Award tops record year
A RECORD year for a Stillington engineering firm, which saw land contracts worth £100m, has been capped by winning the top prize at the last of the North East Business Awards’ regional finals.
Darchem Engineering triumphed at the recent event for Durham and Wearside businesses, organised by the Evening Gazette and its sister paper on Tyneside The Journal.
Jon Gagg, managing director of Darchem, said: “We are proud to receive this award. It is validation of our efforts, the efforts of our staff and the core management team.”
The win reflects on a highly successful year for the company – which has been established in the region for half a century and is a world leader in the manufacture of insulation systems for use in the aerospace, energy and marine markets. In January, it unveiled plans to create 40 new jobs with three factory expansions. Darchem, which employs 630 workers at Stillington and 100 at its other site in Gloucester, supplies a raft of blue chip companies including Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney, Volvo and the Ministry of Defence.
Winners from the event, held at Ramside Hall Hotel, Durham, will join successful firms from the Tees Valley and Tyneside and Northumberland ceremonies to compete in the grand final on Thursday, May 1, at the Hardwick Hall Hotel near Sedgefield.
Darchem will be up against Tyneside and Northumberland winner Newcastle International Airport and Tees Valley winner Garlands Call Centres for the top title.
To book a table at the North-east final, call Claire Evans on 0191 201 6089, email claire.evans@ncjmedia.co.uk or log on to www.northeastbusinessawards.co.uk
