Aycliffe manufacturer Senstronics picked up a huge double win during a dramatic Aycliffe Business Make Your Mark Awards on Thursday night.
The global supplier of pressure sensing solutions won the Company of the Year crown, sponsored by Aycliffe Business Park Community, during a glamorous night hosted by BBC Tees presenter Gary Philipson in front of almost 250 people in Hardwick Hall’s Coleman Suite.
Senstronics – which supplies transducers that use proprietary technology and techniques – beat off strong competition from BTS Facades & Fabrications, Primex Plastics and Husqvarna for the big award of the night.
And the firm’s managing director Andy Reed – pictured receiving his awards from ABPC board member Pamela Petty and Melissa Couts of category sponsor Recruitrite – also picked up the Businessperson of the Year award, sponsored by Recruitrite, to edge BTS Fabrications’ Marcia Atkinson and Digital Edge’s Graham Marsh to the accolade.
He said: “There’s a lot of talent in this room. To have been nominated was a privilege but this is absolutely amazing.
“But it’s not me – this goes to everybody in Senstronics who have tried as much as we could to put people first over the past couple of years.
“It’s an approach that’s paid dividends because we have a great retention rate, we have great stability and we have values we’re working towards that make Senstronics a great place to work.
“All our decisions are based on that and this just tells us we’re doing the right thing.”
But he also had a friendly warning to those in the room.
He smiled: “With the business park, there’s such a diverse range of industries that we’re not particularly in competition with each other – except for talent.
“I don’t apologise to anyone for this – I will steal and pillage all your good talent! That’s the intention so remember my name – Andy Reed from Senstronics – when you lose your good people because of me!”
In the other award categories, Gestamp’s Ronnie Nicholson overcame competition from Phil Atkinson (BTS Facades & Fabrications) and Caraline Robinson (Husqvarna) to win the Lifetime Achievement award, sponsored by Resolution Media and Publishing.
Here’s a full list of the categories, finalists and winners:
Newcomer of the Year
Sponsored by Husqvarna
Winner: Forest Park School
Finalist: Armitage and Wilson Furniture
Small Business of the Year
Sponsored by Business Durham
Winner: NC Group
Finalists: Excelpoint, C&A Embroidery and Print
Apprentice of the Year
Sponsored by Stiller Warehousing and Distribution
Winner: Kyle Bartle (Husqvarna)
Finalists: Liam Fisher (Danesmoor Group), Abi Sayer (BTS Facades & Fabrications)
Community Champions
Sponsored by Gestamp
Winner: Pioneering Care Partnership
Finalists: Palram, ManHealth CIC
Innovation Award
Sponsored by Cornerstone Group
Winner: Husqvarna
Finalists: TBOX Tech, Excelpoint
Service Business of the Year
Sponsored by Husqvarna
Winner: Digital Edge
Finalists: Aycliffe Dairy, Aycliffe Physiotherapy
Environment Award
Sponsored by Ebac
Winner: BTS Facades & Fabrications
Finalist: Husqvarna
Engineering & Manufacturing
Sponsored by GEM Partnership
Winner: Viper RF
Finalists: Durham Precision Engineering, TBOX Tech
Businessperson of the Year
Sponsored by Recruitrite
Winner: Andy Reed (Senstronics)
Finalists: Marcia Atkinson (BTS Facades & Fabrications), Graham Marsh (Digital Edge)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Sponsored by Resolution Media and Publishing
Winner: Ronnie Nicholson (Gestamp)
Finalists: Phil Atkinson (BTS Facades & Fabrications), Caraline Robinson (Husqvarna)
Company of the Year
Sponsored by Aycliffe Business Park Community
Winner: Senstronics
Finalists: BTS Facades & Fabrications, Primex Plastics, Husqvarna