Awards: Airedale Chemical, The Harris Partnership and Conlon Construction, Driver Hire
CHEMICAL manufacturer Airedale has been shortlisted for the Chemical Industries Association awards.
The Keighley chemical manufacturer has been recognised by its industry contemporaries in the ‘reputation’ category.
It has recently invested £500,000 to expand its fully-owned transport fleet, and the company allows qualified customers supervised access to its laboratory facilities to get involved in tweaking and adapting their chemical recipes.
Airedale Chemical has also made efforts to employ locally, with 95% of staff recruited from the area.
Daniel Marr, group marketing manager, comments: “We recognise that valuing our communities, whether that is the local school, our own team members or our customers, is just as important as taking care of profit margins.
“So, we have worked hard to put something back, and to have that recognised by such a major organisation as the CIA is truly rewarding”.
The award ceremony will take place at the Newcastle Gateshead Hilton Hotel on 18 June. Previous winners have included chemical giants such as GlaxoSmithKline.
An aeronautical-inspired centrepiece of Bowcliffe Hall by architects The Harris Partnership and built by Conlon Construction as part of a £6m project has won two awards at the Royal Institute of British Architects Yorkshire Awards.
The 2,060 sq. ft aeroplane-wing shaped treehouse was named one of eight outstanding Yorkshire buildings recognised for their architectural excellence.
In the special awards category, serial entrepreneur Jonathan Turner, chief executive of the Bayford Group, who commissioned the scheme at the former ancestral home of aviation pioneer Robert Blackburn, was named client of the year.
Judges said: “This is a tour de force, a piece of bravado, worthy of its inspiration, its location and the passion of its client.
“Whilst equally bold in both its conception and final form, its aptness to its siting within both an historic environment and amongst precious trees is admirably (even surprisingly) sympathetic.”
Jonathan Turner said: “Winning two awards is a tremendous and fitting tribute to the entire design and construction team who brought alive my vision to create a lasting legacy to an unsung hero of the golden age of aviation. I am looking forward to people coming to enjoy it.”
Accommodating up to 140 people, the conference centre is part of a multi-phase restoration project across the nineteenth century estate, including converting a cricket pavilion and other redundant buildings into office space and a creating an upmarket Drivers Club Restaurant.
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Bradford-based recruitment franchise, Driver Hire, is one of eight finalists in the 2015 bfa and HSBC ‘Franchisor of the Year’ awards. A winner in 2006 and 2012, Driver Hire has been a finalist in nine out of the last ten years.
Thirty year-old Driver hire provides permanent and temporary drivers and logistics staff to the road transport and logistics industry. It has an network of 101 offices and has completed a second year of trading with two of its franchisees passing the £3m mark.
Andy Brattesani, UK head of franchising for HSBC, said: “Thanks to the calibre of entries, we’ve arrived at a list of businesses that really highlight the diversity found in modern franchising. The finalists, a strong combination of established and newer franchisors, should be very proud to have been shortlisted for their dedication to exceptional business practices. We look forward to hearing more about their success at the judging.”
Chris Chidley, Driver Hire’s chief executive added: “Our business model, franchise support and customer service all contribute to our ongoing success. It’s great that our efforts have been recognised in this way. To repeatedly make it to the finals says a huge amount about our business and what it offers our franchisees.”
Finalists will present to a judging panel of industry experts in London on 20 and 21 May, with winners announced at a black-tie dinner on the 25 June at the ICC in Birmingham.
