The tenth anniversary Caerphilly Business Forum Awards was celebrated in style at Llancaiach Fawr on Friday as an automotive firm and a food company each scooped two prestigious awards.
Peter’s Foods, from Bedwas, and Mollertech Ltd ended the night wiit double honours.
The pride and emotion on the faces of Mollertech Ltd staff were plain to see as the Cwmfelinfach company won the Environment Award and the coveted Finalists Achievement Award – which celebrated ten years of the CBF Awards.
Geraint Taylor, Mollertech’s maintenance manager, had tears in his eyes as he helped colleagues collect the two awards.
He said: “It has been a team effort from everybody at the plant. It is the hard work of every single individual in Mollertech that has made this possible.
“The second award is a dream come true. We had some bad press as a result of the automotive industry [downturn] and we’ve had to lay people off.
“But the future’s bright with new investment and new projects on the horizon. We’ll keep employment in the valleys.”
Bedwas-based Peter’s Foods, which is still affectionately known as Peter’s Pies, also had cause to celebrate after picking up the night’s Premier Award – effectively the overall winner out of the evening’s six category winners.
Increasing its turnover by 40% in the last year, the firm also walked away with the Business of the Year Award (More than 25 employees).
Marketing controller Clare Morgan said: “We are very very surprised. We weren’t expecting the Premier Award at all. To win is gobsmacking.
“Forty percent over the last we months has been incredibly hard work but there has been a huge team effort. We’ve got a workforce of nearly 500 people in Bedwas so it’s not just one person accepting an award. We are accepting this for everyone.”
One individual who did receive a huge round of applause was Martyn Fear – who as chairman of the Caerphilly Business Forum in 2001 helped set-up the awards.
It was only fitting then that his latest company, Specialist Precast Products – won the first award of the night Young Business of the Year.
Mr Fear was initially reluctant to take the limelight from his colleagues but was urged onstage by guests.
Speaking after the awards ceremony, which was hosted by BBC Wales’ Jason Mohammad, he said: “The Awards has grown hugely. The first one filled the hall in Caerphilly Castle and we pitched it as high as we possibly could but we didn’t know it was going to take off in such a way.
“For Specialist Precast Products to win was fabulous having so often been on the other side.”
Mr Fear added that the likes of Caerphilly-based PHS and Norgine – both multimillion pound businesses – supporting the awards was a sign of their quality and the level they were regarded in.
Current Caerphilly Business Forum chair Andrew Diplock said: “Tonight’s awards have made us feel really proud. A lot of people have told me that without award ceremonies like this we couldn’t exude the business confidence there is. It’s fantastic to have this kind of event.
Caerphilly Business Forum Awards 2011 nominations. Winners in bold.
Young Business of the Year High Growth sponsored by Direct Healthcare Services Ltd
Rob Morris Environmental Ltd
Specialist Precast Products
Active Vibe Ltd
Business of the Year (25 employees or fewer) sponsored by Caerphilly County Borough Council
Jual Furnishings Ltd
Drumlord Ltd
Focused Recruitment
Business of the Year (25 Employees or more) sponsored by SEDA UK Ltd
Mollertech Ltd
Joyner PA (Cymru) Ltd
Peter’s Foods
Environment Award sponsored by UES
Joyner PA (Cymru) Ltd
Rob Morris Environmental Ltd
Mollertech Ltd
Young Achiever of the Year sponsored by PHS Group
Jennifer Philp (Budget Vets)
Rebecca Rees (JNP Legal)
Sarah Bruton (Captiva Spa)
Women in Business sponsored by Glenside Commercial
Catherine Hartland (Brendon Solicitors)
Esther Apoussidis (Coffee Continental)
Colleen Andrews (CA Recycling)
Finalists Achievement Award sponsored by Business in Focus
Mollertech Ltd
Cottam & Brookes Engineering Ltd
Taylors B&B at The Rock Tavern
The Premier Award sponsored by Broomfield Alexander
The winners of each of the categories are considered for this award.
Peter’s Foods
Pictures of the event will be published shortly.