The business succes stories of Coventry and Warwickshire have been celebrated at the 2019 Coventry Telegraph and BusinessLive Business Awards.
Safetyflex claimed the coveted Company of the Year accolade at this year's event - held at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
Last night's event proved to be one of the biggest and best yet and was extra special as it marked the 25th anniversary of the awards.
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Now in conjunction with BusinessLive, the awards celebrate the success stories of the region.
The 2019 awards also had a very special host in the shape of broadcaster Jeremy Vine, who cut his journalistic teeth as a young reporter on the Coventry Telegraph.
There were eleven main award categories in total, with Safetyflex chosen from 12 award winners to take the overall Company of the Year Award.
Safetyflex came about when Rob and Marcus Gerrard created Truckstopper, an anti-terrorist bollard which can halt an 18-tonne vehicle travelling at 50mph.
Having worked on domestic projects – including the heart of Coventry and nuclear sites around the 海角视频 – Safetyflex explored the overseas market.
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It sought advice from the Department for International Trade, drawing up a strategy centred around partnering with distribution partners.
In the last year the approach has borne fruit with a string of major contract wins.
Safetyflex products have recently been fitted to locations in the US and Australia and distributors in Germany, South America, Belgium and Sweden have been recruited.
The full list of winners was as follows:
Small business of the Year - Widgit Software
New Business of the Year - Aurelius Print Media
Professor Lord Kumar Battacharyya Award for Manufacturer of the Year - Katronic Technologies
Apprentice of the Year - Alexis Considine, The Wigley Group
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Professional Services Firm of the Year - Armstrongs Chartered Accountants
Property and Construction Business of the Year - Cornerstone Partnership
Retail Business of the Year - Joco
Third Sector Organisation of the Year - Zoe’s Place
CSR Project of the Year - Willmott Dixon
Green Business of the Year - HydroVeg Kits and Reyousable (joint winners)
International Trade and Export Award - Safetyflex.
Graeme Brown, editor of the Coventry Telegraph, said: “The businesses of Coventry and Warwickshire aren’t just keeping the lights on, they are innovating, striving for more, creating new jobs and new products.
“Coventry and Warwickshire has always made things that are the envy of the world but tonight shows that we are punching above our weight in more than manufacturing - our services sector is a force to be reckoned with too.
“This year’s awards proved a fitting occasion for us to reflect and celebrate a roll of honour that contains the names of the very best in business in this city and region.”
Mr Brown also thanked the event sponsors, who were: Barclays, Birmingham Airport, Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, CW LEP Growth Hub, Forest of Arden, Jaguar Land Rover, Orbit Group. Ricoh Arena and Wasps and Table Art.
This year saw the manufacturing category renamed in honour of the late Lord Kumar Battacharyya who founded WMG at the University of Warwick.
As an adviser to successive Prime Ministers and secretaries of state, he was a tireless advocate for 海角视频 manufacturing industry and as a trusted ally of Tata Motors and Jaguar Land Rover, he helped change the face of car making in the region.
This year’s awards marked the conclusion of the Coventry & Warwickshire Business Festival.
Craig Hunphrey from the CW LEP Growth Hub said: “The festival is run by business, for business and it was fitting that we concluded this year’s festival at an event that celebrates the brightest stars within our economy.”
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