Businesses from across the county gathered for a night of celebration and fun in Brecon last Friday for the Powys Business Awards 2022.
Held at Dering Lines, the night showcased the very best businesses from around the region, across a multitude of industries.
The popular awards are organised by the Mid Wales Manufacturing Group (MWMG) with support from sponsors.
A Welshpool company which has invested £5 million in state-of-the-art machinery to create 50 new jobs in the coming years took top honours on the night and was named Powys Business of the Year.
Wipak UK Ltd, based at the town’s Buttington Cross Enterprise Park, collected the coveted overall award, sponsored by Powys County Council.
The company, which makes sophisticated, high barrier packaging films for preserving and protecting food products, also won the People Development Award, sponsored by NPTC Group of Colleges.
Wipak UK Ltd, which has a turnover approaching £30 million and 107 employees, says its workforce is playing a key role in its mission to become the most sustainable flexible packaging supplier in the world and achieve carbon neutrality by 2025.
Following a comprehensive training programme for operators on the new machinery, several exciting new products have been developed, including an advanced, low carbon footprint, aluminium butter wrap for a new market.
Pledging to support employees to unlock their full potential, whilst also prioritising their safety and wellbeing, the company achieved Investors in People Silver Accreditation in 2019 and is going for Gold Accreditation later this year.
Responding to the award announcement, Wipak UK Ltd’s managing director Andrew Newbold said: “Wow, what an amazing honour. What I like about this award is that it’s about all our employees, not just one person or one product.
“We have won it because of what they have achieved collectively. They have embraced the development plan and are an amazing group of people.”
The judges said: “Wipak has a strong leader, has invested in local people and put them at the heart of the company. They have established themselves as market leaders by continuing to invest in their manufacturing capability and in the development of new products.
“They are making a positive environmental contribution by taking decisive action and challenging traditional methods. We believe they will be an inspirational and worthy ambassador as a standard bearer for Powys.”
Drink wholesaler The Cellar Drinks Company was the toast of Crickhowell after adding another Powys Business Award to its collection.
The company, which won the Micro Business Award last year, this time collected the Small Business Growth Award, sponsored by EDF Renewables.
Specialising in selling beers, ciders, wines, spirits and soft drinks to the licensed trade, The Cellar Drinks Company is owned by Rhys and Chyrelle Anstee who purchased the business in January last year.
Despite coinciding with the pandemic, which severely disrupted the hospitality industry, the company has grown exponentially. Profits have increased whilst expenditure has reduced by streamlining processes and increasing efficiency.
Revenue has grown by more than 25 per cent as a result of launching an ecommerce website and forging partnerships with three major UK brewers, providing access to a huge range of brands.
The company, which now has 11 employees, has increased its customer base from an initial 50-mile radius to the whole of Mid and South Wales. The target market has expanded from pubs, bars and restaurants to now include high-profile, large-scale events.
A new sales development manager has been recruited and more delivery drivers are being sought as the company continues to expand.
Adapting to changing market requirements, The Cellar Drinks Company has invested in an online ordering app which allows customers to order, browse all products, create shopping lists and view past orders.
Rhys is a former director of Glamorgan Brewing Company while Chyrelle has more than 20 years’ experience working in the digital industry. They are combining this experience to drive their business forward.
“As business owners, we are beyond proud of what we have achieved so far and this continues to motivate us to pursue further growth,” said Chyrelle. “Rhys has the knowledge and connections in the drinks industry and I add technology to the mix. We are a good team.”
Rhys added: “We are thrilled to win an award for the second year running and our success is down to the hard work of the team who have made it happen. These awards are amazing for showcasing businesses of all sizes.”
Powys Business Awards judges said they were impressed by the company achieving ambitious profitable growth targets despite the pandemic impacting the hospitality sector.
“The Cellar Drinks Company has managed this growth by reinvesting profits and coming up with fresh ideas to increase market share and to simplify the ordering process,” they added.
Ensuring that there is no repeat of the Clapham Junction train crash in 1988 is one of the inspirations behind a thriving railway training company which also picked up an award on the night.
PM Training and Assessing Ltd, based in Crickhowell, proved it’s on the right track by winning theMicro Business Award, sponsored by WPG.
PM Training and Assessing Ltd is run by husband and wife Paul and Pam Martin. Paul was an 18-year-old apprentice signal engineer when he attended the Clapham Junction train crash which made a lasting impression on him. Thirty-five people were killed in the crash which was caused by faulty wiring and signalling.
“The crash changed the whole signalling industry and also changed my attitude to work at the age of 18,” said Paul. “Our business aims to ensure that the chances of the disaster happening again are reduced by providing inspiring, creative, quality training.”
Pam joined forces with her husband in 2018 when, after 30 years working as a signal engineer, he was made redundant following the collapse of Carillion. She previously ran a micro training business delivering trainer and assessor qualifications and managing the IRSE Railway Signalling assessments.
She and Paul have combined their knowledge and experience to deliver technical signalling training.
They have converted an old bus and a show trailer into mobile classrooms, complete with signalling equipment, which allows them to deliver training in cities as well as remote railway depots.
The company has worked with CEMET at South Wales University to develop virtual reality training for signal engineers. Learners witness a train crash on a virtual live railway if they do not follow the correct procedures when completing tests.
The company’s investment and creativity has seen income from technical training increase twelvefold. Working with Educationwise, it delivers Apprenticeships in Railway Signalling, incorporating traditional railway courses, to save time and money for clients.
The directors focus on the training and personal development of its seven staff, four of whom were recruited through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Breconshire Group, which the company supports.
After receiving the award, Pam said: “Winning this award means such a lot to us. Many of our staff are local, young people and it’s the whole team that make the business what it is by the amount of hard work that they put in.
“We love where we live and that has made us think outside the box to deliver our training services which has proved to be a masterstroke. We have achieved more than we could ever have hoped for.”
Powys Business Awards judges said they were impressed by the open relationship between directors and employees on financial matters. “The future and growth of this business is all about the staff empowerment,” they added. “Staff are empowered to introduce new innovation to separate their business from their competitors.”
Successful spring water and soft drinks company Radnor Hills added another accolade to its bulging trophy cabinet.
The Knighton-based company, which has more than 150 employees, collected the Judges’ Special Award, sponsored by CellPath.
Founded in 1990 by fifth generation farmer William Watkins to sell water cuplets to the airline industry, Radnor Hills has grown from humble beginnings to now have a turnover of £42 million.
Manufacturing a variety of soft drinks, waters and juices, the company is one of the leading suppliers of school drinks, selling two bottles of Radnor Splash every second in the past year.
Similar to many other companies, Radnor Hills was challenged by the pandemic, especially when schools were closed. During the first lockdown, 70 per cent of turnover was lost, requiring the business to be agile in the market and move fast to provide customer solutions.
The company decided to expand its Radnor Splash range into Tetra Pak cartons to offer customers greater value for money and concentrated more on e-commerce sales direct to consumers through Amazon and the business’ own online shop.
Radnor Hills emerged from the pandemic stronger, increasing total branded sales by £2 million. As the pandemic has eased, sales and turnover have rocketed, allowing the company to invest £6 million to support continued growth and new jobs.
To make the business more energy efficient, the company is investing in new offices, a solar farm, production line improvements and waste reduction.
Dave Pope, Radnor Hills’ general manager, said: “We are very proud to have been recognised with this award against a lot of great companies here in Powys.
“In March 2020, we had more than 100 people on furlough during the pandemic and were expecting the company to shrink in size, but we have gone from strength to strength thanks to innovation and hard work by our staff.”
Powys Business Awards judges said: “On the back of COVID-19, the Radnor Hills has become more agile and has expanded its range, making its products more affordable and reducing plastic.
“The company continues to re-invest to grow sales and profits, creating new jobs, reducing waste and improving local infrastructure. Radnor Hills sets a great example to the many flourishing Powys businesses here tonight.”
Richard Glover-Davies, a serial winner at the awards, added another brace to his collection.
He won the Entrepreneurship Award, sponsored by Welsh Government, with his companies gloversure and Montgomeryshire Homes Ltd, Welshpool.
Montgomeryshire Homes then added the Small Business Award, sponsored by WR Partners.
There was more success for Welshpool as Morland UK won The Growth Award, sponsored by The County Times and Nomadic Washrooms, based in Forden, was announced as winners of the Start-up Business Award, sponsored by EvaBuild.
One of the biggest cheers of the night was reserved for The Game Change Project CIC, who work with disengaged young people from a farm base in Aberhafesp, near Newtown. The company won the Social Enterprise/ Charity Award, sponsored by Myrick Training Services.
Newtown’s biggest employer, Nidec – Control Techniques, received the Technology & Innovation Award, sponsored by ForrestBrown, for the invention of a AC micro drive complete with a revolutionary app that is operated from a smart phone.
The other finalists were: Start-up Business Award: Bryndu Caravan and Camping, Brecon and Mesh Telematics Limited, Machynlleth. Entrepreneurship Award: Trudy Davies, Woosnam and Davies News, Llani Barbers and Talerddig Bakery Store, Llanidloes and Adam Watkin, Trax JH, Tyre Protector and Gresolvent, Newtown. Micro Business Award (fewer than 10 employees): Celtic Company, Welshpool and SP Filling Systems Ltd, Llandrindod Wells. Growth Award: Dawson Shanahan, Welshpool; Makefast Ltd, Newtown and Radnor Hills, Knighton. Small Business Award (under 30 employees): CMD Ltd, Newtown and Severn Transport Services Ltd, Welshpool. Social Enterprise/ Charity Award: Calan DVS, Brecon and Open Newtown, Newtown. Small Business Growth Award: Severn Transport Services Ltd, Welshpool and Montgomeryshire Homes, Welshpool. Technology & Innovation Award: CMD Ltd, Newtown and Dawson Shanahan, Welshpool. People Development Award: EOM Electrical Contractors Ltd, Newtown and SWG Group, Welshpool.