A young entrepreneur and 2014 winner of BB2’s Dragon’s Den has combined with plastics technology firm, ARBURG to win a prestigious Plastics Industry Award (PIA) in the Prime Machinery partnership category.
The award was presented to Colin Tirel, managing director of ARBURG Ltd, and Jordan Daykin, managing director of GripIt and inventor of the innovative plasterboard fixing, in front of an audience of more than 700 plastics industry professional at the London Hilton.
The judges remarked: “An exceptional project from a company that worked in partnership with not only the customer, but a major ancillary supplier.”
Clearly delighted with the win, Tirel commented: “The GripIt story is a great example of British entrepreneurship – from problem, idea to successful product in the market.
“ARBURG has supported Jordan and GripIt with their first machines after the Dragon’s Den investment last year. We have not worked with GripIt for a long time, so we’re particularly pleased to win this award against some tough competition.”
Daykin is a serial young entrepreneur who, with his grandfather and aged just 13, invented the GripIt device for fixing fittings to plasterboard.
He went on to secure investment from ‘Dragon’ Deborah Meaden in 2014. GripIt is now stocked in more than 2,000 stores in the UK, is available in over 32 countries worldwide and counts RS Components and ScrewFix among its customers.
Daykin business portfolio also includes UK Building Products and Tutor Magnet, which sources qualified tutors for young learners.
He noted: “I’m really pleased to win an industry award with our supplier, ARBURG…this award recognises the engineering and production capabilities we have, an important aspect of the company.”
