A small midlands jewellery manufacturing firm has started exporting specialised handmade jewellery to the United States where there is a growing demand for its goods.
Operating from High Street, Tullamore, Co Offaly, the company, called Gallery Crest, was set up last year by Michael and Stella Horan.
Michael, a goldsmith, who is a native of the town, and his ex-teacher wife, Stella, had been operating their retail shop, Time Gallery Jewellers, for more than 10 years in the town.
In early 1997 the couple set up a manufacturing company to make personalised jewellery, dealing in so-called "crest" jewellery.
The company's best-selling item is a double-sided family crest fob watch on which the company can hand-engrave family crests or other hand-engraved designs sought by clients.
Last year they used the Internet to advertise their products and since then have been swamped by inquiries from the US. This happened because their advertisement was picked up by the main jewellery magazine for retailers in the US, Retail Jeweller, which has brought a flood of inquiries seeking their designs.
The demand has been so great that Kilkenny-born Stella quit her teaching job to take over a marketing role in the company.
Michael has taken on an apprentice goldsmith, and the company also employs two people to help out at the retail and export end of the company.
"We have moved into heraldic jewellery, and there seems to be an incredible demand for it, especially from New York and Boston. We are currently putting together trade samples for the outlets which want them," said Stella.
"The demand does not come completely from the ethnic market in these cities. It appears to be coming from all sections of the community. I think it's because our products are not mass-produced, and there is a demand for quality items which cannot be imitated by the large manufacturers," she added.
The company is also creating a market in Ireland for American-style jewellery, especially graduation jewellery for schools and school crest rings.
Stella praises the help given to her by the Offaly Enterprise Board which gave her the opportunity to take a number of marketing and other business-related courses.
"They have been a marvellous support for us along the way and they deserve a great deal of credit."