Rochdale Business Awards finalists speak to Rochdale Online

Simkiss Control Systems Limited
Business of the Year – Turnover more than 5m – 2013

Thirty local businesses, businessmen and women have the chance to win a Rochdale Business Award at a glittering awards ceremony at Rochdale Town Hall (Friday 7 November).

Established in 2011, the awards celebrate the achievements of businesses and business people in the Borough and Rochdale Online has spoken to nominees looking forward to the awards ceremony.

Chris Nuttall, Managing Director of Rothwells, said: “I think it’s a good thing that these awards are now happening on a local level because with chamber awards, they would usually focus on Manchester businesses. I think if we won it would hopefully bring us more publicity and more business.”

David Harris, Target Fire Protection, said: “We sponsor the New Business Start Up award so I think it has a positive impact on new businesses that need that publicity. I think winning is a pat on the back and an acknowledgement that shows you are doing well.”

Mike Newton, Treat Yourself Boutique, said: “Recognition is the biggest thing we would like from the awards. Especially as we are a new business, we would like to drive more people in and let more people know about us and I think this is a good way to do that.

“I think if we won it would expand on what I was saying about getting that recognition. I think you only really hear about the winners so that would then hopefully drive more people to come to us and to let more people know about us.”

Mark Tibbenham, Managing Director at GJD Manufacturing, said: “We entered the competition for a number of reasons. Firstly for employee motivation - recognising the hard work and achievements of our staff. Secondly for benchmarking ourselves against competitors. We strive for excellence through innovation, diversity, growth, customer service, investment in our people and strategic thinking. Finally, as a way of attracting new employees. It would help us attract excellent and skilled new employees to help us with our growth objectives.

“Prestigious awards such as the Rochdale Business Awards will make a difference to GJD. Winning would enhance our profile as a flagship business for Rochdale in the manufacturing sector.”

Julie Bowmer, Managing Director of Baker Bennett and TBD Associates, said: “We entered the Rochdale Business Awards for a number of reasons. Firstly we wanted a way to acknowledge the hard work shown by all the staff in both of the companies and secondly the chance to enhance our profile and meet other like-minded businesses. The awards seem to have grown in popularity and stature over the past couple of years and to be associated with them as a finalist or even a winner is a fantastic opportunity.

“I think the fact that we are finalists in three categories is testament to how far we have come in the past 12 months and being involved with the awards will achieve recognition of that. If we were to win, in any of the categories, I think the impact it would have could only be positive.”

Gail Delaney, Pretty Pink Couture, said: “We entered the awards because we are proud of our business and want to promote and advertise it to as many people as possible. We hope to raise our profile to a wider audience thus increasing our sales with the ultimate goal of employing more local people with an interest in the children’s fashion industry.

“If we were to win, we will be able to use the prestigious coveted title of “Rochdale Best Start Up Business 2014” on our marketing material, website and Facebook page. Pretty Pink Couture will be recognised as a children’s brand that has its roots in Rochdale and everything designed, manufactured and retailed under one roof.”

Phil O’Hara, Northern Employment, said: “We recently were successful in the Skills for Business Awards where we were highly commended and I think being involved with the Rochdale Business Awards compliments that. We have been in Rochdale for 21 years so I think we would hope to be recognised by our peers by being involved. We want to show that we are dedicated to training and developing as well as getting that extra exposure and publicity. I think winning will confirm what we are doing is right. If a panel of independent assessors agrees with our approach then it will show that our hard work and determination is right.”

Helen Senior, Jackson Jackson and Sons, said: “We are a main sponsor of the awards and are a big supporter of the awards. Because this award recognises skills and workforce development, something that is a big part of our company ethos, it was fitting that we got involved. It would be an honour to receive the recognition and would show that we put a lot into supporting local people.”

Elizabeth White, Fresh from the Studio, said: “I am a great supporter of the awards and think it is a good boost to the business profile of Rochdale. I think winning the award would raise the profile of businesses in Littleborough.”

Neil Jones, PTG Holroyd Precision, said: “Like a lot of businesses we enter national, international and local awards and with those we have been successful in some and not so successful in others. With the Rochdale awards being local we thought it would give recognition of the expert workforce we have. If we won, I think it would give recognition to everybody involved in the apprenticeship scheme from those directly involved who have gone through the apprenticeship scheme and to those who have helped the apprentices and the work force at Holroyd from HR to senior managers.”

Carole Stirzaker, The Flower and The Glory, said: “We hope to get our name a bit wider spread and more known outside of the Littleborough area. I think winning would allow us to become a little more known in the wider Rochdale area. We know we have a good product and are good at what we do and we get good feedback so it would just help us emphasise that a bit more.”

Ben Bate, Body Pro Personal Training, said: “We are celebrating 10 years in business this year so we wanted to do something to mark and celebrate that. We also thought it would be a good way to showcase what we do. I think it will raise awareness of our business and will promote what we do. I think its all about the promotion so it would be nice to promote ourselves in the Rochdale area and make people more aware of who we are.”

Dr Pamela Coates, Waterside Dental Care, said: “The business has developed over a number of years and with all of the hard work we have put in, we wanted to show people how we are doing with all of that. I think if we won, it will not only give us the recognition but will also show the patients who are using us that they made the right choice. I think it is nice for them to know that we have been recognised by other people as well as themselves.”

Donna Eachus, Farrel Limited, said: “We were nominated by Rochdale Training Association for the award. I think it will help us get our name out there a bit more and show that we value our apprentices and value our employees. I think winning would be a great achievement and would show that we support our apprentices and our workforce. It’s not often that we hear positive news about companies, it is usually doom and gloom so it would be nice to hear something positive.”

Lydia Simpson, Quat Chem Ltd, said: “We entered into the Rochdale business awards in order to raise our profile locally and to enhance our reputation in the UK and abroad. The Rochdale Business Awards provides a platform for us to celebrate our success with our staff. We hope the awards will help to acknowledge the contributions, dedication and achievements of our talented and highly qualified team.

“UK manufactured products are held in high regard in overseas markets. As an SME, we hope the Rochdale Business Awards will help us build on our existing success in exportation through increasing recognition of the UK brand and continued confidence in our product quality in overseas markets. The Rochdale Business Awards finalist status will help increase our credibility in overseas markets, and winning it would send a positive message to our customers and would help to support our overseas distributors.”

Margaret Sykes, SMART Electrical Engineers, said: “We have won the award for the past two years so we are hoping to try and win it for a third year. We have been nominated by Hopwood Hall College because of our close links with them. If we were to win then I think it would raise our profile a little more and then that would bring in more enquires from people about what we do. My husband was an apprentice and so was my son so it is nice to have people here who can help the next generation.”

Maggie Beswick, Manager at Ashworth View Nursery, said: “We are immensely proud of what we have achieved in the last year, we now provide care for over 40 children. We have created a standard in childcare which is to a standard higher than any that I have experienced anywhere in the 24 years that I have worked in this sector. We are proud of our community and enjoy being a part of it, participating in events such as the carnival and having family days at the nursery each month. To become a finalist is such an achievement to us. Should we be fortunate enough to win our category, we would use the award to promote the nursery.”

Marjorie Thompson, Chantilly, said: “Chantilly entered the Rochdale Business Awards because it is a wonderful platform to promote both our business and Rochdale as a whole, which is home to some outstanding businesses. We are thrilled to be short listed for High Street Retailer of the Year as it is recognition of our contribution to the town’s retail offer and it is extra special this year as we have now been trading for 30 years. To actually win the award would be absolutely fantastic and very gratifying for the Chantilly team to acknowledge all of the hard work we put in and the standards which we strive to maintain.”

For the full list of finalists see:

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/1/business-news/92232/rochdale-business-awards-2014-finalists