EEF Crowns This Year's Best of British Manufacturing

The wait to find out which of Britain's brightest manufacturers and apprentices will be handed an industry 'gong' is finally over. 35 companies and 12 apprentices – all regional winners in theEEF/Aldermore Future Manufacturing Awards - gathered at a prestigious awards ceremony in London last week to find out who would be walking away with a national title.

The annual awards are designed to showcase the depth of talent and achievement in the UK's thriving manufacturing sector. At the ceremony, this year's finalists drawn from innovative manufacturers and ambitious apprentices from across the UK were congratulated for their inspiring work in the sector and their local communities.

The winners were finally revealed after impressing a panel of judges drawn from business leaders, industry experts and academics. The Winner of Winners title – awarded to the most outstanding manufacturer of all the national winners – was presented to Naylor Drainage, a Barnsley-based manufacturer of clay and plastic drainage pipes.

The company won the award for transforming itself from a traditional 19th century manufacturer into a truly 21st century globally orientated enterprise, providing world class, highly-engineered technical drainage products and solutions. In the past four years the company has restructured itself to be totally focused on the customer and global growth.

The much-coveted Manufacturing Champion title – sponsored by Aldermore and given to an individual deemed to have made a significant contribution to UK manufacturing - was this year awarded to Roger Evans MBE, Managing Director of Schaeffler (UK) Ltd, a manufacturer of precision bearings and engine components.

The judges were won over by Roger's vision, dedication and determination. In addition to his leading role at Schaeffler UK, he is also Director of Industry Wales, Director of the Welsh Automotive Forum and Chairman of the Welsh Manufacturing Forum.

Mike Turner CBE, chairman of GKN and Babcock International Group, was named EEF's Industrialist of the Year. As Chairman of two of the country's largest industrial and global players he has been at the forefront of the revival in the UK's manufacturing sector.

Other national award winners were:

Outstanding Achievement by a Final Year Apprentice Award - sponsored by JAM Recruitment

• Winner: Daniel Biggs, 21, a final year apprentice at JCB Transmissions in Wrexham
• Runner-up: James Doughty, 26, a final year apprentice at Jaguar Land Rover in Castle Bromwich
• Highly-commended: Pavandeep Bhogal, 22, a final year apprentice at BAE Systems in Preston.

Outstanding Achievement by a First Year Apprentice Award - sponsored by JAM Recruitment

• Winner: Benjamin Farnsworth, 21, a first year apprentice at Techni-Grind Machining in Preston
• Runner-up: Robert Hardie, 22, a first year apprentice at Hepcomotion in Tiverton.

EEF/EDT Manufacturing Student of the Year:

• Winner: Daniel Biggs, 21, a final year apprentice at JCB Transmissions in Wrexham
• Runner-up: Jack Patterson, student at University of Sunderland.

Business Efficiency Award

• Winner: MöllerTech, a Cwmfellinfach-based injection moulding manufacturer
• Runner-up: 600 UK, a Heckmondwike-based machine tools and precision components manufacturer
• Highly-commended: Origin, a High Wycombe-based aluminium bi-fold doors, windows and blinds manufacturer.

Business Growth Award - sponsored by Westfield Health

• Winner: Pryor Marking Technology, a Sheffield-based industrial marking equipment manufacturer
• Runner-up: Stadco, a Telford-based automotive pressing and assemblies manufacturer
• Highly-commended: Permaban, an Ivybridge-based specialised formwork systems manufacturer.

Developing People Award

• Winner: ZF Lemforder UK, a Wednesbury-based automotive components and systems manufacturer
• Runner-up: Hymid Multi-Shot, a Torquay-based plastic injection moulded equipment manufacturer
• Highly-commended: Ford Aerospace, a South Shields-based aerospace components manufacturer.

Environmental Efficiency Award - sponsored by ENER-G

• Winner: Nestle UK, the Fawdon-based food and beverage manufacturer
• Runner-up: Caparo Industries, an Oldbury-based steel products manufacturer
• Highly-commended: Crown Paints, a Darwen-based paint manufacturer.

Outstanding Export Award - sponsored by Dunedin

• Winner: Naylor Drainage, a Barnsley-based clay and plastic drainage pipe manufacturer
• Runner-up: Inciner8, a Southport-based industrial incinerator manufacturer.

Health and Safety Award - sponsored by R K Harrison Insurance Services

• Winner: Mabey Bridge, a Chepstow-based structural steel products manufacturer
• Runner-up: Mars Chocolate UK, the Slough-based confectionary manufacturer.

Smart Product Award

• Joint winner: Hybrid Air Vehicles, a Bedford-based hybrid aircraft manufacturer
• Joint winner: Advanced Insulation, a Gloucester-based technical and insulation materials manufacturer.

Edward Naylor, Chief Executive at Naylor Drainage, says:"There are so many fantastic manufacturers in the UK – to not only win the Outstanding Export Award, but also be named Winner of Winners, is a massive compliment. We have worked really hard to develop innovative products and to enter new markets and this is a very welcome recognition of the efforts of our entire team; we are all delighted."

Roger Evans MBE, Plant and Automotive Director of Schaeffler UK and EEF/Aldermore's Manufacturing Champion, says:"Manufacturing is a dynamic and exciting sector full of people who are passionate and committed to what they do. To therefore be recognised in this way is a real honour. I am absolutely delighted as much for my hard-working team as for myself, as without their commitment and support this achievement would not have been possible."

Daniel Biggs, Final Year Apprentice Award winner and Manufacturing Student of the Year, says: "As a final year apprentice this award is like the icing on the cake. I've learnt valuable skills that have set me on the path of an interesting and rewarding career - to receive this recognition on top is just brilliant. I'm delighted to have won, especially after being up against some other incredibly talented and dedicated apprentices. After meeting them and seeing my own success I would have no hesitation in urging other young people to become an apprentice in manufacturing."

Mark Stephens, Deputy CEO of Aldermore, says: "Despite its value to the UK economy, manufacturing is an unsung hero. These awards go some way towards shining a light on the dedication, commitment and innovation going on each and every day in this dynamic and exciting sector.

"Choosing winners from such an impressive group of companies and apprentices was always going to be difficult and all the winners and finalists deserve our admiration and congratulations."

The hunt for the next Future Manufacturing Awards winners has already started. For more information and to enter, visit:http://www.eef.org.uk/campaigning/awards-and-competitions/future-manufacturing-awards.

Captions:

8179: All prize recipients, sponsors and judges

8070: Naylor Drainage Ltd - Winner of Winners 2014 (L-R) Rob Lankey from headline sponsor Aldermore; Bridie Warner-Adsetts, COO and Edward Naylor, CEO from Naylor Drainage Ltd

8098: Roger Evans MBE, Schaeffer (UK) Ltd – National Winner, Manufacturing Champion Award (L-R) Kelly Hewitt from headline sponsor, Aldermore and Roger Evans MBE, Managing Director of Schaeffer (UK) Ltd

7629: Daniel Biggs, JCB Transmissions - National Winner, Outstandiing Achievement by a Final Year Apprentice (L-R) Zack Georgiou from category partner, JAM Recruitment and Daniel Biggs from JCB Transmissions

-ENDS-

Contact:

Sophie Carroll: Tel 0207 654 1515/07825533961, emailscarroll@eef.org.uk

Jo Ganly: Tel 0207 654 1530/077780498618, emailjganly@eef.org.uk

Mark Swift: Tel 0207 654 1576/07979 543710, emailmswift@eef.org.uk

Notes to editors:

About EEF

EEF, the manufacturers' organisation, is the representative voice of UK manufacturing, with offices in London, Brussels, every English region and Wales.

Collectively we represent 20,000 companies of all sizes, from start-ups to multinationals, across engineering, manufacturing, technology and the wider industrial sector. We directly represent over 5,000 businesses who are members of EEF. Everything we do – from providing essential business support and training to championing manufacturing industry in the UK and the EU – is designed to help British manufacturers compete, innovate and grow.

From HR and employment law, health and safety to environmental and productivity improvement, our advice, expertise and influence enables businesses to remain safe, compliant and future-focused.

More information at www.eef.org.uk

About Aldermore:

Aldermore is a British bank providing award-winning savings, mortgages and commercial finance to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), homeowners and savers.

Operating with modern, scalable and legacy free infrastructure, Aldermore has no branch network but serves customers and intermediary partners online, by phone and face to face through its network of twelve regional offices located around the UK.

Building on its core values of being reliable, expert, straightforward and dynamic, Aldermore aims to deliver banking as it should be.

Established in 2009, the Bank has grown significantly and now has over 750 employees. At the end of 2013, lending to customers stood at £3.4 billion, customer deposits totalled £3.4 billion and the Bank delivered a pre-tax profit of £22.4 million.

Aldermore is backed by funds advised by AnaCap Financial Partners LLP, a specialist private equity investor in the financial services sector and other institutional investors.

Aldermore is regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and is registered under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

For more information, please visit www.aldermore.co.uk.