Celebrating manufacturing success at Make UK dinner

Manufacturers were recognised for their achievements this month at the Make UK North East, Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Dinner.

Our Business Development and Marketing Manager, Richard Holmes, was kindly invited to join our friends at Make UK Defence at the awards event, which was held at the Raddison Blu Durham hotel on 19th October.

And he saw a wide range of pioneering manufacturing businesses take centre stage at the dinner.

Paralloy Limited claimed the Business Development and Strategy Award, Lionweld Kennedy Flooring Ltd triumphed in the Energy and Sustainability category and Powell Ltd took home the Health, Safety and Wellbeing award.

Akzonobel Ashington – which is situated near our Northumberland HQ – was recognised for its commitment to workforce development and culture by being highly commended in the Developing Future Talent category. The first prize went to Swift Group Ltd.

Fitfactory Technology Ltd won the Innovation award, while The Biskery claimed first place in the Manufacturing Matters category and the SME of the Year prize was awarded to WDS Components, a manufacturer and global supplier of standard parts, machine accessories and work holding components.

Lionweld Kennedy Flooring Ltd, which designs, manufacture and install steel and GRP grated flooring, handrails and stair treads was named Manufacturer of the Region, after also winning the Energy and Sustainability award earlier in the evening.

It was also fantastic to see apprentices from North East England, Yorkshire and Humberside gain recognition for their efforts.

Tribosonics Ltd’s Luke Dawson was named Business Apprentice Rising Star, WDA Machine Knives Ltd’s Louis Crutchley won the Business Apprentice Final Year award, Harriet Bean of BASF took home the Engineering Apprentice Rising Star award, Tribosonics Ltd’s Joe Burns came out top in the Engineering Apprentice Final Year category and Lily Smythe of Accu won the Apprentice Endeavour Award.

Speakers on the evening included Ben Fletcher, Chief Operating Officer of Make UK, wo gave an honest assessment of the current manufacturing landscape, and Maria Lane, President of Boeing UK, Ireland and Nordic region, who took the audience through her inspirational career journey and provided an insight into Boeing’s work in the UK.

Richard Holmes said: “It was a real privilege to be at the Make UK North East, Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Dinner 2023 and to witness the northern manufacturing community join together to celebrate their achievements. Our congratulations go to all of the winners and runners up!”