The Business Awards 2007 finalists - Environment

Apr 22 2008 By The Journal

Regional final sponsored by Northumbria Water

TYNESIDE AND NORTHUMBERLAND

Winner: SCA Hygiene Products UK

SCA is a global consumer goods and paper company which produces and markets personal care products, tissue, packaging and solid wood products.

The company employs more than 300 people at its Triple Velvet toilet paper factory in Prudhoe, Northumberland, which has been in operation since 1997.

More than half of sales are consumer products in personal care, tissue and packaging where the end-users are individuals and households.

Products from SCA are used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide and are mainly sold under own brands as well as via retailers’ brands. SCA’s best-known brands include Tena, Tork, Tempo, Edet, Zewa, Libero and Libresse.

SCA’s packaging solutions are mainly used for transport of food, industrial products and consumer durables.

Runners-up: Merck Sharp & Dohme. Northumberland Wildlife Trust

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DURHAM AND WEARSIDE

Winner: Admec Municipal Services Ltd, Birtley.

ADMEC Municipal Services hires out road sweepers to councils from its offices and workshops in Birtley. It also provides gully emptiers, refurbishes road sweepers and repairs commercial vehicles.

The business has recently diversified into heavy haulage for the construction industry. Admec was set up by George and Louise Tweddle in 1993. Three years later, it doubled its number of road sweepers by acquiring a fleet from another local company which was closing.

It currently employs about 35 people, has a fleet of 24 vehicles and an annual turnover of more than £2m. The business has expanded by between 5.5% and 7% a year for the past three years.

Admec remains a family-run business and says it takes pride in a personal superior service where customer care and satisfaction are its priorities.

Runners-up: Hall Construction Services Ltd, Rushyford. Seaward Electronic Ltd, Peterlee.

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TEES VALLEY

Winner: River Swale Organics

BASED at the 450-acre Home Farm, the company’s organic vegetable boxes are delivered direct to 2,000 customers’ doorsteps a week in the North East.

Established just last year, the Newby Wiske company takes the pick of what’s in season at the farm, harvests it, packs it and delivers it.

It minimises packaging, its boxes are used up to 10 times before being recycled and leaflets and marketing materials are all printed on 100% recycled paper using vegetable inks. Deliveries are also planned carefully to minimise the miles travelled. The farm will open to the public this year for a number of organised walks, talks and events, further raising the local community’s awareness of the environment.

Runners-up: SembCorp Utilities, Renew Tees Valley.