Business Excellence award finalists named
The three Devon and Cornwall companies in with a chance of being awarded the Business Challenge 2008 Business Excellence award are unveiled this week.
The 2008 finalists for the Business Excellence award, presented by KPMG are (in alphabetical order):
- Axminster Power Tool Centre Limited
- The Barden Corporation (UK) Limited
- Pall Newquay
Now in it’s twentieth year, the sponsors, Bond Pearce, KPMG, Royal Bank of Scotland and Twofour, are all agreed that once again the awards have uncovered some great success stories and highlighted the wealth of talent here in Devon and Cornwall.
As the judges set about shortlisting for the Business Excellence award they were looking for businesses to demonstrate that they are a market leading business with sound leadership and management, enviable financial results, strong processes and delighted customers.
Ian Brokenshire, Business Challenge judge and Partner at KPMG's Plymouth office said "With Business Challenge now in it's twentieth year, it's a wonderful testament to the commercial vibrancy of the region that the awards continue to uncover ever more numbers of success stories. There is much to celebrate.”
“This year's Business Excellence Award entrants have once again demonstrated just how high the calibre of businesses are in Devon and Cornwall. The drive for business excellence throughout the region's companies never fails to impress me and once again the judging has proved a tough challenge. Congratulations to all three finalists, each has demonstrated both exceptional expertise and outstanding success."
Axminster Power Tool Centre Ltd
Established in the late 1960’s Axminster Power Tool Centre Ltd is the UK’s leading supplier of superior quality woodworking machinery, power tools, hand tools and accessories. The Company is a multi-channel retailer utilising mail order, the internet and retail as its market routes, all of which are primarily supported by Axminster’s Tool & Machinery catalogue. This 600 page publication is published twice yearly by a dedicated in-house team and is considered the reference ‘bible’ within the industry.
A family owned business, Axminster is one of the largest employers within the locality employing over 200 staff and is recognised as a quality employer through its dedication to providing job security, career development, training and excellent working conditions. A clear strategic focus and a strong management team ensures all staff are fully engaged and working towards achieving the Company’s aims.
The most important objective is the provision of superior customer service and the maxim that each and every customer should enjoy the Axminster ‘experience’. To this end the Company has invested in the very latest technology with regard to IT and also built a state-of-the-art distribution centre and call handling centre, to include a free technical advice telephone line, all of which enhance efficiency and quality of service.
Ian Styles, Managing Director and shareholder, says:
“Our long term strategy of profitable growth is paramount to our future success creating a return for the years of infrastructure investment; we have never been afraid to diversify and embrace change in order to remain at the top of our industry. However, all this has been achieved whilst maintaining the culture of a family business where our customer and employees are our primary passion. We are extremely proud to be finalists in the Business Excellence category and to be recognised for our achievements.”
The Barden Corporation (UK) Ltd
The Plymouth-based Barden Corporation (UK) Ltd has been designing and manufacturing super precision ball bearings for more than six decades. Barden is recognised internationally as a leader in its field and has supplied bearing systems for a number of high profile programmes, including the International Space Station. The highly engineered product range is geared towards safety-critical and harsh environment applications in a broad range of market sectors, including civil and military aerospace, medical, turbomolecular pumps, nuclear, high speed canning and high performance machine tools.
The company employs over 400 people at its Estover facilities and has seen more than a decade of continuous growth. Following a £10m investment in new machinery during 2007 and 2008, growth in both capabilities and in business performance looks set to continue.
Managing Director, Dr Graham Stirling (pictured) said: “Barden is a world leader in the ball bearing market and we hope this demonstrates that there are still success stories to be told and celebrated, even in such an uncertain climate for the manufacturing industry.”
“A key component for success is having the right products, diverse market sectors and a global customer base (Barden export over 75%). Our over-riding business principle is to continuously re-invent ourselves, bringing new products and solutions to market and striving at all times to exceed customer expectations. We are customer focussed and customer driven. We have adopted world-class manufacturing practices with a continuous improvement culture throughout the business, every individual playing their part. We have also had tremendous backing from our parent company, the Schaeffler Group, allowing us to invest in the very latest manufacturing technology.”
“Of course none of this could happen without the key ingredient of a highly motivated work force. Our achievements are a direct result of the excellent team we have in place at Barden, their loyalty, dedication and hard work are the reason for our success.”
Pall Newquay
Pall Newquay is part of the Pall Corporation which is the largest and most diverse filtration, separations and purifications company in the world. Its technical expertise, product portfolio and global reach are unmatched.
Pall Newquay have been manufacturing high quality medical filters at their purpose-built St Columb Major site since 1991. In this time they have established themselves as a key local employer and a central part of the manufacturing community in Cornwall.
Today they employ over 300 employees and distribute 13 million filters per year to customers around the world, for purposes as varied as vaccine manufacture, open-heart surgery or removal of the virus & bacteria from water.
Pall Newquay prides itself on its quality, something that is hugely important when your products are used in such critical life saving applications. The technical expertise within the workforce sees ongoing enhancements to both the products and processes. As a result of this and a commitment to investment, the site boasts some world-beating process technology.
Director & General Manager Andrew Holland says
"Pall's success is talent driven and talent dependent. Our strong performance is a direct result of the high calibre employees we have throughout the organisation. Pall Newquay prides itself on creating a common understanding of what is required of its people to enable effective performance and this translates into a key competitor advantage."
Please note a media pack is available from Liz Morgan (details below).
For more information please contact:
Liz Morgan
Bond Pearce LLP
Tel: 0845 415 6625
Email: liz.morgan@bondpearce.com
