1984 - Alan Hyde (Protoplas)

The 1984 Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Northern Ireland) was won by Alan Hyde and their business Protoplas.

Back in 1984, Alan Hyde realised there was a growing use of new generation plastics in many industries and believed there was a new business opportunity in plastic repair with huge potential.

Alan developed new technology that allowed high quality, invisible repairs to plastic parts, such as car bumpers, and then set up Protoplas as the company to deliver that technology to market.

Between 1984 and 1996 the Protoplas technology, which was endorsed by many of the world’s insurers, was transferred to hundreds of businesses under licence around the world. Having taken the business to its full potential, Alan sold Protoplas, and with his passion for motorsport and business, established Protosport, which is a commercial motorsport entertainment business.

Protosport provides high-adrenalin, corporate team building and private entertainment through many forms of motorsport, including rallying, buggy racing, and quad biking. Protosport also promotes around eighteen rally events each year for customers with privately owned rally cars and provides competitions for drivers as young as 12 years of age. 

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To find out more about how you could be walking away with the £10,000 Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award please go to our Awards page.