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The 27th M.E.N Business of the Year Awards took place last night honouring businesses across a range of sectors including manufacturing, tech and construction.

Around 350 people turned out for the glittering awards ceremony held at The Principal, Manchester.

Executive sponsors for this year’s awards include; PwC, Manchester Airport, Robert Walters, Hill Dickinson, Barclays, Brewin Dolphin and LDC.

Category sponsors are Bolton School and Salford Business School.

Turnover £100m+ sponsored by PwC - musicMagpie

musicMagpie is a north west tech business at the forefront of the global re-commerce revolution.

Founded by entrepreneurs Steve Oliver and Walter Gleeson in a garage in Stockport in 2007, the international business has undergone a significant transformation since its formative years, from the buying and selling of CDs, DVDs, and video games, to now focusing on consumer technology, such as smartphones, tablets, MacBooks, wearables and game consoles.

The site and mobile app allows customers to get cash easily for their unwanted tech items such as smart phones, iPads, MacBooks and wearables, as well as media items such as CDs, DVDs and books.

In 2016, the company launched its online store enabling consumers to purchase high quality refurbished technology at a fraction of the price of new products.

The business is set to exceed £130m in group revenue this year, and has seen accelerated growth since the introduction of its consumer technology offering and also establishing its US business Decluttr, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia.

It was the first company in the world to pass 10m in eBay feedback and it now exports to buyers in 140 countries around the world.

The brand is one of a select few to have also achieved 100,000 reviews on Trustpilot.

Founder Steve Oliver said: “We won in the £25m to £50m category in 2011 and so to come back and win the top award is amazing and a reflection of how far we have come.

“We have been on a transformative journey where we have pivoted the business model to become the ������Ƶ’s number one phone reseller.

“Our Decluttr business is growing and now accounts for 30 per cent of turnover. We continue to expand and invest in our business and our staff and tonight’s awards reflects that.”

Head office outside Greater Manchester (turnover £50m+) sponsored by Manchester Airport - Russells Construction

Russells Construction is one of the north west’s main contractors employing more than 180 staff at its Trafford Park headquarters.

In the summer, the firm attracted significant investment from one of the world’s largest construction groups, South African-based Wilson Bayly Hornes-Ovcon (WBHO), which acquired a 60 per cent stake in the business as part of a strategic plan to maximise opportunities within the ������Ƶ market.

The firm, established in 1997 by Andrew and Gareth Russell, undertakes new build and refurbishment projects for some of the largest developers across the region and beyond, and has built a reputation for innovation, quality and proven delivery at a competitive price.

Clients include operators such as Motel One, Premier Inn, Travelodge, Holiday Inn, Park Inn by Radisson, Waitrose, Morrisons and Yearsley Group, and developers including Select Properties, Derwent Group, Peel Holdings, Royal London Asset Management, Property Alliance Group, Bruntwood and LPC Living.

Turnover in 2018 was £60.6m, up from £52m in the previous year

Russells Construction is active in Manchester with 11 projects in the city centre, as well as major industrial, logistics and residential schemes throughout the north, midlands and the south east.

Looking ahead, the company is stepping up to become a Tier 1 contractor.

The business is also set to begin delivery of the £400m south Heywood masterplan, which includes a 1.45m sq ft employment space and around 1,000 homes.

The additional support of WBHO means the firm has the potential to explore larger, national and public sector projects.

On winning the award, Gareth Russell, joint managing director, said: “It’s a fantastic achievement and great credit for all the staff and nice reward for all the effort that’s been put in by everybody.

“I think we’ve grown as a business and the buildings that we’re constructing now are right up there with big ������Ƶ construction companies, so we like to think we’re a formidable force in the Manchester region.”

Joint managing director Andrew Russell added: “This award is a recognition of what we’ve constructed in the city centre and in the region and the team we’ve assembled.

“We’ve got some exciting opportunities coming up, with more of the same, more construction, which been successful for us over our 20-plus year history and that’s what we like to do, we like to build.”

Turnover £50m - £100m sponsored by Robert Walters - EDAM Group

Accident management experts EDAM is on track to hit £100m turnover by 2020.

The company, which reported revenues of £68.3m in 2018 and employs more than 400 staff at its New Acre House base in Manchester, is one of the ������Ƶ’s leading service provider of credit hire and post accident services.

Since 2016 EDAM has been on a strong growth trajectory. Having restructured the teams within the business, it launched its 2020 vision a year later with an ambition to double the size of the business in three years.

In 2018 it also opened a new depot in Scotland, increased its fleet, introduced a new leadership development programme, introduced a FCA-standard complaint handling process and created new jobs to implement its growth.

This is the second time the company has won an M.E.N business awards after it was triumphant in the 2010 ceremony, taking home the award in the £10m-£25m category.

EDAM CEO Steve Turner said: “It’s nice to get external recognition for what I think is a great business and for somebody else to see that and recognise it too feels good, it feels very good.

“The guys work really hard in the business.”

Looking forward, Mr Turner said EDAM “wants to grow”.

“We’ve got a better financial platform, we understand our customers and we want to offer more service to more people”.

Turnover £25m - £50m sponsored by Hill Dickinson - M&I Materials

Specialist materials manufacturer M&I Materials exports to more than 60 countries around the globe from its Trafford Park base.

The company, which has a network of international offices and production facilities in the Americas, Africa, Middle East, Europe and Asia Pacific, specialises in the commercialisation of materials for demanding applications.

The £38m revenue company works across a range of sectors, from power and aerospace to nuclear medicine and high-performance motorsports, with clients including Siemens, ABB, Boeing, NASA and F1.

Its brands include Apiezon, a global market leader in high vacuum greases, sealants and lubricants, Metrosil, a leader in surge protection solutions used to safeguard electrical power networks worldwide, Midel, a fire-safe, biodegradable, ester-based dielectric transformer fluid used by utilities and transformer manufacturers, and Wolfmet, which is recognised as one of the world’s leading aerospace tungsten providers.

In 2018, the business benefitted from significant capital investment in its Trafford Park site with a new production line and internationally with major initiatives such as the opening if new production facilities in South Africa.

It continues its international expansion with new contracts in New York, China and the Middle East.

CEO Giles Salt said: “This awards means so much for all of our staff.

“We don’t make a fuss about what we do so to be recognised in this way is great and a huge thank to the judges who took their time to listen to us and learn about the business.

“We are a Manchester manufacturer with innovative products and we are proud to be doing business in this region and exporting to over 60 countries.”

Turnover £10m - £25m sponsored by Brewin Dolphin - HMG Paints

Taking home the prize in the £10m - £25m category, HMG paints said the award was a tribute to their late chairman Brian Falder, the son of the founder of the business.

Founded in 1930, HMG Paints has grown from a tiny room with only three people to become one of the ������Ƶ’s largest independent paint manufacturers.

With a broad spectrum of knowledge and expertise, HMG boasts a portfolio including wet paint, powder coatings and aerosols, covering virtually every type of surface imaginable.

This is all backed by an extensive 80-plus years’ experience in developing and pioneering coatings for a myriad of industries including; industrial, specialist industrial, automotive, commercial vehicle, defence, aerospace, wood finish, decorative, arts and craft, marine and rail.

Employing local people, the majority of its 181 staff members live within five miles of the business and it has seen generations of families who have worked through the business, passing on knowledge and expertise to future generations.

2019 has been an exciting year for the company as it launches an e-commerce website for its newly launched HMG decorative coatings range. It will be the first time HMG Paints has sold anything online in its history, broadening its clientele.

Another area of growth is the business’s defence coatings market and toll manufacturing.

Said Gracienne Ikin, digital sales and communications manager: “Brian was an inspiration to us all and this award is a tribute to him and his hard work.

“He was firm believer in treating everyone who works at HMG as family and that ethos runs through the business.

“Our staff will be made up with this, it’s a great achievement.”

Turnover £5m - £10m sponsored by Manchester Evening News - Steamforged Games Ltd

Steamforged Games, the tabletop games company, has accelerated its growth following a £5m investment earlier this year.

The company which is responsible for tabletop versions of Resident Evil 2, Horizon: Zero Dawn and Dark Souls - Devil May Cry: The Bloody Palace, have been using funds from Foresight Group to support new product development, which is the company’s principal growth driver and a key strength.

In the pipeline for the next 24 months are eight additional games currently in production or development. The investment will also support the development of the company’s retail channels and help accelerate international growth.

Co-founders Rich Loxam and Mat Hart are games enthusiasts who have dedicated their free time to create ‘Guild Ball’, a sports-based miniature game which went on to achieve critical acclaim. Since then, the team has developed a portfolio of games based on both original and licensed IP.

Their early success led to winning licences to develop games for several renowned video game titles and, in doing so, Steamforged has succeeded in carving out a niche in a market estimated to be worth around £2.3bn.

Previously based in the corner of a retail store in Stockport, the company has since moved to 16,000 sq ft premises in Manchester to support its growing team of 52.

Founder Rich Lomax said: “This was the first time we have entered anything like this.

“If you’re in Manchester you want to win the MEN Business Awards and we’re delighted.

“This shows the world what we do and that is making cool games.”

Turnover £1m - £5m sponsored by Salford Business School - AlphaBiolabs

AlphaBiolabs provides DNA, drug and alcohol testing services to a client base which includes members of the public, businesses, family and immigration law solicitors, social services, the media (including The Jeremy Kyle Show) and universities.

The company, founded in 2004, has one of the largest laboratories of its kind in Europe.

Its DNA testing services include maternity, paternity, sibling, aunt, uncle, grandparents, twin, Y chromosome and pre-natal.

The lab has also developed state-of-the-art techniques to provide an accurate record of alcohol or drug abuse.

Its legal drug and alcohol testing is recognised and admissible in ������Ƶ courts with clients nationally.

In May this year, AlphaBiolabs stepped up its innovation drive by equipping its laboratory to settle paternity disputes using DNA samples from a toothbrush.

It follows studies by AlphaBiolabs’ in-house geneticists which showed that toothbrushes can provide a good source of DNA.

The method has been adopted at labs in the US and Canada but this is the first time it has become available at a ������Ƶ lab.

The company also achieved a ������Ƶ first by introducing non-invasive prenatal paternity testing.

AlphaBiolabs director Rachel Davenport said: “It’s absolutely amazing to win this award, I’m blown away and I’m speechless because we obviously had stiff competition.

“I’m really proud of my team, I’ve got the best team ever and we really have a hard-working ethic, day-to-day and week-to-week.

“It’s all about just getting on with the job, getting our heads down and getting it done, so to get this external recognition is fantastic.”

Speaking about Alphabiolabs’ future plans, Ms Davenport said: “We’ve got really great plans we really encourage ideas and a big area we’re going to look at is the personalised DNA gift testing market, so statistical DNA data can be presented into wall art.”

One to watch (turnover £0m-£1m) sponsored by Bolton School - Code Nation

Digital training specialist Code Nation is helping Greater Manchester residents into tech careers.

The business, founded two years ago by Andy Lord, is aiming to tackle the region’s skills gap by giving unemployed people the opportunity to retrain and linking Manchester-based businesses to the talent it needs.

Its school provides masters courses in coding and cyber security and teaches students not only digital skills, but industry insight by tailoring its courses with live projects in collaboration with potential employers.

This exposure to the professional world is further enhanced by the school’s focus on student wellbeing, including self-awareness, teamwork and mindfulness.

Since its launch, Code Nation has launched a campus in Chester with plans to launch across the ������Ƶ including Cambridgeshire and Staffordshire.

In addition to creating much needed digital skills in the region, Code Nation has created jobs for 35 people in Manchester.

Said Amber Keats, skills coach at Code Nation: “This is a testament to the work we have been doing with our students and instructors and is a recognition of what we are doing in the tech sector.

“There is a shortage of tech talent and we are training up the talent of the future.”

The Mitchell Henry Prize sponsored by LDC - Godel Technologies

This award celebrated the most ambitious and growing business in Greater Manchester.

Godel Technologies, the Manchester-based software development company, develops business software including technology for point-of-sale and supply chain management, serving sectors from oil and gas to telecoms, retail, manpower, healthcare, finance and education.

Clients include Rentalcars.com, Virgin Holidays, AO.com, Voiteq, AccessPay, Secret Sales, MVF, Utilitywise and Comparethemarket.com and it has seen a number of existing clients scaling their requirements with the firm.

The company provides clients with a ‘pod’ of developers to provide software delivery.

This includes providing a dedicated team of Godel developers who work on a client’s project, or godel team members ‘seeding into’ the client’s in-house team.

The company also takes end-to-end ownership of delivering a client’s solution.

Godel has grown by more than 50 per cent in headcount and now employs 1,000 staff across sites in Manchester, London and seven locations in Belarus.

The company has also shown consecutive year-on-year revenue growth for the past four years with 2018 turnover climbing 57 per cent to £21m.

Michelle Nock, VP of marketing at Godel, said: “The growth we’ve had over the past couple of years has been phenomenal so to be shortlisted alone and then to win an award in Manchester is amazing for us.

She added: “We’ve got a business plan in place and we’re already hitting the target that we’ve set ourselves for this year, so let’s see where the next three years gets us.”

The Barclays Judges Choice award - Lancashire Farm Dairies

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Rochdale-headquartered Lancashire Farm Dairies started life in 1984 as Pakeeza Dairies, working out of a small unit producing a range of set and stirred natural yoghurts.

While the company’s formative years included supplying to the ethnic food market - which is still an important part of the business - it diversified when it won its first listing with major supermarket Asda in 2010.

The company has now grown to become one of the ������Ƶ’s leading natural yoghurt producers with listings in Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Iceland as well as discounters Aldi and Lidl.

Once seen as a solely ethnic brand, sold exclusively in the world food aisles, the business re-positioned it self through its Lancashire Farm brand to appeal to a broader demographic.

Last year, the £37m turnover business became the only ������Ƶ yoghurt brand to be made with exclusively free range milk - which means its herd grazes outside for at least 150 days a year.

While the business is setting new standards for the ������Ƶ yoghurt producers, it is also challenging the bigger players in the industry such as Muller, Arla, Danone and Lactalis.

Jack Morrison, brand manager at Lancashire Farm Dairies, said: “This is a major achievement for our staff, the business founders and for Rochdale where we are based.

“We’ve moved into new markets over the years and this award reflects our journey and expansion but also our innovative products such as our free range yoghurts.”

Sarfaraz Akram, chief operating officer, added: “Thank you to all the team for their hard work, dedication and commitment over the last 35 years. Here is to another 35 years!”

Gold Award for CSR - Utilities Design & Planning

Utilities Design & Planning was recognised for its work with ex-offenders.

The Salford-based civil engineering contractor has now successfully placed three ex-offenders, who are now working full-time within the business, since it launched its training scheme.

The company has been working with Labour Ready, a recruitment agency which supplies trained permanent staff to the construction and associated industries, to trial a scheme where serving offenders are offered paid work placements during the latter part of their sentence, with the promise of a full-time job upon their release.

The company, which employs 150 staff, provides specialist traffic management services from design and planning surveys and plans to consultancy, road closures, diversions and temporary traffic lights.

It also provides services in planning and installing the full range of civil engineering services and utility services.

Mike Flynn, who became managing director of UDP in 2017, said: “This award means a lot to us as it shows the impact we’ve had by putting back into society.

“The business is built around people and we need to continue to invest in people within society that might not have had the opportunity some of us have had.

“The business we run today is all about giving people a second chance and that’s proved to have a really positive impact in society and also proved positive for us as a business.

“We’ve got great investors and the board has supported every decision made and that’s got us to where we are today.”