Awards bring positive PR and boosts kudos

Oct 7 2008 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette

THE nebusiness awards are the chance for the region’s star performers to shine.

And the 2008 honours will be no exception with new categories and a new awards dinner format set to make this the best year yet.

Last year Darchem Engineering proved to be the North-east’s outstanding achievers.

The Stillington-based company took the regional Company of Year title following its triumph at the Durham and Wearside awards.

Darchem won through against tough competition from Garlands Call Centres, which was named Tees Valley Company of the Year, and from Newcastle International Airport, which took the Tyneside and Northumberland Company of the Year title.

For Darchem Engineering’s John Padbury, award-winning companies carry a kudos that enables them to recruit the cream of industry’s finest talent.

The joint managing director believes job-hunters are keen to work for companies with a strong track record and a string of industry accolades.

He said: “The long-term benefits of winning a well-recognised award far outweighs the time taken to fill in the application forms.

“Last year’s win has increased our profile within the region, which has helped with staff recruitment. People are more likely to join us if they know they are dealing with a successful company.”

Although he admits the value of winning the award is “hard to quantify”, he says the intangible benefits - the PR, the acknowledgement from industry peers, the kudos of emblazoning the “award-winner” tag on marketing literature - are immeasurable.

“You can’t turn it into pounds, shilling and pence,” he said. “It’s difficult to put a price on people’s perception of a successful brand.”

Since winning last year’s award John and his team have ploughed ahead with expansion plans which are predicted to see Darchem hit £100m turnover by 2013.

These plans were given a further boost in June, when the company scooped a £4m a year contract to develop and supply parts for Rolls Royce’s BR 725 engines.

Around 60% of Darchem’s work is generated in the booming aerospace sector and last month the firm won an £8m contract to supply parts for the biggest aircraft carriers to be built in Britain.

The Aircraft Carrier Alliance chose Darchem to supply air intake and exhaust systems for the 65,000-ton carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, which are expected to enter service in 2014 and 2016.

While John attributes these contract wins to high-value local skills, he admits the award has helped create better awareness of the Darchem brand.

“It certainly has had a positive effect”, he said. “When I talk to people they say ‘aren’t you that company which won the award?’ If Darchem is uppermost in people’s minds, that can only be good for business.”

Tees Valley’s other worthy winners last year were:

Wells Integrated Cabling Systems, Stockton.

Profile Analysis, Middlesbrough.

Phase One DJ Solutions, Darlington.

River Swale Organic Vegetables, Northallerton.

Corus Teesside Cast Products, Redcar.

Castlebeck, Darlington.

Corus Tubes Energy Business, Hartlepool.

Cool Blue Brand Communications, Middlesbrough

F Jones Cleveland, Middlesbrough.