Diverse North East Industry Sectors Make It Through To 2007 Grampian Awards For Business Enterprise Finals

Food and drink, recruitment and digital solutions are just some of the industry sectors represented in the finals of this year's Grampian Awards for Business Enterprise. 13 companies from across the north east area have been shortlisted for the eighth annual awards; these include businesses from Inverurie, Peterhead, Torphins, Aberdeen, Laurencekirk, Huntly and Aboyne. The Grampian Awards for Business Enterprise recognise business achievement in the north east commending new start and young companies, growing businesses, enterprising organisations and dynamic, innovative firms. The awards are organised by Enterprise North East Trust (ENET) and sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Scottish Enterprise Grampian.

Chris Travis, chief executive of Enterprise says, "Characteristically the north east business economy is dominated by the oil and gas industry. The buoyancy that the oil and gas sector continues to experience permeates through to other industry sectors and therefore attracts new businesses to the area and also results in established businesses continuing to develop and grow. The 2007 Grampian Awards finalists are representative of the current business climate but also show a surge in the success of rural businesses.

"I look forward to commending the best in each category at the forthcoming awards ceremony in June."

The Grampian Awards for Business Enterprise finalists are:

Two companies who started trading after 1^st June 2006 will compete against each other to scoop the coveted 'New Start' award at this year's ceremony. Interactyx Limited, from Aboyne, is responsible for LiveEcon, an interactive learning tool for students of economics. Interactyx will go head to head with Red Island Limited of Peterhead; the brains behind The Walkodile®, a unique innovative system for walking groups of young children (aged 3-7 years old) outside school or nursery premises.

Two Aberdeen and one Aberdeenshire company will battle it out to get their hands on the 'Young Business Award'. Aberdeen based Capture Imaging Solutions (Capture), who provide and service multi-functional products for copying, scanning, printing, faxing and document management software are hoping they can make it second time lucky at this year's awards. Also shortlisted is The Craigmyle Cheese Company from Torphins, who produce organic artisan cheese by hand from unpasteurised Aberdeenshire cows' milk. The third finalist in this category is Source People Ltd, Aberdeen, a provider of innovative and professional recruitment solutions in the skilled commercial disciplines.

The 'Business Growth Award' will see three established companies with a turnover of over £1 million race for first place. A representative from the food and drink or transport industries will go away with the Business Growth award on 7 June 2007. JG Ross (Bakers) Ltd, Inverurie, a family business who produce a range of handcrafted branded bakery and fresh food products will face competition from Journeycall Ltd, provider of customer support for the public transport sector and Duncan Taylor & Co Ltd, Huntly who promote non-chill filtered and non-coloured whiskies, including the rarest of the rare single malt and grain whiskies.

A business which is more than 5 years old and has demonstrated commitment to the community in which they operate is on course to receive the 'Alick Buchanan Smith Spirit of Enterprise Award'. Finalists in this category are: Macphie of Glenbervie, Stonehaven, a modern food ingredients manufacturer and C&M Group Limited, which offer a complete turnkey service in both offshore marine services and onshore engineering services. JG Ross (Bakers) Ltd make a second appearance in the 2007 finalists shortlist as they are also in the running for this prestigious award.

Three businesses which have successfully developed pioneering products, technologies or services, or which have developed innovative ways of doing business with customers are shortlisted to compete for the 'Sir Ian Wood Award for Innovation' award. Aberdeen based TWMA, a world leader in the handling and treatment of waste generated by drilling operations will go head to head with Romar International Limited, Ellon, who create a range of products centred on unique magnetic systems for removing metal contamination from drilling fluids on and offshore and Walker Technical Resources (WTR). WTR provide engineered composite pipe repair services to the oil and gas industry, as well as water, defence, power and other industrial sectors from their Bridge of Don base.

Stuart Heslop, director of commercial banking Aberdeen for RBS says, "This is the sixth year that RBS has sponsored these influential awards and the standard of entries has been very high. As we have come to expect from the Grampian Awards for Business Enterprise the finalists represent companies that are capable of leading the area to future economic prosperity. I would like to congratulate each of the short listed firms and emphasise they have done exceptionally well to get to this stage."

Winners will be announced at a black tie awards ceremony on Thursday 7 June 2007 at Ardoe House Hotel by Aberdeen. Simon Woodroffe, founder of Yo Sushi! and one of Britain's highest profile male entrepreneurs, will be the keynote speaker at the event. All finalists will receive a certificate with category winners picking up a coveted enterprise award and a cheque for up to £5,000.

The awards ceremony will take place on 7^th June at Ardoe House Hotel, by Aberdeen. Tickets cost £80 per guest (plus VAT) or £800 (plus VAT) for a table of ten. The event begins with a champagne reception ay 7pm, with carriages at 12.30am. Tickets for the event can be booked by calling 01467 672535, emailing Karen.clark@enetrust.com or completing a booking form online at www.grampianawards.com.

The Business Gateway service in Grampian is delivered on behalf of Scottish Enterprise Grampian by Enterprise North East Trust. For more information telephone 01224 289725 or visit www.bgateway.com.

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