North West Enterprise awards2017
Editor’s Note
, Welcome to the SME North West Enterprise Awards 2017. The North-West region of England is home to some of the most diverse and revolutionary cities in the country. The birthplace of great music, famous football teams, iconic seaside resorts and beautiful historic towns. The North-West Enterprise Awards 2017 are designed to seek out the very best firms and individuals in the region and celebrate their innovation, client care and performance over the previous twelve months.
Hannah Stevenson, Editor Phone: +44 (0) 203 725 6842 Email: h.stevenson@aiglobalmedialtd.com Website: www.sme-news.co.uk AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility.
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Contents
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Contents 4. Best Local Advertising Publication - Cheshire Essential Guide Magazine Ltd 6. Best Business Support Institution - Lancashire North & Western Lancashire Chamber Of Commerce 7. Best Boutique PR Agency - Cumbria Bloomin’ Creative 8. Best Social Enterprise Group - Greater Manchester Northern Social Investment Group Ltd 9. Best Online Learning Platform 2017 UK Versity Online 10. Best Domestic Violence Prevention NPO 2017 Talk Listen Change 11. Best HR Management Consultancy 2017 Dynamic HR Services 12. Best Injury Therapy Centre 2017 & Excellence Award for Deep Tissue Massage Services Pain Solutions Ltd 14. Best Energy Equipment Manufacturer 2017 Torkington Engineers Limited 16. Best Household Products Manufacturer 2017 Sachets Ltd. 17. Best Social Media Services Provider 2017 Social Co.
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Best Household Products Manufacturer 2017 Sachets Ltd is a manufacturer of household, baby needs and healthcare products, based in Oldham, United Kingdom. Chris Ball talks us through the services that the firm offers, and what makes it successful. Established in 1986, Sachets have a high-quality range and have invested heavily over recent years to ensure it continues to deliver great value for its customers. All of its products match or better brand leading quality at unbeatable value for money. Chris explains how the firm develops its own brands, and how the team at Sachets looks to achieve its mission. “Whilst we develop and deliver our own brands, we also have the privilege of contract manufacturing private label products for major retailers and brands. We have several successful, longstanding private label manufacturing relationships. “Essentially, we achieve our long-term success through strict quality control and continuous improvement. Our passion for product quality is the foundation upon which we continue to meet our customers’ expectations.” Discussing the experience and knowledge of the firm, Chris talks about the company’s track record and what its strengths are. He talks about the certifications that the company holds and how this helps it to work. “Boasting a wealth of experience, we are a long-standing business with a strong customer base and an excellent track record in branded and own brand product development and manufacturing.
Our strengths are, firstly, our ability to develop innovative production lines to deliver high quality, brand matching products efficiently and secondly our focus on customer service leading to high availability of products with short lead times. Additionally, Sachets is certified to ISO 9001.2008 and BRC Consumer Products Personal Care and Household standards.” Differentiating itself from its competitors, Sachets places an emphasis on putting the client first. Chris discusses how the team work hard to step up to any challenges and want to exceed customer expectations. “Here at Sachets, we try to focus on our relationships with customers, stepping up to the challenges they set for us and repeatedly delivering on them. Product development is not straight forward and it is our continued investment in formulations, product design, packaging design and capital spend on equipment to ensure we can compete.” Talking about the trends within the manufacturing industry, Chris tells us what key developments there are specific to the North West. He notes that there is a lot more pressure on the team to succeed and match demands from clients and other factors, as well as a shift in the customer base. “Pressures are constantly building. We have increased wages, rising overheads, pensions regulation,
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health and safety considerations all of which drive costs up yet we are required to compete with the rest of the world. Automation is high on most manufacturers priorities, yet our approach is always to ensure that we retain flexibility. The changing customer base as we see the rise of Lidl and Aldi and the continued growth in the pound shop and value retailers is always in our thoughts as we invest for the future.” Referring back to the wealth of expertise within the firm, Chris notes that there is also extensive experience in the surrounding areas of the North West. “Thankfully, we have a wealth of expertise on our doorstep. This helps us develop manufacturing solutions quickly and easily. We have a strong local supply base delivering high quality packaging for our products and the North West is a great source of appropriately skilled labour.” In line with its vision, the internal culture at the firm is that staff focus on quality and continuous improvement. These are the key attributes needed to succeed and this helps the team ensure that staff are able to provide the best possible service to clients. “Regarding the internal culture at Sachets, our focus is on quality, continuous improvement and flexibility. These are the key attributes needed to succeed, and our staff are always looking to learn
and improve, this is a sign of our ongoing success.” Looking ahead, there appears to be a bright future for Sachets, as Chris mentions some great new products which are due for release. This will help the company build on its success as it looks to further establish itself as one of the leaders within the manufacturing industry. “Going forward, we have some great new products coming out. We have new premium toilet block formulations, a new shaped premium gel air freshener and we are introducing more wet wipe products including flushable moist toilet wipes in the coming weeks.” In his concluding comments, Chris talks about the North West business market, and what upcoming developments he foresees which the firm will have to adapt around. In relation to the North West and the manufacturing industry, our market is very national / international. Whilst we have many North West customers, the customer base in the North West is pretty stable. We have good relationship with our North West customers, and I do not think we will see much change specific to the North West. We will have to see how Brexit impacts our customers. As imports get more expensive it creates local opportunities and we are pushing hard to develop opportunities in Europe.
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Company: Sachets Ltd. Contact: Chris Ball Contact Email: chris@sachetsltd.co.uk Address: Unit 1 Mount Pleasant, Oldham, Lancashire, OL4 1HH, UK Phone: 0161 989 2673 Web Address: www.sachetsltd.co.uk
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Best Local Advertising Publication Cheshire Essential Guide Magazine Ltd is a series of 11 separate A5 colour magazines that are delivered free to residential properties and businesses across Warrington and surrounding areas. Anne Daybell gives us a breakdown of the magazines and what benefits they provide. Established 13 years ago, Essential Guide’s magazines have been in circulation since 2004. Drawing on this experience, Essential Guide aims to provide a high quality, affordable advertising medium for local businesses as well as regular reviews of local events, across Warrington. Anne discusses the passion and dedication of her staff as a key aspect of the company’s success. “With an interactive website and strong social media presence, the company is highly visible throughout Warrington. We have a passion for all things local, supporting a diverse range of businesses of all sizes, together with charities and community initiatives, all of which have a desire to promote themselves locally.” Distinguishing itself from other similar companies within the
magazine industry, Anne details what she believes marks Essential Guide out as the best possible option for clients. The personal touch provided to clients and customers is something Anne is particularly proud of. “Being a local independent business ourselves, it is important to understand the need for support from the local community. We are proud of how the company has grown and developed, and the personal service we offer our customers. Serving some incredibly loyal customers, the magazine has built and maintained many great relationships, especially with those who have advertised continuously since the start.” Excitingly, the future looks bright for Essential Guide. Having grown the number of editions the magazine produces on a regular basis, Anne would like to increase this number, as well as adding technological elements
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to the magazine. One of the reasons she is able to do this is the internal culture at the firm, where a small office produces a great working environment, with staff working together and receiving hands-on training. These are clearly exciting times ahead for Essential Guide. “Five of us work together in a small office, in a relaxed, close knit, but driven environment. Hands-on training means that roles are interchangeable if necessary. The internal culture is one of mutual support, and as such we have all become very good friends. “Having grown from one to eleven editions in that time, and turnover increasing year after year, the future looks bright. I would like to launch another two editions, re-develop the website and possibly develop an app to complement the magazines.”
Contact: Anne Daybell Contact Email: Anne@essentialguidemagazine.co.uk Phone: 01925 766742 Facebook: www.facebook.com/ essentialguidewarrington Twitter: @essential_guide Website: www.essentialguidemagazine.co.uk
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Best Business Support Institution - Lancashire The North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce is Lancashire’s largest non-political business support organisation. We profiled the institution and spoke to Mark Whittle as we look to explore the secrets behind its success. Established in 1916, the Chamber is renowned for their work in representation and supporting and promoting the local business community. Marking itself out as the best possible option for customers within industry, Mark highlights the enviable service record and number of members affiliated to the organisation.
Additionally, the Chamber benefits from its location, as Lancashire’s business tapestry is rich and diverse; the county is synonymous with worldwide manufacturing and that can do approach to business. The service sector now plays an equally strong part in the county business make-up making this one of the best, most corporately diverse locations, in which to locate or do business.
“The Chamber possesses an enviable service record and a membership topping 1,600 companies, for which the we constantly seek to improve the package of support offered to members. Our customer retention rate exceeds 90%, a key indicator of the Chamber’s success.”
Mark signs off by discussing the state of the industry in Lancashire, before going to acknowledge how much of an honour it is to win this award, and the good feeling its gives the Chamber and employees; seeing its members’ work recognised.
Within the awards market, the business support landscape is a crowded one, but the Chamber, steadfast in its business first approach, has evolved and adapted to ensure that it meets the demands of its modern-day customers. Chamber members own, finance, and strategically manage the organisation. Everything the organisation does is with the member in mind.
“The North West, particularly Lancashire, is poised to make the next decade one of the most important for business in recent years. We must pull together, work closely, support each other and show the wider region that not only can we hold our own, but that we are pushing boundaries, adapting daily and we will continue to make this county the county of choice for business investment and growth.
“Ultimately, as an organisation responsible for managing a headline business-awards competition, The BIBAs, the Chamber believes it is an honour to be on the receiving end of an accolade. This award has further emphasised that taking a moment to recognise that you are a good business is something that should be considered important by all businesses -not indulgent.”
Contact: markw@lancschamber.co.uk Contact Email: Mark Whittle Address: 9-10 Eastway Business Village, Oliver’s Place, Prestion, PR2 9WT, UK Phone: 01772 653000 Option 1 Website: www.lancschamber.co.uk
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Best Boutique PR Agency - Cumbria Bloomin’ Creative is a boutique PR agency based in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria. We profiled the company and spoke to its director, Danielle Owen-Jones, to discuss the firm’s success. Bloomin’ Creative helps businesses build brand awareness in their target market. The company does this by using its experience in the PR, media and marketing industry to secure impressive press coverage for its clients, and by crafting engaging, exciting and creative marketing content. Covering a vast array of services, the firm’s core offering includes PR strategy, copywriting, media relations and press office services. Danielle attributes Bloomin’ Creative’s success to the ethos and values of the company, adding that much of its business comes from word of mouth and client referrals. “Fundamentally, the reason behind our success is without a doubt our way of working, we are honest, proactive, passionate and realistic. We will never promise anything we cannot deliver and our clients respect that. “Here at Bloomin’ Creative, our mission is to increase awareness about how effective PR can be for a business. We are incredibly grateful that our clients help spread the word for us because 90% of our business comes from word of mouth and referrals from happy clients who are exceptionally pleased with what we have done for them.”
Danielle, a former Trinity Mirror journalist, worked at one of the top five PR agencies in the UK before she established Bloomin’ Creative. During her time there, she led campaigns for some of the UK’s leading brands in the housing, hospitality, retail, transport, beauty and leisure sectors. Alongside her own experience, Danielle discusses what else sets the firm apart from its competitors and how it will continue to grow despite the changes and challenges in the PR industry. “Overall, our unique selling point at Bloomin’ Creative is that we look at things with a journalist’s eye because we are from journalism backgrounds. This sets us apart because we have a thorough and in-depth knowledge of how the media works. We know how to spot a news hook and we know how to write press releases that journalists will want to use. “Lastly, the PR industry has changed immensely over the last few years. PR is no longer a standalone marketing tactic and any campaigns must be totally in line with a firm’s overall marketing strategy. With the phenomenal growth of social media and the challenges being faced by print publications, PR professionals must look at the bigger picture.”
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Contact: Danielle Owen-Jones Email: danielle@bloomincreative.co.uk Phone: 07837 858195 Address: Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria Website: www.bloomincreative.co.uk Twitter and Instagram: @bloomincreative
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Best Social Enterprise Group - Greater Manchester Northern Social Investment Group Ltd (NSIG) works to help social enterprises to use social investment more effectively. We spoke to Paul Halfpenny to learn more about the organisation and the range of services it provides. NSIG is a collection of social entrepreneurs, finance professionals and impact technicians who work to bring about “more and better social investment propositions”. Paul outlines how the organisation works to achieve this mission and support its service users. “Here at NSIG, we work with social enterprises, social businesses and sometimes charities to help them use social investment more effectively. We also work with social investors who’re looking to place finance, and we work with public sector commissioners like local authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups which are contracting with social businesses. Because social investment is a relatively new industry, and it is still very finance orientated, an awful lot of business activity takes place
in London. NSIG is one of a number of organisations based in the NW which are trying to prise more of this business away from the South East and into our regions. Additionally, we also work with a number of new funds on Merseyside and in Greater Manchester to prepare clients for the process of securing social investment and to ensuring that they are capable of meeting the standards of due diligence of different investors.
performance. We work with them to develop forecasts, strategies and plans which can incorporate the use of social investment – and then we make sure that their organisations function in such a way as to be attractive and suitable for social investors.”
“As an organisation NSIG works on an associate basis – we currently have 15 associates including accountants, auditors, business advisors, market analysts, impact measurement technicians, governance experts and professional non-executive directors. We deliver tailor made packages of support for clients which address their performance in terms of governance, markets, financial management, impact created and financial
“Overall, the future looks bright for NSIG as we are launching an extended programme of NonExecutive Director placements in 2018, and we hope to have a new fund launched in the next year too. Thanks to our endeavours and those of others in this dynamic industry, we firmly believe that the social investment market in the region will continue to grow over the months and years to come.”
Looking ahead, NSIG has a number of exciting opportunities on the horizon, as Paul is eager to highlight in his concluding comments.
Contact: Paul Halfpenny Contact Email: paul.halfpenny@nsig.org.uk Address: Wigan Investment Centre, Waterside Drive, Wigan, WN3 5BA, UK Phone: 01942386626 Web Address: www.nsig.org.uk
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Best Online Learning Platform 2017 UK Versity Online provides accessible, affordable, innovative, high-quality courses and learning opportunities via its Ofqual Recognised Diplomas’ and Degree programs. We invited Principal and Director Ramanjeet Singh to tell us more about the firm and how it works to offer clients the very highest standard of support to help them achieve their goals. Technology has already changed the way we study and gain education. Now technology is changing the way education is delivered. To support clients through this development, UK Versity brings together the best of academic educational courses for students and professionals all over the world who are on the quest to learn, gain cutting edge skills and knowledge. Ramanjeet explains the importance of online learning within the current job market. “The concept of one job for life has disappeared. Hence to succeed in your careers, we need to continuously train ourselves. 24x7 access to course material and tutors allows flexibility and ease of learning at your own pace. As such, at UK Versity we are increasingly seeing that our learners are choosing to do a course part time or via distance learning as it allows them to fit their study around their job or work schedule.” Moving forward, UK Versity is keen to continue adapting and
developing in order to meet the ever evolving needs of its clients, as Ramanjeet concludes. “Research done by OECD and MOOC initiative predicts that 75% of all teaching and learning by 2030 will be online. At UK Versity, we believe in embracing the future, and in order to embrace this paradigm shift in our educational system, UK Versity is investing in its learning platform to incorporate features which makes it accessible from any smart device – Smartphone, Tablets, Chromebook “Also, we are investing in our staff to develop them to cope
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with the increasing onslaught of technology being used in delivering education courses. We are currently working on technology that will seamlessly transform the delivery of courses from traditional classroom setup to online via the use of technologies such as webinars and videos. “Ultimately, the last few decades have experienced remarkable demographic changes in terms life expectancy, migration and increases in population in developed countries. This will all mean that we have more and more people than ever before
who will want to have to access further and higher education. UK Versity sees this challenge as its mission and will work towards providing easy access to courses and learning opportunities using modern technology.” Contact: Ramanjeet Singh, PGCHE Contact Email: admin@ukversity.co.uk Address: Cariocca Business Park, 2 Hellidon Close, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 4AH, UK Phone: 07904 266921 & 01612734745 Web Address: www.ukversity.co.uk
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Best Domestic Violence Prevention NPO 2017 TLC: Talk, Listen, Change is a relationships charity. We spoke to Paige Hughes who gave us an insight into the charity’s services and outlines the overall aim of the organisation. TLC are a reputable and innovative organisation, with over 30 years’ experience delivering relationship support. The organisation has doubled in size in just three years, expanding its services to deliver what real people and real communities need. Paige explains what success means to the charity. “With continuing success, our winning project, STRIVE, is a Greater Manchester initiative led by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. It operates across the boroughs through various organisations, and is a multi-agency response team aiming to improve the support given to families visited by the police due to a low level domestic incident, where no crime has been logged. “Essentially, the management of this project and its volunteers requires a significant passion for supporting families and preventing domestic abuse, alongside inspiring and training volunteers to a specific standard to work alongside police intelligence.
“Importantly, the service has become an integral part of local communities and is pays homage to the progressive volunteer infrastructure that has been created and the volunteers themselves who have committed their time, adapted themselves and work alongside the police daily.” In her concluding comments, Paige highlights the importance of the volunteer manager, Sharon, to the project’s success, noting her and her team as a key factor of the organisation’s success. As well as Sharon and her team, Paige discusses how teamwork and the team’s holistic approach, is the main difference between TLC and other similar organisations. “Regarding our achievements, the award is a direct result of the hard work of Sharon and her team, who we believe very much deserve the award. They have helped to expand the organisation, as we continue to receive interest and be commissioned to run additional boroughs.” “Overall, here at TLC, our differentiation not only lies in the heart of our fantastic team who
are experienced and dedicated, but our holistic approach. Our service is fully integrated, offering a wide variety of services from domestic violence prevention including support for victims and children, plus many more. Essentially, people can walk through our door looking for support with themselves or their relationships and can use the range of our services accordingly, tailoring what we have to their needs.”
Contact Name: Paige Hughes, Marketing Officer Contact Email: paigehughes@ talklistenchange.org.uk Registered Charity No: 512710 Address: TLC: Talk, Listen, Change, 346 Chester Road, Manchester, M16 9EZ Phone Number: 0161 872 1100 Website: www.talklistenchange.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/ talklistenchange Twitter: @TLC_Charity
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Best HR Management Consultancy 2017 Dynamic HR Services is the Human Resources management consultancy of Natalie Lewis, an unconventional HR consultant working with micro and small businesses across the UK. Natalie tells us what she believes helps mark her company out as a leader in the North West. The Dynamic HR ethos is that too many processes, procedures and policies can bog down a company and hinder its growth. If a process, procedure or policy is not required by law, and does not contribute to a company’s growth or profit, there is generally no need for it. Natalie likes to keep things simple, and this enables a company to remain flexible and evolve quickly and easily when necessary. Natalie explains more about the services she offers to her clients. “Here at Dynamic, I love to find innovative solutions to HR and people problems; importantly, I do not just work on contracts, policies and disciplinaries. I work on a strategic level, looking at a business as a living and breathing entity. People are the lifeblood of that entity and there is nothing I love more than helping a company grow, innovate and profit with their employees being central to that. That is where the name Dynamic HR comes in.” Building on her solid foundations, Natalie comments on Dynamic HR’s mission, detailing how she
plans to achieve her mission. She comments on the fact that she feels it an honour to work alongside passionate and inspired business owners, and how her aim is to create and breed a culture which will give a firm an advantage over its competitors. “Business is changing and more specifically what people want out of work and their jobs is changing. We have an incredible generation of young people who are starting their first steps into the work environment and many businesses are not ready for them. They think differently, they work differently but their amazing abilities will go to waste if we don’t communicate with them correctly.
and Natalie works as hard as possible to provide a solution to the problem.
Natalie comments on how lucky the company is to benefit from these organisations.
“In essence, I do HR in a unique way. Working with me means that you get a friend, an ally and a sounding board. Clients are allowed to swear and clients are allowed to vent. My job is to work with the client to solve their people problems in the best way for everyone and then set out a strategic action plan to prevent and improve.
“There is great joy in being based in the North West. We have some fantastic businesses in the North West, there seems to be a real focus on growth and innovation at the moment, especially in the digital and creative sectors. We are also lucky to benefit from brilliant education providers who are busy generating thousands of quality students hungry for employment so we have some of the best talent to pick from.”
“Crucially, my mission is to enable micro and small businesses to create a culture that will capitalise on all these exciting changes, giving them a distinct competitive advantage and setting them ahead of their competition for the future.”
“Significantly, my suite of services covers everything from the HR Foundations to HR for Profitability and HR for Growth. I often get involved with initiatives such as employee branding but for me, everything starts from a company’s culture and values. I work with a phenomenal group of friends of the business who are always on hand to provide their expertise giving an all-round, robust package for my clients.”
Differentiating her company from other HR firms within the North West and the whole market, Natalie ensures that she does HR differently. Relationships are built when she works with clients,
Being from the North West, Natalie feels at home, and with stunning locations and excellent transport links, she is very happy in the region. There are some fantastic businesses in the region, and
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Looking ahead, Natalie mentions that she has had an exciting year, laying the foundations steadily as she looks to launch Dynamic HR to the top of the industry. She signs off by mentioning how Dynamic HR will provide the support needed for smaller business to become integral to the North West and wider markets. “Lastly, 2017 has been spent setting the foundations for growth and innovation for my business and for my clients. I was lucky enough to be accepted on to the prestigious SMART Cheshire programme for growth and
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innovation run by Manchester Metropolitan University this year. Their team of experts and intense coaching has been phenomenal for supporting me in re-branding and launching the suite of services I’ve always believed will enable our micro and small businesses to become the lifeblood of the North West and UK wide business market.�
Company: Dynamic HR Services Contact: Natalie Lewis Contact Email: natalie@dynamichrservices.co.uk Address: Wilmslow, Cheshire Telephone: 020 8798 3470 Website: www.dynamichrservices.co.uk
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Best Injury Therapy Centre 2017 & Excellence Award for Deep Tissue Massage Services Pain Solutions Ltd specialises in deep tissue massage, manipulation therapy and whole-body cryotherapy. Lead Therapist Tim Case talks us through the firm and how it works to provide the very highest standards of support and service to its clients. Established in 2015, Pain Solutions offers a range of solutions to meet the needs of its clients, as Tim explains. “At Pain Solutions, we pride ourselves in resolving our customers injuries and pain as quickly as possible and aim to have them pain free within three sessions. We are specialists in Cryo Therapy, Deep Tissue Massage & Manipulation Therapy. “Personally, I trained at the “Northern Institute of Massage” in Bury for 4.5 years to achieve his qualifications in Massage, including Deep Tissue Massage and Manipulation, and then trained for 13 years in other practises before opening my own. Since
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then the practise has gone from strength to strength as not only does the practise have a team of 4 therapists, but I have also invested in the latest equipment including a Dry Hydro Massage Bed and Hand-Held Cryotherapy Unit for use during treatments.” Although Pain Solutions offers a range of treatments to suit various needs, Tim is particularly proud of the firm’s Cryotherapy, an innovative new therapy used by athletes, as he highlights. “The latest trend to hit the UK is Cryotherapy which can be used for those suffering injuries or those who want greater results. Pain Solutions have invested into a mobile Whole Body Cryotherapy Mobile Unit. Each three-minute treatment submerges the body in sub-zero temperatures, which have been proven to have multiple health benefits, such as recovering up to 5 times faster from injuries, providing pain relief and helping athletes to train harder. “The fact the unit is mobile allows us to go to football, rugby, icehockey or any other teams at their venues to treat the entire team within an hour or two. Ronaldo and other footballers have cryo machines fitted in their own homes to give them that edge. We now allow the whole team to have a treatment weekly to keep them on top form.” Internally, the company is entirely committed to supporting its clients and providing them with the best possible experience. The therapists and receptionists are all one extended family that have worked with each other, and known each other for a long time, enabling them to work collaboratively. Each is focused on results for their clients and the company offers significant training to keep them up-to-date in their skills. Discussing his pride in the team and their dedication to excellence, Tim was keen to emphasise how his firm’s mission is firmly client focused, ensuring excellence from the moment they start working with the Pain Solutions team. “My team and I are delighted to receive this huge accolade of our
hard work and dedication to our patients’ speedy recovery. Our company mission is to make our patients pain free, and so far, we have 100% positive feedback from our customers. The award and excellence certificate mean we are at the top of our game giving our patients the best service possible, which is what we strive to do daily.” Looking ahead, Tim has some exciting plans for Pain Solutions which he is keen to share with us. “Moving forward, we are soon going to offer Cryo-beauty therapies to provide non-surgical facelifts and tummy tucks, in order to meet our clients’ needs and provide them with the solutions they want. This is a great new
beginning for us and we are looking forward to taking advantage of the opportunities that this will bring.”
Please call us on 01925 752614 to book an appointment or find out more.”
In celebration of this award and the successes his firm has achieved to win it, Tim, in his closing comments, offers clients a unique offer. “If you would like the team to offer you as an individual or as a corporate account treatments, please quote this article and the award to save £20 off your first assessment (which is normally £60) or £10 off a standard appointment (normally £40). The team can visit businesses across the North-west as therapists or with the Whole Body Cryotherapy Unit for mobile treatments.
Contact: Tim Case Contact Email: tim.case@painsolutionslymm.co.uk Address: Heathley Court, 9 Mill Lane, Lymm, WA13 9SD Telephone: 01925 752614 Website: www.painsolutionslymm.co.uk
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Best Energy Equipment Manufacturer 2017 Torkington Engineers is a market leading precision engineering company, manufacturing high-quality machined parts and equipment in the oil and gas, nuclear, chemical, petrochemical and power generation industry sectors. We spoke to Paul Hulse in order to find out about the achievements of the company. Established in 1949, Torkingtons proudly maintains an unrivalled reputation for consistently achieving the highest levels of quality, customer service and on-time delivery performances. Paul outlines the firm’s overall mission, noting how staff’s experience and the company’s qualifications will help Torkington reach its targets. “From our modern, comprehensively-equipped CNC and conventional machine shop facility, our dedicated team of highly-skilled engineers specialise in the precision machining of one-offs through to medium batch parts and equipment, in all metallic and non-metallic materials including the full range of exotic nickel and heat resistant alloys. We have implemented a formal IMS, Integrated Management System, and are accredited to ISO 9001: 2015, ISO 14001: 2015 and BS OHSAS 18001: 2007 standards.” Regarding the success of Torkingtons, Paul attributes the internal culture of the company to
its achievements. He discusses the working environment, detailing how this helps him ensure that all of his staff are equipped to provide the best possible service to clients. “Torkingtons understand that the key to maintaining our position as a premier precision and subcontract engineering company is the on-going recruitment and development of both the finest experienced skilled engineers and youth talent. Year-on-year we continue to increase our market share, and as we expand we are able to offer exciting and rewarding positions to persons who are ambitious, dedicated and will positively contribute to our team.”
skills that ensures good overall value for money.”
Being based in the North West, Paul tells us what the main benefits are of being in the region, noting cost and value for money as key factors in the firm’s success. The skills of the employees utilise being in the region.
Looking ahead, Paul predicts what the future has in store for the firm. He tells us what the future plans are for the company, explaining that the marketing teams are always looking for opportunities.
“One of the key benefits of being based in the north west is that we can offer high end engineering
“Moving forward, our marketing teams are continually looking for opportunities within key industry sectors that will create
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organic growth and create job opportunities for the right calibre of person.”
Company: Torkington Engineers Limited Contact: Paul Hulse Contact Email: sales@torkingtonengineers.co.uk Address: Bailey Road, Trafford Park, Manchester, M17 1SA, UK Phone: 0161 872 8931 Website: www.torkingtonengineers.co.uk
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Best Social Media Services Provider 2017 Social Co. is a social media agency helping brands engage, influence and disrupt through content and campaigns on social media. We profile the firm to learn more and explore the secrets behind its success. Having worked with a number of influential clients, including insurance provider Admiral, Social Co. is able to provide the very highest level of service and innovative solutions to its clients, ensuring that it meets their individual needs. Hard work and commitment to excellence ensure that clients always receive the very best possible service and feel truly supported. The firm’s mission is to transform the way brands communicate with their audience through social media. Fundamentally, Social Co. is built on three words - Engage, influence and disrupt. Each of these represents a stage in the company’s process which they aim to follow at all times. The rise of technology in the social media market makes the North West the ideal base for Social Co., as the company is able to choose from a vast array of talented staff, great premises and strong travel links whilst operating digitally, enabling it to support clients from across the country. Whilst London used to dominate in the media market, the digital nature of social media makes working regionally
a strong option for firms such as this. The corporate landscape in the region is young, diverse and growing; much like Social Co. Ultimately, as a young, entrepreneurial agency offering truly unique services, Social Co. is
poised to flourish over the coming years and build upon its current success. To achieve this, the firm plans to expand and grow its staff, whilst all the time continuing to provide the exceptional standards of service that it has come to pride itself on.
Contact: Alessandro Paletta Website: www.socialco.agency
SME NEWS / North-West Enterprise Awards 2017 17
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Recently judged as Excellent in all areas by school inspectors from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), Wolverhampton Grammar School is a top independent school and the independent school of choice for parents who want approachability and a human dimension to education. The School’s mission is to deliver education that transforms lives as well as minds, it does this by providing an education as individual as every child, within an environment that’s like no other. The School provides this experience to boys and girls from Year 3 through to Year 13 (ages 7 – 18) across a Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form on a stunning 23 acre site. Students come from all kinds of backgrounds and cultures and their knowledge and skills are diverse, and are a source of strength and richness to the school. Comparisons show Wolverhampton Grammar School is significantly outperforming competitors and other schools with a year on year growth. Student fees are well below the national average, parent and staff satisfaction is outstanding with 100% of staff surveyed saying they would recommend the School.
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Staff are valued and have exceptional opportunities for personal and professional