On the right lines

Aug 12 2008 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette

THE search is on to find the stars of the North-east business world in our prestigious North East Business Executive of the Year Awards 2008. Three finalists from each of the sub-regions, including Tees Valley, go forward to the final in November. Today we look at the Tees Valley category.

SUCCESS has continued for Stockton-based Brulines whose top boss James Dickson took the Tees Valley crown at last year’s Business Executive Awards.

Under his stewardship, as chief executive of the pub equipment company, Brulines increased pre-tax profits by 75.7% to £4.17m to March 31, 2008 and analysts of the publicly quoted firm forecast £5.2m profits on £20m turnover next year.

The company has invested £3m in new offices and completed a £3.8m acquisition of North Yorkshire-based Nucleus Data Holdings.

The company’s brand quality monitoring (BQM) product range helps pub operators improve beer quality. It measures several factors including how much beer goes through lines, frequency of line cleaning, the temperature of the products and the rate of dispensing.

The equipment has proved a hit with pub operators. Brulines has tapped into 21,500 of the UK’s 32,000 tenanted pubs and is currently being trialled in the US, hoping to capitalise on its 350,000 pubs.

It is 25 years since the awards were launched and to mark their success we are launching a new category.

The North East Non-executive Director of the Year Award aims to recognise the key contribution that non-executive directors play in businesses across the North-east.

There is also a lifetime achievement award and a trophy for the North East Young Business Person of the Year.

The accolades have attracted the backing of major sponsors, including Dickinson Dees, CBI, Miller, Baker Tilly, North Star, Newcastle University, Royal Bank of Scotland, UBS, University of Teesside Business School, University of Newcastle Business School, Knight Frank and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Nominations will be considered by a judging panel which this year includes One NorthEast director of business and industry Ian Williams, Brewin Dolphin, North East Chamber of Commerce chief executive James Ramsbotham, CBI North East regional chairman Bob Davies, Storeys SSP director John Irwin, Brewin Dolphin divisional director Vinay Bedi, and Bank of England regional agent David Buffham.

The winners will be announced at the Newcastle Marriott Hotel, Gosforth Park, on Thursday, October 30.

For information, call Kirsty Tam on 0191 201 6072, email kirsty.tam@ncjmedia.co.uk or visit www.nebusiness.co.uk/ businessexec