Women of Steel: Strength Revealed Under Pressure
Like steel, women perform under pressure.
Celebrating women who contribute, lead and excel alongside their peers within the demands of steel industry.
Women of Steel is about recognising strength without comparison – celebrating women who contribute, lead, and excel alongside their peers within the demanding environment of the steel industry. It is not about exclusion or replacement, but about access, opportunity, and the value of diverse capabilities working together.
Graepels were delighted to attend the Women of Steel event, an initiative begun by Irish Steel and current President Sandra Byrne of Eliteform. The event was a thoughtful blend of industry insight, connection, and shared experience.
The day began with a factory tour of Eliteform, offering attendees a first-hand look at operations and process through a factory tour, followed by tea and coffee. From there, the group headed to the stunning Bellingham Castle, where networking continued over refreshments before guests were seated for a series of presentations from women working across different areas of the industry.
Speakers included:
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Aisling Whelan, FM Whelan Engineering
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Sandra Byrne, Eliteform
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Estelle Power, Irish Door Systems
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Orla O’Kennedy, OMNI Assured Certification International
Each speaker shared real stories – of family businesses, career paths in industry, leadership and hard-earned experience. Their personal insights resonated with our team members; Katy Graepel and Gretta Murphy.
Their insights highlighted not only their business acumen, technical expertise, but also their resilience, adaptability and the quiet determination required to succeed in a high-pressure, performance-driven sector.
Belingham Castle Event Location
Katy Graepel (Left) and Gretta Murphy (Right)
Our Takeaways: Lessons from Women of Steel
Events like Women of Steel demonstrate that when access is broadened, industries benefit. Collaboration improves, competition becomes healthier, and everyone gains the opportunity to learn from one another. Different capabilities don’t’ compete against each other- they can complement, strengthen and raise standards across the board.
Our biggest take away was the value that fabricators and manufacturers within Irish Steel can unlock by working together. To achieve true collaboration needs to be trust, respect and transparency.
Trust allows businesses to move beyond the transactional relationships and work in confidence, creating an environment where knowledge can be shared, challenges can be discussed openly, and partnerships can form without fear of vulnerability of being exploited.
Respect recognises that every business – regardless of size, speciality, or position in the supply chain, brings valuable expertise to the table. Respect encourages open conversations.
Transparency is what sustains the collaboration over time. Clear communication around expectations, capabilities and limitations and objectives prevent misunderstandings and builds real credibility. When businesses are open about what they can and can’t deliver collaboration becomes more effective but also more resilient.
Trust, Respect and Transparency enable genuine cooperations and allow competition to remain heathy while creating space for shared learning, innovation and stronger outcomes across the industry. Rather than weakening individual businesses. this approach strengthens the collective capability of Irish Steel as a whole.
Women of steel are not defined by contrast, but by contribution and shared values.
Get Involved, Join the Conversation
Challenge yourself and your team to embrace collaboration. Open doors, share expertise, and see how different strengths can create something greater together.
Looking Learn more about Irish Steel?
Learn more about Irish Steel Association
At Graepels, we’ve seen firsthand how collaboration, trust, and transparency can strengthen not just individual businesses, but the industry as a whole. Whether it’s through shared expertise, innovative solutions, or supporting each other under pressure, we’re committed to helping fabricators and manufacturers unlock their full potential.
If you want to explore how working together can create stronger outcomes for your business, get in touch with us today. Let’s share knowledge, build connections, and rise stronger—just like steel.
