Dr Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, was named Outstanding Industrialist of the Year at EEF’s annual awards ceremony. It is the first time the title has been awarded.
Around 400 people gathered in London last night to celebrate manufacturing talent at EEF’s Future Manufacturing Awards.
The annual competition is the culmination of a regional contest which recognises the best young talent and organisational capability across a variety of disciplines including sustainability, innovation and health and safety.
This year, for the first time, two new awards were also handed out to recognise industry leadership from individuals who EEF feel have made particular contribution to manufacturing competitiveness in the UK.
Dr Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover became EEF’s first Outstanding Industrialist of the Year and Andrew Hodgson, CEO of SMD was named Manufacturing Champion of the Year.
Will Butler-Adams, MD of the London-based folding bike maker Brompton was runner up in the manufacturing category and TM’s editorial advisory board member Andrew Churchill, MD of family-owned JJ Churchill was among those shortlisted for the category.
Dr Speth thanked EEF for honouring him via a video recording since he was unable to attend the ceremony in person.
Across other categories for business excellence, prosthetic limb manufacturer Chas A Blatchford & Sons emerged as EEF’s Winner of Winners, also taking awards in the Innovation: Smart Products category and the Export Growth category.
Adrian Maxwell, CEO of Fraccino, the coffee machine manufacturer which scooped last year’s Winner of Winners prize delivered words of thanks and encouragement at the opening of last night’s awards.
He said that the company had grown 15% in 2013 and he attributed this in no small order to the extra profile the EEF award had given his company.
A full list of winners for the 2013 EEF Future Manufacturing Awards will be made available via the following link: www.eef.org.uk/awards
