Award winners announced

Beardow Adams, established in the new city in 1977, won the Business Excellence Award, sponsored by Volkswagen Financial Services, at the Milton Keynes and North Bucks Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards at Doubletree by Hilton at stadium:mk.

The maker of industrial hot melt adhesives also won the Manufacturing Excellence category, sponsored by World Trade Center Holdings.

The company is the only UK firm specialising in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of industrial hot melt adhesives.

Sold worldwide, its award winning hot melts are an important part of thousands of everyday products.

They are used in the packaging and labelling of food, pharmaceutical and health care products – as well as in the automotive, print finishing, electronic, white goods, filter, converting and construction industries.

The judges said: “It is evident why they are the leading manufacturing of the adhesives industry in UK and in Europe top tier.”

> The award for Entrepreneur of the Year, sponsored by Powernet, was picked up by another IT specialist, Paul Tomlinson, of Mirus IT Solutions.

Mirus IT provide managed IT services for small to medium size organisations across the region.

The judges said: “Mirus IT is a great example of an MK business success story.”

> The Business of the Year (above £5m turnover), sponsored by Lynx Network, was won by Racelogic Ltd.

The company provides solutions to global customers by utilising the latest high accuracy GPS technology.

Initially serving the automotive sector Racelogic’s product range has steadily grown to enable it to supply to household names in the smartphone and navigation industries such as Nokia, Garmin and ST Ericsson.

Whilst it exports more than 80 per cent of its products to more than 85 countries all manufacturing is undertaken in the UK.

The judges said: “Innovative applications of ever-improving GPS technology has given Racelogic a lead in a specialised field.”

> The Business of the Year (£1 - £5m turnover), sponsored by Mirus IT Solutions, was won by full service agency Interdirect. It specialised in digital design and development, advanced content managed websites, bespoke software solutions, PR, marketing and social media.

The judges said: “Interdirect is an excellent business with strong roots in Milton Keynes which have developed both nationally and internationally.”

> The Business of the Year (below £1m turnover), sponsored by Beardow Adams, was won by Abbot Fire Group.

Abbot specialise in fire safety products and services.

The judges said: “They have demonstrated that growth is achieved through competitive cost, innovative delivery and emphasis on customer service.”

> The award for Achievement in International Trade, sponsored by Traka, was won by CN Group. The company was established in 1997 to develop its disposable piping bags for the UK food industry.

Success with ‘High Grip’ spread to achieving worldwide penetration. CN’s newest innovative project utilises its China office with a responsive service to UK customers seeking to sell their products into China’s growth market.

The judges said: “An impressive company that continues to drive up turnover and profit.”

A highly commended award was presented to Choice Waste Management.

> The award for Best Business Improvement Through Application of Innovation / Technology, sponsored by The Open University, went to logistics company WH Barley. The company has 40 years of dedicated focus within the distribution, storage and freight logistics sector.

The judges said: “An important lesson to be learned from this case, about understanding your business and making improvements in its fundamentals; management’s knowledge and commitment is also noteworthy.”

> The Award for Excellence in People Development, sponsored by Nampak, went to the central Milton Keynes three star hotel Jury’s Inn.

The judges said: “Jurys Inn demonstrates a real commitment to their training and development through the creativity of employee development and extends their reach beyond the workplace to their community.”

> The award for Business Supporting the Local Community, sponsored by Milton Keynes Shopping Centre Association, was won by Oxley Park Veterinary Services trading as Midsummer Veterinary Group. It is a small animal practice based in Milton Keynes for over 25 years.

The main practice in Stantonbury Fields is supported by branch surgeries in both Eaglestone and Oxley Park.

The judges said: “Midsummer Veterinary Group has chosen to engage and educate, helping change long-term behaviour for long-term animal benefit and involve various sectors of the community, regardless of whether or not they are customers.”

> The award for Excellence in Customer Care, sponsored by Abbot Fire Group, went to Carey Pensions UK.

The company is a fully regulated independent pensions administration and trustee company providing bespoke pension schemes for individuals and groups; partnerships and companies.

The judges said: “The company has strict self-imposed standards to which it continues to adhere; ensuring exceptional customer service remains a core element of Carey Pension’s business.”

> The Energy and Environmental Award, sponsored by Coca Cola Enterprises, was won by The Re-Use Centre.

It is a non-profit making organisation that collects free of charge, items no longer required by the public, but which are still of use and would otherwise end up in landfills. Items are displayed in the ReUse Centre and then sold on a low charge cost-plus basis.

The judges said: “A well executed initiative that started life as a project and has grown to become an embedded way of working.”

> The award for Most Innovative Use of Digital Media in Communications, sponsored by CMC Solutions, went to The F10 Group. It has three arms, F10 Recruitment, an executive search consultancy, Smart Recruit Online a fully automated, flat fee, online recruitment service and Ask The Experts a social media members website for the technology sectors.

The judges said: “A company that has truly embraced and invested time and money in numerous social media platforms to engage with their target audience and increase their subscribed membership.”