28 Business DECEMBER 2018
business of the year
Branding company Noir Agency started
with two people, a desk and a chair in
an office at Old Granada Studios.
Eighteen months later, the Ancoats-
based agency now has a strong team of
10, working with clients from a range of
sectors including fashion, technology,
property, medical, hospitality and
lifestyle.
Led by CEO Anthony Logan,
Noir offers services in research and
brand strategy, brand identity and
communications, website design and
development and social media content
and creation.
Rapid growth of the business has
seen it outgrow two offices - it is now
based at Beehive Mill - with an office
in London and a presence in San
Francisco.
Key clients wins include global
financial consultancy firm JDX, which
is a two time fast track winner and
employs 500 staff across the globe.
Noir recently designed and
developed an ecommerce website for
Heath London, a brand with a range
of award winning GQ featured and
Waitrose stocked products.
Closer to home, Noir has worked a
number of projects.
It is managing the digital
communications and content creation
of celebrity haunt, Menagerie bar and
Altrincham-based trailer manufacturer,
Cartwright Group, is now in its 66th
year. The business, which was founded
by Stanley Cartwright with a simple
workshop specialising in timber
framed vehicle coach and bodywork,
has expanded operations beyond its
manufacturing roots.
It now offers rental, fleet services,
and finance to become a true ‘one-
stop shop’ for trailer needs, as well
as launching an export drive and
diversifying into conversions and
airport ground support equipment.
Today, the £140m turnover business
employs around 900 staff, and is the
second largest trailer manufacturer in
the UK.
At Cartwright’s 40-acre site, more
than £82m-worth of trailers were
manufactured over the last year.
Its fleet services division, CFS,
manages over 12,000 assets and
covers the entire country through five
owned regional workshops, 50 mobile
technicians and a service partner
network of 125 suppliers.
Design and manufacturing
innovation is in its DNA winning it
an enviable client portfolio, featuring
some of the biggest names on Britain’s
high Street. From its days of producing
restaurant, as well as creating a brand
identity and showcase website for
iconic landmark, Toast Rack building.
On winning the young business of
the year award, Anthony said: “We’re
absolutely thrilled to win this award.
“We’re a young business with some
real ambitious plans and so to win such
a prestigious award at this stage of ourtimber framed coach and bodywork,
the business has continued to evolve in
order to meet ever increasing market
demands through offering bespoke
design and engineering, high quality
manufacturing, trailer and vehiclegrowth is fantastic.”
John Newbould, head of marketing
at Bolton School, said: “Bolton School
has sponsored the Young Business of
the Year Award for many years now
and it is always a pleasure to attend
the evening celebration to see first-
hand and to reward so many thriving
new companies that are breaking intorental, fleet services.
On being presented with the Judges
Choice Award, CEO Mark Cartwright
said: “We are totally stunned to be
awarded the Judges Choice Award.
“As a Manchester business we arethe market. This year’s winner, Noir
Agency, has shown throughout their
journey great vision, determination,
market knowledge, planning and a
capacity for hard work; all character
traits which we instil in our own
pupils before they go out into the
world to make a difference for
good.“proud to be winners of the Manchester
Evening News Business of the Year
Awards. We have some amazing
and talented people throughout the
business and this is a testament to their
hard work.”© Joel GoodmanBOLTON SCHOOL YOUNG BUSINESS: NOIR AGENCY
BARCLAYS JUDGES CHOICE AWARD: CARTWRIGHT GROUP