue to deliver employment, education, business and community development programmes to diverse individuals and groups in Waterford with a focus on promoting positive change and building thriving and inclusive communities.”
The re-brand launch was attended last week by Cllr Blaise Hannigan, who deputised for Waterford Mayor Seamus Ryan, Minister Mary Butler TD and Minister John Cummins TD.
During the launch, Catherine O’Neill, the longest standing staff member, brought the invited guests back to the formation of the local development company in Waterford in 1996, which has now grown from a staff of three then to a staff of over fifty now.
A new Board of Directors was put in place in 2021 to steer the company out of a problematic period.
Whilst acknowledging that difficult spell, current Cathaoirleach Eoin Ronayne, called on the political representatives present at the launch to address the outdated business model of funding which is constrained by short term contracts, a lack of parity with public service employees and the risk of staff, skills and experience loss that this brings.
