22 Business DECEMBER 2018
business of the year
Tech firms led the way as the region’s
best and biggest companies were
honoured at the M.E.N Business of the
Year Awards.
The triumphant firms were revealed
during a glittering ceremony at
Manchester’s Principal Hotel.
More than 350 guests turned out for
the event, which marked the 26th
anniversary of the prestigious awards.
Executive sponsors for this year’s
awards are PwC, Manchester Airport
with Jet Airways, Robert Walters, Hill
Dickinson, Barclays, Brewin
Dolphin, and LDC.
Category sponsors are
Bolton School and
Salford Business
School.
Winners came
from sectors
including
technology,
manufacturing,
logistics and
communications.
As in previous
years, a special
Mitchell Henry Prize
and a Judges Choice
award were also handed out.
The Mitchell Henry Prize,
sponsored by LDC, celebrates the most
ambitious and growing business in
Greater Manchester.
This year’s prize was presented to
online car finance specialist,
CarFinance 247.
Judges said: “This company has
continued to grow year on year with
impressive revenues and a business
model that has adapted to the
changing needs of consumers. This is a
modern, fast, tech-informed lender
that has been disrupting the
marketplace for a number of years.”
The Barclays Judges Choice award
went to Altrincham trailer
manufacturer, Cartwright Group.
This award aims to reward a business
that has made a wider contribution to
the region, as well as having a strong 12
months.
Judges said: “This company has
expanded operations beyond its
manufacturing roots delivering record
growth - reflecting its hard-
working staff and a committed
senior management team.
“This is a business that
is built on great
foundation, product
and people.”
The winner for
the firm with a
head office
outside Greater
Manchester - but
with significant
operations within
the M.E.N. circulation
area - went to
telecommunications
services provider, Vodafone
UK.
The company beat stiff competition
from IT infrastructure and cloud
services firm, Novosco and technology
firm, IT Lab.
The winner in the category for firms
with a turnover over £100m went to
Auto Trader, which operates the UK’s
largest digital automotive marketplace
from its headquarters at First Street,
Manchester.
The company beat Cartwright Groupand employment law and HR
consultancy, Peninsula.
In the category for firms with a
turnover of £50m-£100m, the winner
was Sharston-based logistics firm,
Cardinal Maritime, winning over
previous Business of the Year winner,
DOMU Brands and Manchester family
run wholesaler, Rayburn Trading.
The triumphant business in the
turnover of £25m-£50m went to
Irlam-headquartered demolition and
civil engineering contractor, P P
O’Connor.
It beat Hill’s Panel Products, an
Oldham-based manufacturer anddistributor of furniture components
and CarFinance 247.
Stockport-based family run catering
supplies business, H G Stephenson,
won in the £10m-£25m category.
It pipped sports travel company,
Sports Tours International and Join The
Dots, a full-service consumer insight
agency.
In the £5m-£10m turnover category,
the winner was Utilities Design &
Planning, the Salford company which
provides civil engineering and traffic
management services to a wide range
of organisations.
It won out over Shirley Technologies,Tech firms
lead way at
business
awards
Triumphant firms celebrated at this year’s
M.E.N Business of the Year Awards
Nicolas Owen was the
host of the awardsThey recognise the
achievements of
buisinesses of all shapes
and sizes
Shelina Begum