Express & Star Business Awards 2023: Best of business world all set to battle it out

The quality of entries was so high that five finalists have been named for the overall business of the year category which is sponsored by the Express & Star itself.

The winners in the nine categories will be announced on June 8 at a glittering black-tie awards dinner at Wolverhampton Racecourse.

There were strong entries from companies of all sizes for the region's top business awards this year.

One business is in the running for three awards on the big night.

Lesters Packaging, of Mount Road, Burntwood, is a business of the year contender and is also a finalist for the growth and innovation award. Managing director Billy Hutchinson is in the running for business person of the year.

Lesters landed an awards double last year as winners of the manufacturing champion and small to medium-sized business of the year.

USP Steels of Kingswinford were also winners last year, taking home the young business of the year award.

This year USP Steels, which moved into its new base at Gibbons Industrial Park in 2022, is a finalist in business of the year and the growth and innovation category.

JJX Logistics, of Pensnett Estate, Kingswinford, will be contesting business of the year and small and medium-sized business, as will Addfield Environmental Systems of Burntwood.

Repose Furniture, also based on the Pensnett Estate, is a finalist in business of the year and manufacturing champion.

Roofing business SPV Special Projects, of Westgate, Aldridge, are also finalists in two categories – small to medium-sized business and family business.

The awards, which recognise the best in the business world in the newspaper’s circulation area, returned in 2022 after missing 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The final shortlist totals 31 for the nine awards up for grabs on the night.

Finalists include from some of the best-known established and successful names in business in the region, fledgling companies that are making a name for themselves and top young apprentices.

All kinds of businesses are featured this year, from traditional engineering and cutting-edge technology to hotels and security firms.

Express & Star Editor Martin Wright said: “We once again had a great response to our annual business awards.

"We are really pleased and all categories attracted strong entries. The feedback from shortlisting was that it was a really tough job to whittle them down to the finalists.

"It is going to be an even tougher job in deciding on the winners."

“I would like once again to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all of our sponsors. Without their support, this would not be possible. I am already looking forward to celebrating with all our finalists and sponsors at Wolverhampton Racecourse on June 8," he added.

Tickets for the awards dinner are on sale online now at businessawards.expressandstar.co.uk

The charity on the evening will be Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre.

The other sponsors of categories are: Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology, Carvers, Collins Aerospace, Crowe, MNA Digital, Higgs LLP, Homeserve Furniture Repairs – winners of business of the year in 2022 – and Richardson.

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre is again sponsoring the drinks reception at the start of the awards evening, which is produced by Yarrington and held in the main EBC Suite at Wolverhampton Racecourse.

Silvaman Group will again be supporting the awards as associate sponsors. A new associate sponsor this year is Wombourne Windows.

Express & Star Business Awards finalists

• Apprentice of the Year: Crosby Management Training Ltd – Tom Bartlett; Concero UK Ltd – Ravi Ram-Ge and Dreamland Bedding Centre – Matthew Randle.

• Best Marketing Campaign: PTP Training, Wolverhampton BID Company Ltd and Tillymint Communications.

• Business of the Year: USP Steels, Addfield Environmental Systems Ltd, JJX Logistics, Lesters Packaging and Repose Furniture Ltd.

• Business Person of the Year: Juniper Training Ltd – Lesley Holland; Lesters Packaging – Billy Hutchinson and Palletways UK – Rob Gittens.

• Family Business of the Year: Summit Garage (Dudley) Ltd, SPV Special Projects Ltd; Burke Bros Moving Group and In-Comm Training.

• Growth and Innovation Award: USP Steels, Lesters Packaging and IPU Group.

• Manufacturing Champion: A&M EDM, voestalpine Metsec PLC and Repose Furniture Ltd.

• Small to Medium-sized Business of the Year: SPV Special Projects; Legionella and Fire Safe Services; Addfield Environmental Systems and JJX Logistics.

• Young Business of the Year: Rapid Pack Fulfilment Ltd, Sherbet Donkey Media and MoRServ Ltd.