Sheffield Forgemasters’ chief executive Dr Graham Honeyman was a treble winner in the Institute of Directors national awards.
Honeyman was named the first IoD “Overall Director of the Year”, “Global Director of the Year” and winner of “The Investing for Growth Award” on Friday.
Honeyman said: “I am overwhelmed by this triple awards honour. It is one of the proudest moments of my career.
“I thought it was a possibility we could pick up one award but never in my wildest dreams did I think we would win all three.
“The company was in trouble back in 2002 but a lot of hard work by myself and colleagues has helped to turn it around and provide a profitable and dynamic future for our many employees.”
Honeyman has worked for Sheffield Forgemasters for many years as a director but took on the role of chief executive in 2005 after leading a management buy-out of the company. Since the MBO, turnover has risen from £38m to £117m with only an extra 25% increase in numbers employed.
The organisation has capitalised on new global markets winning influential contracts with Chinese, Indian and Russian companies and expanding with the launch of two new subsidiary companies – Vulcan SFM and Steel Propeller.
IoD director-general Miles Templeman paid tribute to Honeyman and the success of Sheffield Forgemasters.
He said: “I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Graham. He is an outstanding winner and I wish him and Sheffield Forgemasters more success over the years to come.
“It is great to see a UK manufacturing firm thriving and exporting. We too often forget that manufacturing is one of the UK’s biggest strengths.”
Last month, Neil Maskrey, chief financial officer at Sheffield Forgemasters, was named Yorkshire Finance Director of the Year for a Limited Company while fellow SFIL board member Peter Birtles picked up Yorkshire Non Executive Director of the Year at the Institute of Directors’ annual regional awards.
Sheffield Forgemasters specialises in a broad range of heavy forged and cast steel products and supplies castings to the offshore sector.
Lorenzo Spoerry
