Today we reveal the winners of the third annual IWA Western Mail Business Awards
The winners of this year’s IWA and Western Mail national Business Awards were unveiled at a glittering ceremony in Cardiff City Hall last night.
Company of the year with a turnover greater than £10 million, sponsored by gap personnel, was won by Invacare. Based in Pencoed, Invacare designs and manufactures medical products to promote recovery and active lifestyles for people requiring home and other non-acute health care.
Company of the year with a turnover of less than £10 million, sponsored by ACCA Cymru Wales, was won by Connect Assist. This Nantgarw-based social enterprise helps charities and public services improve quality and efficiency. Specialising in services that support people who are in vulnerable circumstances, the company helps a number of organisations engage with their people – service users, donors and customers.
The Entrepreneur of the year, sponsored by Morgan Cole, was won by Peter O Toole. He is Chief Executive of Retail Merchandising Services which employs 750 people in Newport. During the past year Peter has grown the business by over 200 per cent and developed the company to become a diversified business that specialises in the design and build of new and re-fitted stores, merchandising and the supply and distribution of advertising and point of sale materials. Currently the company is pioneering a revolutionary mobile phone app which converts smart phones into cash registers is being pioneered by a company in Wales. The app, which was created by developers in Canada, allows shoppers to scan items and directly charges their bank account. The aim is to target it at Britain’s 39,000 independent retailers.
The Young Achiever award, sponsored by Western Power Distribution, was won by Bradley Cummins who runs the Tiny Rebel micro-brewery company in Newport. The company started when he began brewing beer as a hobby in his father’s garage. Now the brewery is growing from strength to strength, and In the past 18 months they has brewed over 20 different beers covering a range of 12 different styles and set up Urban Tap House, a new bar in Cardiff.
The Young Enterprise Award, sponsored by PwC and Young Enterprise, was won by 17-year-old Chelsea Mace, of Sully. She volunteered to manage the administration of her team of 14 who worked together to devise ‘Amplitune’, a product that amplifies sound from the Apple Ipad without using battery or energy, the sound is made by the material used which clips onto the corner of the Ipad.
New Start Up Company of the year, sponsored by Gocompare.com, was won by Pro Steel Engineering, a construction services company based in Newport. Specialising in steelwork installation, repair and maintenance, the company supplies fabricated steel products to the construction industry.
The Creative Marketing award, sponsored by Orchard Media and Events Group, was won by Peter’s Food Service. This Caerphilly based company has effectively marketed its products and brands to become the number one pasty brand in Wales.
The Go Green Environmental Award, sponsored by the Waterloo Foundation, was won by Tropical Forest Products. Established in Aberystwyth, the company had a very high demand for heat energy in its honey processing systems. However, in order to use greener energy more effectively the company had to fundamentally redesign its processing systems.
The Best Use of Foreign Languages award, sponsored by CILT Cymru, (the National Centre for Languages in Wales) and the Welsh Government, was won by CCI Legal Services. Based in Porthmadog, CCI Legal Services specialises in international collections and has worked in international commercial debt collection and consumer debt collection for over 25 years. Trading with over 100 countries, the company provides full training and development to ensure the quality of foreign language use is maintained.
The Learning and Developing Staff award, sponsored by USW Commercial Services, was won by Mid and West Wales Fire Service. This emergency service provider has developed a learning and developing staff strategy that is innovative, and enables flexibility despite the fact that many of the tasks that need to be completed are very structured. Front line managers are required to make decisions that have life or death consequences and in view of this the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service offers a range of development and support to its people.
