UK BASED Hi-Force Limited picked up three awards at the prestigious Northamptonshire Business Awards Gala Dinner and Presentation held at Daventry Court Hotel recently.

The awards, considered the most prestigious in the county and organised by Northampton Chronicle & Echo and Northamptonshire Telegraph newspapers and sponsored by Stanair Industrial Doors, in association with the Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, are awarded to recognise the achievements of Northamptonshire based businesses. In all, there were a total of nine category awards and a special winner of winners award, selected by the headline sponsor Stanair.

With Hi-Force nominated and shortlisted in three categories namely: training and development, creative innovation and business of the year; along with sister company HES Sales for long standing business of the year, Group managing director Kevin Brown and his fellow directors and senior management turned up in force to enjoy a sumptuous dinner and pre-awards speech from inspirational Falklands War hero Simon Weston.

As the excitement built, amongst close to 300 people and over 50 shortlisted companies in attendance, the Hi-Force and HES sales table erupted in celebration as it was announced that Hi-Force had bagged the training and development award, which was the one award, Group MD Kevin Brown, wanted to win the most.

Hi-Force training manager Steve Wakelin (centre) with Group MD Kevin Brown, along with the other finalists and Falklands War hero, Simon Weston

Brown along with Hi-Force training manager, Steve Wakelin stepped up to receive the Award, from Simon Weston and commenting afterwards Brown said: “I particularly wanted this Award because it recognises and demonstrates the high importance the company places on the development of our greatest asset, our people! Steven has done an outstanding job, in the past two years, putting together a first class training facility and a spread of training courses, designed specifically for developing both our own employees worldwide, as well as those of our customers and distributors. May I also place on record my thanks to Chris Betts, head of HR for all of the excellent work she continues to do, in supporting Steven with the development and motivation of our global team.”

As other Awards were presented to several of Hi-Force’s peers, the excitement continued to build towards the main award of the night: the prestigious “business of the year award” and again Hi-Force was announced as winner to rapturous applause.

Group finance director Marieanne Meek joined Brown to collect this award and immediately following the presentation, headline sponsors Stanair announced that Hi-Force had also won the “winner of winners award”. That completed the hat trick!

An emotional Brown summed up the night saying: “What a fantastic night for Hi-Force and I am delighted to accept these awards on behalf of our amazing team of employees worldwide. The company can only achieve continued success in a highly challenging global market for UK manufacturers with a team of dedicated, motivated and highly trained people. The awards won here tonight clearly reflect that we are getting it right! Congratulations to all the other award winners and finalists also, as clearly other businesses in Northamptonshire are getting it right too.”