IW CHAMBER BUSINESS AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2018
In association with RED FUNNEL
Yokogawa Marex in Cowes has been named Business of the Year at the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce Business Awards for Excellence, in association with Red Funnel. The awards were presented by Anneka Rice before a capacity audience at Cowes Yacht Haven’s events centre on Friday November 30th. The glittering ceremony capped a prestigious night which included a charity auction that raised thousands of pounds for WightAID.
Host Anneka Rice said: “I was absolutely thrilled to present the awards at this wonderful event. It was really like being at the Brit Awards! I feel very close to lots of this year’s nominees. I’ve drunk them, I’ve stayed in their beds, I’ve eaten their cottage pie and I’ve even stayed in someone’s garden on Celebrity Hunted!”
Fran Collins, Red Funnel’s Chief Executive Officer said: “It’s really important to us to support the community in which we trade. We couldn’t do it without all of the small businesses, the big businesses and the independent traders and we think that partnership is hugely important for us to support. We’re very proud to be here tonight as a headline sponsor.”
Wight Shipyard’s Peter Morton collected two awards. His business was named Manufacturing Business Of The Year and he also received the President’s Award for Outstanding Contribution.
Peter Morton said: “Shipbuilding on the Isle of Wight goes back hundreds of years and it died for a while. Now we’re building what I think are the finest high speed ferries in the world. We’re just about to launch our eighth boat next week, which is going to Austria and we’ve got orders from Mexico and Malta. It’s all going very well at the moment proving that the Isle of Wight is the best place in the world to build high-speed ferries.”
Wayne Matthews from Yokogawa Marex collected their awards for International Business of The Year and overall IW Chamber Business of The Year.
“We’ve had a really excellent year. Our guys are working exceptionally hard to deal with an over full order book. Most importantly I just returned from Japan this morning and got an in-principle agreement for our expansion plans for next year so we’re very happy and I’d to thank all our staff who make it possible.”
IW Chamber Chief Executive Steven Holbrook said: “I’m very proud of our awards event tonight. The feedback has been incredible already. Our shortlist was full of brilliant businesses and we have some amazing winners tonight. This year is without doubt the Chamber’s biggest ever business awards, with double the number of entries received and a brand new panel of 18 judges. Our evening started earlier, with more entertainment too including our first ever ice sculpture. Everyone left with high-value goodie bags at the end. We had a great time and we can’t wait to do it all again in 2019.”
The winners in full are:
BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY AWARD
Sponsored by Ascensos
WINNER:
Southern Co-op Funeralcare
NOMINATED:
Chris Court Associates
Freshwater Southern Co-operative
Osel Enterprises
Seaview Village Shop
START UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sponsored by PC Consultants
WINNER:
Jigsaw Training and Development Services
NOMINATED:
Digital Eaze
Island Riding Centre
GREEN INITIATIVE AWARD
Sponsored by Gurit UK
WINNER:
Tipsy Wight
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Island Riding Centre
NOMINATED:
E-Taxi
TOURISM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sponsored by Visit Isle of Wight
WINNER:
Vectis Ventures
NOMINATED:
Wight Karting
RETAILER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sponsored by Steve Porter Transport
WINNER:
Bayliss and Booth
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
The Garlic Farm
MARKETING & PR AWARD
Sponsored by Isle of Wight County Press
WINNER:
Brightbulb Design
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
The Seaview Hotel
NOMINATED:
Vectis Ventures
THE MORRIS BARTON APPRENTICESHIP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sponsored by Christopher Scott
WINNER:
Hovertravel
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Isle of Wight Council
NOMINATED:
Powered Now
Stoneham Construction
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sponsored by Wightlink
WINNER:
The Seaview Hotel
NOMINATED:
IoW Espresso Llp / Island Roasted
Thompsons
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION AWARD
Sponsored by Lifeline Alarm Systems
WINNER:
Innovative Physics
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
RFEL
NOMINATED:
Wight Computers
Yokogawa Marex
MANUFACTURING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sponsored by IFPL
WINNER:
Wight Shipyard
NOMINATED:
Café Racer Kits
Honeybourne Jewellery
EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD
Sponsored by Red Funnel
WINNER:
WightFibre
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
In2action
NOMINATED:
BeCalmed
Tom’s Eco Lodge
EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sponsored by IW College
WINNER:
Lifeline Alarm Systems
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
WightFibre
NOMINATED:
Hillbans Pest Control
GROWTH BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sponsored by James Cowper Kreston
WINNER:
PC Consultants
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Real Employment Law Advice
NOMINATED:
WRS Systems
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sponsored by Hovertravel
WINNER:
Yokogawa Marex
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Structeam
NOMINATED:
Innovative Physics
SMALL BUSINESS AWARD
Sponsored by Liz Earle Beauty Co.
WINNER:
Briddlesford Farm
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Wheelers Solicitors
NOMINATED:
Brightbulb Design
Innovative Physics
PC Consultants
IW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBER OF THE YEAR
Hillbans Pest Control
IW CHAMBER PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
Wight Shipyard
IW CHAMBER BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Yokogawa Marex
