Shropshire Business Awards 2016 finalists announced
An ingredients supplier, an IT specialist, a growing waste manager, and the county's biggest conference venue will duke it out to be named the county's top company at this year's Shropshire Business Awards.
The finalists can today be announced for the event, organised by Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, after a record 210 entries were submitted across the 10 categories on offer.
Orchard Valley Foods, a recent Queen's Award winner based at Burford near Tenbury Wells, will face three Telford companies for the blue riband Company of the Year category.
Company of the Year: Orchard Valley Foods, Burford; Reconomy, Telford; Rockford IT, Telford; Southwater Event Group, Telford
Outstanding Customer Service: ethero, Wellington; Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Telford; Beaumont Financial Planners, Oswestry, Southwater Event Group, Telford
Best New Business: Champion & Reeves, Shrewsbury; EcoSave-UK, Telford; Ludlow Food Hygiene Centre, Ludlow; All Virtually Done and Sarah Platt Online, Craven Arms
Technology, Enterprise & Innovation: Beaverfit, Church Stretton; Seymour Manufacturing International, Sutton Maddock; The 3D Measurement Company, Bridgnorth; Thermserve, Telford
Online Business of the Year: Buckatree Hall Hotel, Wellington; Cooking Marvellous, Shrewsbury; GWR Fasteners, Oswestry; House of Party, Oswestry
International Trade Through Export: Hoshizaki Europe, Telford; Newmor Wallcoverings, Welshpool; Peony, Shifnal; T-T Pumps, Woore
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: Boxall & Edmiston, Atcham; Coopers Gourmet Sausage Rolls, Roden; Grainger & Worrall, Bridgnorth; Salop Design & Engineering, Shrewsbury
Best Small Business: MWF, Telford; Pipekit, Shrewsbury; Shropshire Festivals, Telford; 3PLUK, Oswestry
Apprentice of the Year: Pipekit, Annscroft; Shrewsbury College, Shrewsbury; TDS Midlands, Telford; Wenlock Books, Much Wenlock
Business in the Community: Henshalls, Newport; J&PR, Wellington; NEST, North Shropshire College; Shrewsbury Town In The Community, Shrewsbury
Travel, Tourism, Leisure & Hospitality: Buckatree Hall Hotel, Wellington; Eaton Manor Country Estate, Church Stretton; Lion & Pheasant Hotel, Shrewsbury; Shrewsbury Food Festival
Rockford IT, waste management specialist Reconomy, and Southwater Event Group, the owner of Telford's International Centre which also hosts the June 24 event, make up the other three finalists in that category.
In total 10 awards will be up for grabs at the ceremony, where Timpson owner John Timpson will be the guest speaker.
They include Outstanding Customer Service, Best New Business, Online Business of the Year, Technology, Enterprise and Innovation, International Trade Through Export, Manufacturing Transport and Logistics, Best Small Business, Apprentice of the Year, Business in the Community, and Travel, Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality.
Judges came together at the chamber's headquarters in Stafford Park to look over the entries, naming four finalists per category.
Nick Jones, of Nick Jones Wealth Planning, is the sponsor of the Best Small Business category, and was part of the panel choosing the finalists for that award.
"Having 41 entries in this category, we knew from the start that shortlisting was going to be extremely difficult," he said.
"The diverse nature of Shropshire businesses meant that we were comparing the manufacturing and service sectors, and we encountered some quite fascinating businesses.
"The final four are very deserving, but we could quite easily have had a shortlist of 10 businesses. I'm looking forward to finding out more about the shortlisted companies."
The finalists in that category are Kinnerley-based online order and logistics specialist 3PLUK, Annscroft-based Pipekit, Shropshire Festivals, which organises the Ludlow and Shrewsbury Food Festivals, and Telford wood fuel supplier MWF.
The International Trade Award has once again been sponsored by Global Freight in Telford, and managing director Nicole Gunter was on the shortlisting panel.
The finalists for that award are Hoshizaki Europe, an ice machine maker in Telford which also recently won a Queen's Award, Shifnal florists Peony, Newmor Wallcoverings at Welshpool and Shrewsbury, and T-T Pumps at Woore, near Market Drayton.
Mrs Gunter said: "Assisting with the shortlisting of several categories, it has been amazing to see the variety of companies from all different corners of Shropshire.
"I have been highly impressed with the calibre of the entries, and it is going to be a difficult day for the final judges."
