One theme kept running through the Examiner’s business awards ... that the town is in the Premier League in every sense of the word.
For the winners ranged from companies manufacturing medical products used to repair cruciate ligament damage in the game’s top players through to marketing experts who have discovered that the new status makes it easier to ‘sell’ the town’s image.
Marketing agency Fantastic Media won the Creative Impact Award and managing director Andy Hobson said: “Winning this makes me almost as delighted as seeing Huddersfield getting into the Premier League. As a result of Town’s promotion we have felt a spirit that anybody can achieve anything and that’s what Huddersfield now epitomises.”
The New Business of the Year award went to Innovate Orthopaedics Ltd which makes high quality medical products for world leading sports surgeons to repair injuries such as severe knee damage.
Executive director Hannah Longbottom is Huddersfield born and bred and proud of the town.
“We are a British company but we source everything from Yorkshire suppliers whenever we can,” she said. “Our products are in Premier League players but we offer them at a better price than the competition in the NHS so they are in ‘weekend warriors’ too - people who play amateur sport.”
Winning the Community Award was an emotional moment for Huddersfield Community Trust and they dedicated the award to Roger Armitage who had been its finance trustee for many years and sadly died last month.
Chief Executive Lisa Hewitt said: “If it wasn’t for Roger we wouldn’t be here today. He would have been so proud. Roger was my best and oldest friend.”
Business Person of the Year Bernard Meehan, who led led Sewtec Automation packaging specialists for many years, said he was delighted to see a new age of apprenticeships.
He revealed he left school in 1981 aged 16 because he wanted to work and “make some brass” so became an engineering apprentice at David Brown’s and revealed it was a fantastic experience but very hard work.
This involved eight hours on the shop floor four days a week and two nights at college and the fifth day of the week he was at college all day until late.
“We were cramming knowledge in at an age when it sticks with you,” he said, “It’s great to see apprenticeships making such a renaissance.”
He advised employers to “look after your apprentices and one day they might look after you.”
Employee of the Year was won by Rachel Dilley from Town Hall Dental practice in Elland.
She said: “I love my job so much, especially looking after patients and my team. Life is all about caring for people.”
Employer of the Year was won by solicitors Chadwick Lawrence.
Head of HR Lisa Bailey said: “A good employee is someone who is keen to listen to staff, get feedback and be committed to their development. It’s also important to make it a fun place to work which we do with activities ranging from charity walks and coffee mornings to dress down days.”
A special Judges Award went to Huddersfield Live which organised this summer’s Huddersfield Food and Drink Festival and is planning a winter festival for the town.
Brian Stahelin from Huddersfield Live said: “It’s all about giving something back to the town and the hope is to inspire others to do the same.”
They put in countless voluntary hours on a very limited budget but still managed to stage an event attended by well over 100,000 people.
Young Enterpreneur was Erika Maybury from marketing company Hollywood Agency.
She said social media marketing is now closely linked with so much business success.
“We pitched our services to a business who said ‘we’ll give you a chance,’” she said. “Their engagement rate on social media then went up 480% in two months.”
The International Business Award went to branding agency the Principle Group which started with two employees 30 years ago and now has 700 worldwide.
Business of the Year was won by Andy Thornton Ltd.
Managing director Charles Tolley said its architectural antiques showroom in West Vale was just the tip of the iceberg of what the company does.
Over the last two years its workforce has risen from 70 to 105 and its core business is renovating pubs, clubs, business and offices.
“The new style now is retro and vintage,” he said. “That’s the in thing.”
