SINCE 1969
OUR STORY
A Hamilton family business built on craftsmanship, engraving expertise, and awards that celebrate real achievement.
50+ Years of Craftsmanship, Innovation & Custom Fabrication
Since 1969, Aran Awards & Engraving has served Hamilton with custom awards, engraving, signage, and industrial identification. What began as a recognition business built around schools and community achievement has grown into a broader local shop serving teams, employers, facilities, and organisations across the region.
If you are here to find the right service quickly, start with Trophies, Plaques, Awards, and Medals, Name Tags, Badges, and Signs, Custom Engraving & UV Printing, Sustainable Awards, or Community Impact.
The Foundation: How Kieran Begadon’s Passion Became a Hamilton Institution
Our journey began with Kieran Begadon, who immigrated from Ireland and built a life in Hamilton as a dedicated local teacher. In his work with students and athletes, he saw that the trophies meant to celebrate their hard work often lacked the quality they deserved.
In 1969, acting on this simple observation, he started Aran Awards & Engraving as a side hustle. His goal was clear: create awards worthy of the achievements they represented. His meticulous, hands-on approach quickly earned a reputation for excellence, and word-of-mouth spread. Kieran soon took the leap, turning his passion into a full-time mission and building a true Hamilton institution.
The Next Generation: Honouring Tradition, Driving Innovation
Today, the legacy is carried forward by the next generation. While staying grounded in the quality standards that shaped the business, Aran Awards has expanded beyond traditional trophies and plaques into engraving, UV printing, signage, industrial labels, and other practical custom work for Hamilton-area businesses and organisations.
Today the shop offers custom laser engraving and UV printing alongside awards, signage, and industrial identification work. That capability supports projects such as:
Our Commitment to Craft & Community
Being a family-run business means our name and our story are on every piece that leaves our workshop. But our commitment extends beyond our walls and into the community that has supported us for over 50 years.
A Legacy of Giving Back to Hamilton
We believe in building a stronger community through action. We are incredibly proud to be long-standing supporters of vital local charities, including:
- Over 30 years of proud sponsorship for Good Shepherd Centres
- Over 10 years of support for both Interval House and the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA
A Partnership You Can Trust
Our goal is to build lasting relationships with our clients. But don’t just take our word for it:
DARLENE T.
“There is no service better for your engraving, awards, customized/personalized gifts than ARAN Awards. Anne and her team provide gold standard customer service. Let’s support our local Canadian businesses!”
Work With A Hamilton Team That Knows The Region
Whether you’re recognizing an employee milestone, ordering team awards, outfitting an office, or labelling equipment, Aran combines long local experience with current engraving and printing capability. The goal is straightforward: help customers get durable work that suits the job and is easy to order.
Contact Aran Awards for a quote, or start with the service page that best matches your project.