The hunt is on to find the best companies and entrepreneurs in Britain’s Ocean City with the launch of the 2020 Plymouth Business Awards.
The awards, now in their 10th year, celebrate and reward the crème de la crème of the Devon city’s business fraternity.
And this year there are new categories to highlight the city's new growth industries of marine manufacturing, innovative digital inventions and environmental sustainability.
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The 2020 version of the ever popular and prestigious contest, run by Business Live’s sister site Plymouth Live, is being launched today (Wednesday, January 28) with a breakfast event at the University of Plymouth’s Rolle Marquee in front of a who’s who of the city’s business bigwigs.
Plymouth's brightest and best companies and business brains will be rewared across 17 categories, with three new categories this year to spotlight the firms that are making strides in the increasingly important fields of marine engineering, digital technology and environmental success.
Plymouth firms and people are invited to nominate companies and individuals from today. You can enter a businesses by clicking
Plymouth Business Awards 2020 - the categories
LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE AWARD
EXPORTER OF THE YEAR
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AWARD
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AWARD
EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE
MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR
MARINE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
TECHNICAL INNOVATION AWARD
FAMILY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
APPRENTICESHIP DEVELOPMENT AWARD
BEST BUSINESS START UP
YOUNG BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR
ENVIRONMENTAL SUCCESS OF THE YEAR
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
You can enter the 2020 Plymouth Business Awards by clicking
Bill Martin, Devon and Cornwall editor-in-chief for Plymouth Live’s parent Reach PLC, hosted the launch event and said: “Over the years these awards have become the largest and most important celebration of business excellence and achievement in the city. Let’s make this year’s Plymouth Business Awards the best and biggest ever.”
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The nomination period is open from January 29 until Friday, April 3, 2020, and businesses and individuals are urged to waste no time in entering.
The awards, headline sponsored this year by the University of Plymouth and City College Plymouth, are aiming to build on the huge success of the 2019 version with another snazzy black-tie awards night at Plymouth Pavilions.
About 500 people enjoyed the glitzy occasion in May 2019 and saw winners honoured in a range of categories.
And that is because, as Mr Martin said: “Plymouth is a city with vision and imagination and blessed with top class people delivering jobs, growth and opportunities, despite being at the end of the line. And that is why shouting about it is so important.”
2019 Plymouth Business Awards - all the winners
Lifetime Achievement – John Hirshman (pictured)
Large Business of the Year – Rittal-CSM Ltd (pictured)
Medium Business of the Year – Sponge
Small Business of the Year – Helm Tickets
Built Environment and Infrastructure – Services Design Solution Ltd
Apprenticeship Development – Rittal-CSM Ltd (pictured)
Best Tech Business – Moortec Semiconductor Ltd
Best Start-up – Davy J (Swimwear)
Employer of the Year - St Luke’s Hospice
Excellence in Customer Service - cmostores.com
Leisure and Hospitality Business - Select South West Tours
Best Social Enterprise – Memory Matters t/a Moments
Corporate Social Responsibility – Plymouth Citybus
Manufacturer of the Year – Tusker Industrial/Safety First Manufacturing
Young Business Person of the Year – Harry Solomon, Wombat Cricket
Exporter of the Year – Kawasaki Precision Machinery 海角视频
Family Business of the Year – Putnam Health Co Ltd
You can enter the 2020 Plymouth Business Awards by clicking
Also due to speak at the launch event were Adrian Dawson, director of research and innovation at the University of Plymouth, and Ben Manning, deputy principal at City College Plymouth.
Other sponsors for 2020 include YGS Landscapes, BD Diagnostics, Plymouth Science Park, and Plymouth Pavilions - and it is at that city centre venue where the awards ceremony will take place, on Thursday, May 21, 2020.
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Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
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Before that a panel of business experts will be recruited to scrutinise the entries and prepare a shortlist of nominees who will be announced on Business Live, Plymouth Live and in print in The Herald after judging closes.
Shortlisted businesses will be profiled in The Herald’s Business section and on Plymouth Live and Business Live before the awards night, when the competition culminates in what has become one of the most anticipated events in the business calendar.
Since 2011 the awards have been seen as a huge success by the dozens of firms, individuals and organisations that have attended the ceremonies.
Firms and individuals can enter the 2020 contest NOW by clicking