Proving quality counts

WINNER: Valerie Simpson (FAB Group) and Emma Alexander, managing director of Business Woman of the Year category sponsor Unity Partnership, with Jon Culshaw

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A full run-down of the One Oldham Business Awards winners

Business of the Year (turnover £5m+)

CHEMICAL and aerosol products manufacturer James Briggs Ltd landed the Business of the Year (turnover £5m+) award after a year of important change.

The company has invested in new facilities including a head office at Broadway Business Park between its Chadderton and Royton sites. It has also increased its workforce from 155 to 200.

Other investments include new machinery, paint storage and blending tanks, a technical development laboratory, research and development, sales, design and print departments.

The programme of growth follows a management buy-out and substantial investment from investor Endless LLP.

Max Bass, commercial director, and Hazel Hill, sales operations manager, received the award.

Max said: “This is a great accolade for all the people who work at James Briggs and a testimony to their efforts.

“The company has been in Oldham for a long time and is well-known. We are two years into our new ownership which is bringing modernisation and change. Winning this award is one way of demonstrating that these changes are bearing fruit.

“It’s great to take part in the Oldham Business Awards and to see the range of businesses across the borough.”


Business of the Year (turnover £1m-£5m)

CONNECT Medical Systems scooped the Business of the Year (turnover £1m-£5m).

Founded in 2007, the company manufactures medical gas systems and equipment for customers worldwide.

Based in Glodwick, it currently has 11 staff and is run by its founding directors - including technical director Adrian Todd.

It is a leading UK manufacturer of medical piped gas systems and supplies hospitals across the world.

Sales and profits have shown an overall steady increase, meeting the demands of an ever-changing industry. Connect has focused on quality products and accreditation, and works on overseas sales with export bodies such as UK Trade & Investment.

Adrian said: “We are absolutely made up, we are overwhelmed. I didn’t think we were going to win.

“We take on local people and are the best at what we do — we have a great team.

“These awards are massively important, this is what business is really about at a local level, recognising achievements.

“We have aspired to this and I could not be more proud.”


Business of the Year (turnover under £1m)

TWO men who successfully launched a new venture from a struggling Oldham company received the Business of the Year (turnover under £1m) award.

Richard Leach and John Dean founded Waterhead-based Precision Pallets and Cases in 2013 following the administration of Factory Pallets and Cases.

They had no previous experience of owning a company but recognised that the old firm, spread across two sites near the former Mumps bridge in Oldham, had a potentially promising future if it was restructured.

Over the past two years, the new firm’s turnover has risen from £787,000 to £940,000. Investment has risen and the workforce has grown.

Rick said: “Winning this award is recognition for what we have done — for our employees and customers’ input and the stability they have given us.

“John and I put our heads together and decided to buy the business from administration. But we could not have achieved the success of the last two years without our staff. They have been vital.”

John added: “It’s lovely to win this award for everyone. We were facing redundancy a couple of years ago and now have this award.

“We have exciting development plans for the business and staff. We are paying the Living Wage to employees, which is unique for the industry. We are pioneers in this and we want to invest in our quality staff.”


Business Man of the Year

FRANK Rothwell, managing director of Tweedale Way-based Manchester Cabins group of businesses, was named Business Man of the Year.

It proved to be a popular choice after Mr Rothwell won over the crowd at the Queen Elizabeth II Hall with his hilarious introduction profile video which showed him telling off staff, wearing a flat cap.

Frank left school aged 14 with no qualifications at 2pm on a Friday — he had a job as a labourer by 3pm.

Aged 22, he launched his own mechanical digger hire and repair business. Then in 1979, he built his first portable building on the driveway of his Royton home before launching Manchester Cabins, which became a high-volume manufacturer of portable buildings, eventually employing 92 staff.

The business was remodelled in the 1990s after the recession — it now includes the hire of cabins, containers and toilets, alongside demountable car parking structures under the name Another level and a turnover in excess of £6million.

Frank said: “I’m delighted, I consider the business man and business woman awards to be the top honours because they are individual awards.

“I know what it is like to be skint. I know how it feels to owe three times the amount of your own house.

“These awards are the best thing in Oldham.

“In the past I have come second and third in awards like this to people a lot less deserving but tonight the competition was so great I would have been honoured to come second or third.”

Business Woman of the Year
FAB Group owner Valerie Simpson was crowned Business Woman of the Year.

Valerie has a background in the beauty therapy sector and today her business activities include the FAB Salon in Grotton, the FAB Clinic and FAB Windows.

Her submission highlighted the growth of her business. She launched the Face and Body Shop in 1997 after running a beauty business from her home. Over the years employee numbers have risen from three to 25.

Speaking after receiving her award, she said: “It’s really good for Oldham that so many businesses enter these awards. It’s great for raising the profile of businesses across the borough and great for staff morale at all the companies involved.

“There are lots of great businesses run by women in Oldham and these awards highlight the range of talent.

“We took part because we want to show our businesses is ahead of the game, to showcase our offerings to customers and other businesses. Awards like this add prestige to our business and make us stand out from the crowd. It’s a massive help. Fabulous.”


Young Entrepreneur of the year

CHARLOTTE Mills was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year for her bridal wear business.

The Springhead-based fashion and footwear designer scooped the Oldham business award on the eve of launching her latest collections at the London Bridal Fashion Show.

Charlotte (28) started her business at home, while holding-down a day job, after graduating from the Cordwainers footwear course at the London Collage of Fashion.

Speaking after receiving her framed front page and trophy, she said: “I applied to the business awards last year but that was before I had received help from Oldham Business Leadership Group (OBLG). My business was still in its early stages. This year OBLG recommended that I apply again and it’s amazing to have won. I’m really pleased.

“I have been working 100 hours a week, juggling my day job with launching my own bridal wear business, which has been very demanding. Now I’m ready to go solo, to focus on my own business on a full-time basis.”

Charlotte was due to travel south the next day to exhibit her collections at this week’s London Bridal Fashion Show.


Retailer of the Year

AWC Windows and Home Improvements were winners of the Retailer of the Year award.

AWC is the retail side of a growing second-generation family business based at Shaw Road, Oldham.

Its sister company Gemini UPVC Ltd is based at Westwood Industrial Estate in Oldham.

Brothers Michael and Paul Griffiths run the businesses but AWC was founded by their father Robert Griffiths in 1978.

The company pride themselves on a high standard of customer service and investment in staff training.

The firm is investing in its showroom, marketing activities and staff training in roles ranging from sales to surveying.

Accepting the award was Michael, accompanied by his father Robert who flew over from Costa del Sol for the event - where he lives six months of the year.

Michael said: “We are overwhelmed, really made up. It is fantastic for the company.

“Someone nominated us for the award which I suppose makes this even nicer.

“It is nice to be recognised in the Oldham area.

“It has been great to be here with my dad tonight who came back from Spain — it was well worth the trip!”


Supporting Young People

TEAM Spirit Event Management picked up the Supporting Young People award.

Founded in 1993, the company has been a strong supporter of youngsters in the borough since then.

The Greenfield business works annually with Positive Steps in Oldham to offer work experience programmes for schools and supports mock interview programmes to help with careers education.

Their nominated charity for 2014 was the Mahdlo youth centre in Oldham and Team Spirit helped transform the Mahdlo sports hall into a sophisticated, glamorous venue for the Winter Ball, which raised £30,000.

Ian Taylor, chief executive of Team Spirit, said: “This is for my whole team. We really are a team and it is the strength of our team that really make things happen.

“The youth are our future and anything we can do to help, we should. We always look to take on young people and develop them.

“The awards are an absolute institution. Oldham doesn’t always get great press nationally but this night proves that completely wrong. We have got a really vibrant business community.

“I would like to dedicate this award to the team and to retiring Chronicle business editor Martyn Torr who has done much to promote the borough.”


Start-up Business of the Year

ASSURANCE Mobility scooped the Start-up Business of the Year accolade.

Founders Maxine Correy and Gemma Parkinson started the Moorside-based mobility equipment retailer last year after facing redundancy.

The business focuses on supplying higher-quality equipment manufactured in the UK and, especially, the north west. Its’ three main markets are equipment for adults, children and sports activities.

Gemma said: “We were really shocked to win because there are so many good businesses being started-up. We weren’t expecting this but we’re delighted.

“Winning an award is a great way of raising awareness of your business and getting your name known. It strengthens your brand and helps with networking.”

Maxine said: “We were nominated by Blue Orchid, who have helped us with our business plan. When we received an email from our advisor saying we’d been nominated we thought that was great but we didn’t expect to get this far. We are only a young business and this is the first time we have been involved in awards.”

As their business grows, the women plan to obtain more stock and a warehouse, and build closer links with organisations such as Remploy and Groundwork over potential recruitment, training and apprenticeships.


Community engagement

SALLY Makin received the Community Engagement Award for her activities with her Babyballet franchise.

She runs a range of fun dance classes for toddlers and young children at venues across the borough.

She said: “I work really hard developing the business and it’s great to get the recognition. But this award is about the many other things we do in the community and the fantastic support I get from parents.

“We’ve raised hundreds of pounds for charity through different events and I couldn’t do it without great support from others.”

Claire Foster, from Chadderton, said: “I take my daughter, Ophelia, to Sally’s dance classes. The classes are a joy to attend. The young children develop social skills and make friends. It’s great to see.”

Stephanie Buckley, an awards judge, said: “Sally’s Babyballet events are held all over the borough of Oldham. Wherever you go, you’re sure to see her there. She’s got the edge in attending and supporting a whole host of events.”