At the heart of things
Nov 13 2007 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette
TEES VALLEY AWARD: ABB Engineering Services
WE believe maintenance of the traditional manufacturing base is essential for the future of the region and that it must have the skills, ability and drive to both adapt and to grow in servicing what is a highly competitive global market. With sponsorship of the Tees Valley Manufacturing Award, ABB Engineering Services seeks to recognise and encourage those that push beyond traditional boundaries.
Those organisations that have achieved success in manufacturing excellence through the use of innovative ideas and with motivated and enthusiastic teams, delivering results that have made a difference to both their local organisation and to the benefit of the region.
DURHAM AND WEARSIDE AWARD: Aon
IAN MACKERSIE, client management director at Aon, said: “Durham and Wearside has been historically rich in manufacturing, but while this sector has witnessed transition and faced new challenges, we now celebrate the local success stories that have shone through.
“As the sector becomes increasingly global, manufacturing companies from automotive to offshore engineering, are showing innovation and investment in training and development to maintain their competitive advantage.
“Aon works with the local manufacturing sector from our Newcastle office while understanding the challenges of trading in a global economy.
“Manufacturing companies must balance the threat of global competition with the advantages of the high quality production for which the North-east should be proud.”
TYNESIDE AND NORTHUMBERLAND: Gate 7
THE Manufacturing Award is of huge significance to the North-east business community.
In the 2007 awards Gate 7 won recognition for successes with export activities, and this was due to locally manufactured goods being sold successfully abroad.
For this award exporting is not an essential quality, but if those manufactured goods are sold abroad and foreign currency returned to the region, then we are coming close to seeing what real business is all about.
It is essential our business community is successful in making things and selling them.
NORTH-EAST AWARD: EEF Northern
THIS award is a real mark of achievement and shows that our manufacturers have a lot to be proud of.
Wellstream spectacularly flew the manufacturing flag at the 2006 awards when they received the Company of the Year Award at the regional final in May. This pinnacle award for Wellstream simply reflects the level of business expertise North-east manufacturers have to offer.
It is not just the excitement within the business in preparing and submitting your entry, a North East Business Award can also aid an organisation in gaining contracts and moving forward.
With competition from the developing economies of India and China it is essential that investment in highly skilled, extensively trained staff continues.
Competition for this year’s awards is expected to be tight with many of the region’s manufacturers having had a successful year in 2007. So the winner of this year’s regional final will certainly have something to be proud of and can see the award as a genuine recognition of success and achievement.
