Subsea specialist firm Tekmar Energy scooped the Company of the Year award at Aycliffe Business Park’s “Make Your Mark” awards event.
More than 200 people enjoyed the glitzy ceremony at the Xcel Centre, attended by Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson and Business Durham managing director Dr Simon Goon, who made an opening speech.
Tekmar, one of the leading cable protection specialists in the North-East, beat off stiff competition from Finley Structures, Ebac and Merchant Place Developments – the company which brought Hitachi to Aycliffe – to grab the top award.
Flavoured coffee company Beanies won Small Business of the Year while manufacturing firm Ebac won the engineering and manufacturing award.
Tekmar CEO James Ritchie said: “We are delighted to be selected for this prestigious award in recognition of our business performance over the last year.
“The company is expanding in many areas, kitting out our new production facility, and opening offices around the globe. With sales now coming in from the USA and UAE, we continue to recruit and grow our exceptional team.
“I want to thank everyone in Tekmar whose hard work has cemented our position as the market leading supplier in our field. Over the next year we look-forward to capitalising on our leading position in the subsea market.”
Tekmar was recently awarded a multi-million pound project with Statoil and Statkraft on the Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm for the supply of its patented technology TekLink.
The deal marked the 30th offshore wind project for Tekmar and followed major deals with Cape Wind in the USA and Luchterduinen in the Netherlands.
Tekmar is currently preparing to move in to the 75,000 sqft former Tetley’s Tea factory at Aycliffe by December this year.
Beanies managing director John Evans said: “Being nominated for this award gives all of us a great boost for the hard work we have put in over a relatively short period of time so we are grateful to receive it and remember small businesses can become big businesses.”
The Make Your Mark event was Aycliffe Business Park’s inaugural awards-giving bash, and chair of the ABP steering group Kerina Clark, managing director of the Xcel Centre, said: “It was so rewarding to see such a great turnout for the event and an acknowledgement of the progress that has been made since January 2013 in creating a real sense of community here on Aycliffe Business Park.
“The strength, depth and diversity of companies was displayed so well and we should all be proud to be part of such a great place to work and grow business.”
Xcel Centre was also awarded Employer of the Year, and Mrs Clark added: “We’re delighted to win the Employer of the Year award as it is really a reflection on our fantastic staff team.
“They are the reason for Xcels success and our greatest asset so it’s great to see that recognised – we’re very proud of them.”
Other winners on the night included MediTek (Export), Emerald Biogas (Innovation), Gregg Little Testing Centre (Service Business of the Year), Gestamp Tallent (Apprenticeships), Tom Wise, D&S Services (Apprentice of the Year), Aycliffe Today Business (Newcomer), and Thrive (Heart of the Community).
More information about Aycliffe Business Park, including upcoming networking events, can be found at www.aycliffebusinesspark.co.uk
Tekmar Energy CEO James Ritchie with some of his team after receiving the Aycliffe Business Park Company of the Year award.
