The winners, runners-up and highly commended entries of the EEF Future Manufacturing Awards 2012 have been announced at a ceremony in London.
Birmingham-based coffee machine manufacturer Fracino won the Outstanding Export Award, sponsored by DHL Global Forwarding, and was also won the Winner of Winners for its export achievements. It now exports its machines to 44 countries.
Express Engineering (Thomson) won the Business Growth Award, sponsored by Westfield Health, an award for manufacturers who achieved success through an actively managed and delivered growth strategy. Both Express Engineering from Gateshead, and Milltech Precision Engineering in Norwich, are sub-contract precision engineering firms.
Automotive components manufacturer Calsonic Kansei was runner-up of both the Skills and Training Award, sponsored by Westfield Health, and the Innovative Operating Practices Award, sponsored by JAM Recruitment.
The winner of Skills and Training was Salford-based tissue and paper manufacturer SCA Hygiene Products, and of Innovative Practices was Liverpool-based MedImmune, the global biologics arm of AstraZeneca.
The People Management Award recognised manufacturers’ achievements in fostering a positive working environment between managers and employees, sponsored by JAM Recruitment. The winner was Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd in Plymouth and runner-up was Kerry Foods in County Fermanagh, who were both congratulated for their initiatives to increase staff participation.
Two Welsh manufacturers triumphed in the Environmental Efficiency Awards, sponsored by ENER-G. The winner was Caerphilly-based Nuaire, which manufactures energy efficient ventilation systems, and advanced photonic solutions manufacturer Qioptiq in Denbighshire was named runner-up.
The Green and Growth Award, also sponsored by ENER-G, was awarded to those companies with products or services that reduced carbon emissions and helped move towards a low carbon economy. Warrington manufacturer of power and automation technologies, ABB Ltd, was the national winner and the producer of motor and control technologies, Parker Hannifin (UK) in Dewsbury, was runner-up.
Runner-up of the Outstanding Export award was Bristol-based solar powered transportation product manufacturer Solagen and Portsmouth-based Daniamant, which makes marine survivor location lights, was highly commended.
The EEF awards had three youth award categories: for First Year and Final Year Apprentices, sponsored by Semta, and the Outstanding Achievement by a Young Engineering Student Award, sponsored by Rolls-Royce plc.
Devon Sumner of Airbus Operations won the First Year Apprentice Award and runner-up was David Firth of Marshall Aerospace. The standard of entries for the Final Year Apprentice Award was so high that two runners-up, Neeraj Sunger of Rolls-Royce and Jamie Barlow of Xylem, were selected along with the overall winner, Oliver Jukes of Rolls-Royce.
The Young Engineering Student Award was awarded to the most ambitious of young engineers still at school, with Anna Ebblewhite taking top honours and Shaun Hughes and Macaully Kearney joint runners-up.
“The EEF Awards showcase the best of British innovation and excellence. They mark our industry’s importance, competitiveness and ability to adapt and thrive,” said Terry Scuoler, chief executive of EEF.
Andrew Kinder of Infor, headline sponsor of the awards for the last four years, said he had witnessed the Awards programme gather momentum.
“This is testament to the talent that is being honed in the sector against a backdrop of continued economic uncertainty. The high calibre entries are a reflection of the buoyancy of the industry and the strength and professionalism of its members.”
The EEF Future Manufacturing Awards are sponsored by headline partner Infor and were presented at the EEF National Gala Dinner at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London. EEF’s National Gala Dinner is sponsored by Santander Corporate Banking.
