Fine Tubes in Plymouth, the UK’s leading manufacturer of stainless steel, nickel and titanium tubing in seamless and welded, has made it into the final of the West Country’s most prestigious business awards.
The West of England Business of the Year Award 2010 is one of the West Country’s highest profile business awards.
Organised by the international accountancy firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the awards recognise companies across the region in two different categories; businesses with a turnover of £25 million or more or over 100 employees; and those with a turnover less than £25 million or fewer than 100 employees.
The independent panel of judges includes some of south-west England’s leading business experts. Some of the criteria that the competing companies are judged on includes financial performance, product or service innovation, business management, future prospects, investment in staff and the company’s contribution to the region.
“Despite our initial reluctance to participate in such an event for the first time, we are now very proud of being presented with the Finalist Award from Price Waterhouse,” says Ronen Day, managing director at Fine Tubes. “Taking part in one of the most prestigious business awards in our region, gave us an opportunity to re-evaluate ourselves against the judging criteria and actually realize what we had achieved.”
Mr. Day explains: “After fighting fierce price competition, slimming margins, a globalisation of markets and increasing costs, the business had undergone some substantial changes over the last few years. We have had to take significant risks in withdrawing from low priced commercial volume markets while investing heavily in equipment to enter higher added value global markets.
“Innovation and investment in people have been central to our success. We now employ around 400 staff and are one of the biggest employers in the south west with over 70% of our tubes being exported worldwide.”
Now in its 22nd year, the awards ceremony was held on 24 June in Bristol.