WEST NORFOLK: Award winners did the business in 2012
Mayor's Awards for Business Achievement 2012 Manufacture award winners Foster Refrigerator left to right Lee Rasberry, Cllr Nick Daubney, Andy Rasberry, Mayor of Kings Lynn Cllr Geoffrey Wareham, Cllr Alistair Beales and Steven Ennis
In typical Oscar-style suspense and excitement, West Norfolk’s best businesses were named and applauded on Friday.
The winners stepped forward to receive their awards from the borough mayor, Geoffrey Wareham, during a glittering evening at Lynn Town Hall.
Top honours in this year’s Mayor’s Awards for Business Achievement went to Foster Refrigerator which won the manufacturing category, to Carter Cabin Hire, from Setch, which picked up the service business award, and to Downham-based Trilogy Writing and Consulting which won the young business of the year title.
The prestigious event was organised by West Norfolk Council with support from the Lynn News, KL.FM, NWES, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and the West Norfolk Partnership.
The mayor, Geoffrey Wareham, who presented the awards, said that being part of the judging panel had been a real eye-opener.
“The range of businesses operating successfully in the area is diverse and we have been impressed at the quality of all the finalists. It made the job of judging extremely difficult,” he said.
“My special congratulations go to our three winners but, in my mind, everyone here is a winner and no-one should feel disappointed. The competition was tough this year and I would encourage you to enter again this year.”
Council leader, Nick Daubney, said: “I went home after the event feeling quite bouyant and optimistic.
“It was a fantastic evening and the standard of entry this year was very high indeed. It was impressive that in spite of tough times the finalists have increased their staff, many have taken on and embraced new apprenticeship schemes, and all are optimistic about their futures.”
Foster Refrigerator won the Manufacturing Business of the Year award, and managing director Paul Veried said: “We are delighted to win such a prestigious award as it reflects the significant investment made in our locally based operations. 2012 was one of the most important in Foster’s long history. The launch of the most important new product the company has ever produced was the culmination of many years of research, investment and technical development. I am extremely proud that we have been recognised for the incredible work that every one of us within the business has achieved over the past year, as it is fully acknowledged that success can only be won through a determined, company-wide effort.
“Overall this award raises Foster Refrigerator’s profile as the premier manufacturer for food equipment. This shows that combining local talent with strong investment drives innovation and enables us to maintain our position as market leader in our field.”
Foster Refrigerator has continued its drive to meet environmental challenges and has designed and launched an all-new product range offering 20 per cent greater energy savings over its previous market-leading range. It has seen consistent growth in turnover and profits year on year.
Trilogy Writing and Consulting’s UK senior partner Lisa Chamberlain Jones was “over the moon” when the Downham-based company won the Young Business of the Year Award.
“I am particularly pleased because it was so much of a team effort and this is recognition of all the hard work everyone has put in over the last 18 months.”
Lisa said she was delighted that Julia Forjanic Klapproth, senior partner based at Trilogy’s head office in Germany, had flown over to Lynn without knowing how they had fared and was able to see the award presented. Everyone in the UK team attended the ceremony apart from Cheryl Roberts and Tanya Rackstraw who were unable to attend.
Trilogy is a medical writing consultancy which opened in April 2011 and has clients including top pharmacy companies all over the world. In 2012 it doubled its turnover and tripled its profits.
Lisa said that 2013 is looking just as exciting and they are full of confidence for the future.
Dave Carter, owner of Carter Cabin Hire which gained the Service Business of the Year Award, said: “We are of course delighted to win this prestigious award especially in our 25th anniversary year. We are in the first year of a three-year growth plan, and whilst we have clients all over the UK we are confident this award will increase our local exposure and give us the opportunity to serve more businesses and customers in the King’s Lynn area.
“Our talented staff are committed and focussed on providing excellence in everything they do and this award gives them the recognition they justly deserve.”
Among it achievements, Carter Cabin Hire has increased turnover by 12 per cent and profits by 43 per cent.
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