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Emycon 2026: People First, Elevated by AI

On 27 August, the Emydex team came together for Emycon 2026, our annual company-wide event.

Colleagues joined from Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Italy, Slovakia, Poland, Colombia and the United States, while our partner BAADER also joined from Lübeck, Germany.

With teams working across different time zones, Emycon ran in two sessions. The first brought together colleagues in Australia and New Zealand, followed by a second session for Europe and North America, with part of the team also attending in person in Dublin.

Company updates from across Emydex

Emycon gives each area of the business an opportunity to share what teams have been working on and what is coming next.

This year’s programme included updates on key projects, product developments, customer activity and priorities across different teams and regions.

For colleagues working in different markets and functions, it also provides a wider view of what is happening across Emydex and how different areas of the business connect.

AI in practice

AI was a significant part of this year’s programme alongside the wider company updates.

The sessions included training, demonstrations and practical examples of how AI tools are already being used within Emydex to support day-to-day work and improve existing processes.

Rather than focusing on AI as a future concept, the programme looked at how teams can use it now: making it easier to work with information, reducing time spent on repetitive tasks and supporting people in carrying out their roles more efficiently.

Colleagues were also able to see examples from other teams and consider where similar approaches could be useful in their own work.

People First, Elevated by AI

This year’s theme, People First, Elevated by AI, reflected that approach.

AI is being introduced alongside the knowledge already within Emydex, including our experience in food processing, our software expertise and the understanding of customers that teams have developed over many years.

The focus is on using these tools where they can improve the way we work, while keeping people’s knowledge and judgement at the centre of how we develop our products and support our customers.

A global Emydex event

This year’s Emycon connected colleagues across 10 countries and more than a dozen locations, from Dublin, Cork, Galway and Sligo to Auckland, Christchurch, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Kraków, Sasaima and locations across Canada and the United States.

For a team working across several regions, Emycon is a valuable opportunity to bring everyone together and keep the wider business connected.

If you would like to learn more about Emydex and how we work with food processors around the world, visit our Why Emydex page or get in touch with our team.

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Better Again: Emydex Retains Great Place to Work Certification for a Third Year

Based on anonymous employee feedback, the 2026 results gave Emydex an 81% overall positivity score, up from 80% in 2025 and 73% in 2024, with 96% of employees taking part in the survey, our highest participation rate to date. 

It is a result we are proud of, but also one that says something about the people behind Emydex. 

The People Behind the Technology 

Camaraderie was our strongest dimension this year, at 91%. Almost all respondents said Emydex is a physically safe place to work and that people are made to feel welcome when they join, and 96% said they can be themselves here. 

Developers work closely with project teams, project teams work directly with customers, and support teams draw on knowledge built up across the business. People rely on each other every day.

David McMahon, CEO of Emydex, said:  

Three years in, the trend keeps moving the right way. What I take most pride in is that our people can see the link between what they told us last year and what actually changed this year. That’s what makes a survey worth doing again. 

A Culture That Has to Keep Evolving 

Receiving the certification for a third year does not mean the employee experience is finished, or that there is nothing left to improve. One of the main reasons we keep taking part in Great Place to Work is the feedback itself. The survey gives our people an independent, anonymous way to tell us what is working and where they want to see change. 

Confidence that Emydex will act on that feedback reached 80% this year. Asking people what they think only has value when their answers stay part of the conversation afterwards. 

Urszula Stawicka, who leads culture and engagement at Emydex, added:  

An 81% score is a good headline, but the 96% response rate tells us just as much. People took the time to answer because they trust that we listen. Our job now is to keep giving them reasons to.

As Emydex continues to grow, we want to keep building a company where experienced people want to stay, new people feel welcome, and teams can do their best work together. 

Thank you to everyone who took part in this year’s survey, and to the wider Emydex team who shape our culture every day. 

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Emydex at VIV Europe 2026

VIV Europe 2026 marked the 25th edition of the event, bringing together professionals from over 70 countries at Jaarbeurs Utrecht in the Netherlands for three days of innovation, collaboration and knowledge sharing across the global animal protein industry.

As one of the sector’s leading international exhibitions, the event provided an excellent platform for manufacturers, suppliers and technology providers to exchange ideas, explore new technologies and strengthen industry relationships.

Emydex was proud to exhibit alongside BAADER, welcoming customers, partners and industry professionals from around the world. The event also provided a valuable opportunity to connect with industry partners, including Mike Wardlaw from LINCO Food Systems, and strengthen relationships across the food processing industry.

Valuable Conversations Across the Industry

Throughout the exhibition, David McMahon and Robert Tobin represented Emydex, reconnecting with existing customers, meeting new industry contacts and discussing the evolving challenges facing food processors.

Conversations focused on key priorities across the industry, including digital transformation, traceability, quality management, operational efficiency and the increasing need for real-time visibility across production operations.

These discussions reinforced the continued importance of connected software solutions that help processors improve performance, strengthen compliance and make more informed operational decisions.

Thank You

We would like to sincerely thank everyone who visited the Emydex team during VIV Europe 2026.

Whether you stopped by to learn more about our software, discuss an existing project or explore future opportunities, we truly appreciate your time and the valuable conversations shared throughout the event.

We also extend our thanks to BAADER for another successful exhibition and for the opportunity to exhibit alongside their team.

If we did not have the opportunity to meet in Utrecht, or if you would like to learn more about how Emydex helps food processors improve traceability, quality management and factory floor performance, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Get in touch with our team to arrange a personalised demonstration and discover how Emydex can support your operation.

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The Architect of Evolution: Sharad Nair’s 10 Year Emydex Platform Journey

Over the last decade, Emydex Technology has evolved from a trusted desktop solution into a broader software platform supporting food processors across desktop, web and mobile technologies in more than 150 plants across over 20 countries and 5 continents worldwide.

A key figure behind that evolution has been Sharad Nair, who joined Emydex in 2016 and now serves as Technical Team Lead. Over the years, he has played a fundamental role in modernising the company’s software architecture and development approach, helping transform Emydex into a more scalable and future-focused platform for global food processing operations

Reflecting on that journey, Sharad says the foundations were already strong when he joined the company.

When I joined, Emydex already had a powerful product and deep industry knowledge. My focus was helping modernise how we built on top of that foundation.”

Evolving from Desktop Software to a Modern MES Platform

One of the biggest challenges was evolving the platform without losing the flexibility customers depended on.

As Emydex continued growing internationally, the challenge was not simply expanding the software, but evolving it in a way that improved scalability, maintainability and consistency without losing the operational flexibility customers depended on.

According to Sharad, the opportunity was to build on years of industry experience to create a stronger and more future-focused platform for modern food processing operations.

Over the years, that evolution introduced stronger software architecture, reusable components, automation, improved deployment processes and expanded web and mobile capabilities.

Today, Emydex supports food processors across multiple sectors and international markets with software designed to improve traceability, operational visibility, production efficiency and scalability across the factory floor.

James Grennan, Founder and Technical Director at Emydex Technology, believes one of the company’s biggest strengths has always been balancing deep industry knowledge with strong technical expertise.

Sharad has helped modernise the way we build software while staying grounded in the operational realities of food processing. That balance is incredibly important.”

Improving Engineering Standards and Software Delivery

A major milestone during that evolution was leading the company-wide transition from Team Foundation Server to Git.

While technical in nature, the move had a much broader impact on how development teams collaborated, managed releases, improved quality control and accelerated software delivery across the business.

“It was not just a code migration. It changed how we worked, from branching and code reviews to build processes, release discipline and team collaboration.”

Over the last 10 years, Sharad has also helped introduce modern development tools, stronger engineering practices, automation and improved deployment processes across the company.

The result has been a more consistent and scalable approach to software development, helping Emydex continue evolving its platform while supporting customer projects across international markets.

Building Technology with Long-Term Thinking

Beyond the technical side, Sharad says the people and culture at Emydex have been a major reason behind his long-term commitment to the company.

What kept me going at Emydex was not just the technical challenge, but the people, the culture, and the trust shown in me. The support from the team, and the confidence David McMahon, CEO of Emydex Technology, placed in me, gave me the energy to help shape Emydex from building applications to building a platform for the future.”

David McMahon, CEO at Emydex Technology, says Sharad has played a major role in the company’s technical evolution over the last decade.

“His focus on long-term thinking, engineering standards and continuous improvement has helped strengthen both our platform and the way our development teams work.”

Supporting the Future of Food Processing Technology

Looking ahead, Sharad believes the next major shift will come from how AI and automation can further improve both software development and food processing operations.

Having started his software career before modern internet access became commonplace, he sees today’s advances as transformational for the industry.

“The opportunity to use AI to improve our products, our development process, and the value we deliver to customers is something that really excites me. In the end, our customers will be the real winners.”

As food processors continue modernising operations, improving traceability and scaling production across multiple sites, the technology supporting those operations must continue evolving too.

Over the last decade, Sharad has helped shape that evolution at Emydex, contributing to a software platform designed to support the changing needs of modern food processing businesses today and into the future.

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Emydex Recognised as One of Ireland’s Best Workplaces for Health & Wellbeing 2026 by Great Place to Work

Emydex Technology is proud to be recognised as one of Ireland’s Best Workplaces for Health & Wellbeing 2026, awarded by Great Place to Work®.

This recognition is based on employee feedback and is part of the global Best Workplaces methodology. It highlights organisations that support employee health, mental wellbeing and a balanced working environment.

Wellbeing in action across our teams

Over the past 12 months, wellbeing at Emydex has been reflected in the way our teams spend time together, both inside and outside of work.

Across the year, our colleagues have taken part in more than six runs together, alongside several hikes and a range of informal activities that bring people together in a more relaxed way. From friendly games in the office to shared moments outside of it, these experiences have become a natural part of how our teams connect.

Some of these moments have also taken place internationally. This includes travelling to Lübeck to take part in the Lübeck Marathon alongside colleagues and our partners at BAADER, combining a shared challenge with the opportunity to strengthen relationships across teams.

One of the highlights this year was Emydex Move 26, a global wellbeing challenge that encouraged employees to stay active and build healthy habits. Colleagues from across our teams, not only in Ireland but around the world, logged their activities and took part together. It created a strong sense of shared momentum and was a great way to start the year.

The everyday environment matters

Back in the office, it is often the small things that make a difference.

A quick game of pool or darts, taking a break to catch up with colleagues, or having fresh fruit available throughout the day all contribute to a more balanced and enjoyable working environment.

We also support our teams through regular health initiatives, encouraging everyone to take a proactive approach to their wellbeing.

Being recognised as one of Ireland’s Best Workplaces for Health & Wellbeing reflects the experience our teams have every day. It comes from consistency, shared experiences and a culture where people feel supported and comfortable doing their best work.

As Emydex continues to grow internationally, maintaining a strong workplace culture and supporting employee wellbeing remains a key focus.

We would like to thank all our colleagues across Emydex for making this recognition possible.

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Emydex on Site: Harvey Beef and WAMMCO

Emydex on Site brings teams directly onto the factory floor, working alongside processors to understand real operations and support live production environments.

During a recent visit to Western Australia, Shane Hayes, General Manager Australasia, spent time on site with Harvey Beef and WAMMCO, engaging with plant teams, reviewing systems in use and aligning on the next phase of operational and technology development.

These visits formed part of our ongoing commitment to strengthening customer relationships, understanding operational realities, and ensuring Emydex continues to deliver solutions that genuinely make a difference.

Harvey Beef – Supporting upcoming improvements

At Harvey Beef, discussions focused on upcoming process changes and how the Emydex MES platform can continue to support the plant as operations evolve.

As production requirements shift, the priority is to ensure systems remain aligned with the reality of the factory floor, supporting throughput, maintaining traceability and reducing dependency on manual intervention.

This was followed by a visit from Alan Doocey, Helpdesk Support Technician and Implementation Software Engineer at Emydex, who supported a server migration and worked closely with on site teams to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of live operations.

Shane Hayes commented:

“Spending time on site with the people using Emydex every day gives us a clear understanding of what is working well and where improvements can deliver real impact. That feedback directly informs how we continue to evolve the platform.”

WAMMCO – Planning for Phase 2 and future enhancements

At WAMMCO’s Katanning facility, the focus was on planning the next stage of implementation.

Phase 2 will introduce additional functionality designed to remove manual processes, improve data accuracy and streamline workflows across the plant.

By building on the foundation already established, the objective is to strengthen operational control while reducing inefficiencies that impact performance at scale.

Exploring new opportunities in the region

During the trip, Shane also met with several industry prospects across WA.

Conversations focused on how Emydex’s proven MES platform can help improve business practices, unlock traceability gains, reduce rework, and deliver the operational visibility modern processors require.

Driving value through presence and partnership

Site visits play a critical role in how Emydex continues to evolve its platform and support processing environments.

Understanding how operators interact with systems on the factory floor, where friction occurs and what drives performance, ensures that every enhancement is grounded in real operational conditions.

This approach enables the delivery of technology that integrates into production, supports decision making and drives measurable outcomes across the business.

Emydex thanks the teams at Harvey Beef and WAMMCO for their time, insights and collaboration. Continued engagement will support the next phase of operational development across both sites.

 

Looking to improve performance across your factory floor?

Book a meeting to explore how Emydex can support your operations.
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