Duke Visits 'Spuds' Company

The Duke of York arrived in Northern Ireland earlier today - and was this afternoon finding all about local spuds.

Prince Andrew visited Mash Direct at its farm just outside Comber, a company that was founded in 2004 and has evolved from a cottage-style business created to 'add value' to the farm's own raw materials, to a sophisticated world-class food company.

HRH was greeted by David Lindsay, Lord-Lieutenant of Co Down, and went on to meet Martin Hamilton and Tracy Hamilton, founders and directors of the company, both of whom accompanied the Duke of York during the engagement.

The Prince heard that the firm now has a turnover in excess of £4.2m and employs over 50 staff.

The company promotes its products as 'Field-to-fork in 24 hours' and it is now a market leader in the production of innovative farm fresh convenient mashed root vegetables, potato and vegetable products.

During the tour HRH also met Gary Adams, Farm Manager, and viewed the onboard controls of the De Wulf Root Harvester machine and watched a demonstration of the harvester in action.

Earlier this afternoon the royal visitor was at the County Antrim Yacht Club (CAYC) in Whitehead.

His Royal Highness, who is patron of CAYC, opened the new clubhouse and joined the celebrations marking its centenary year.

Prince Andrew was greeted by the Lord-Lieutenant of County Antrim, Joan Christie, and went on to meet Steven Canning, Commodore and John Lewis, Club Principal, who accompanied HRH during the engagement.

Earlier, his first engagement of the day was to Randox Laboratories, Co Antrim.

Prince Andrew was also welcomed there by the Lord-Lieutenant of Co Antrim, with Joan Christie then introducing Dr Peter Fitzgerald, Randox Laboratories Managing Director and Colonel (Retd) Mark Campbell, a senior manager.

Following a meeting with the Randox senior management team, His Royal Highness, accompanied by David Martin, Training Manager, went on a tour of the 220,000 square feet complex.

HRH visited the Evidence Laboratory, Product Formulation, Sales, and Research and Development offices and had the opportunity to meet some of the staff who have helped Randox become the UK's largest indigenous diagnostics company, supplying products to 30,000 laboratories in 130 countries across the globe.

Following the tour His Royal Highness went on to meet a number of staff at a reception in the company restaurant where Dr Fitzgerald offered a few words of welcome.

Randox, established in 1982, is an independent, privately owned health care diagnostics company employing almost 600 staff in Northern Ireland with another 250 around the world.

The company researches, develops and manufactures high quality and innovative hospital diagnostic tests at their site near Crumlin.

(BMcC/GK)