EXPRESS &STAR BUSINESS AWARDS 2022 #WINNERS W #WINNERS

YOUNG BUSINESS OF THEYEAR WINNER: USPSTEELS

Ki ng sw in ford-bas ed USPSteelsoutstanding recordofgrowthhelped it to land theyoung business of theyearaward.

HenryCarverofcategorysponsors CarversBuildingSupplies made thepresentation.

Judges were impressed by the steelstockholdingcompany’s outstanding success storysince tradingbegan in 2017

USPhas achieved a fivefoldincrease in annual turnover to £100 million

It also enjoysexcellent staffrelationsasaresultofits apprenticeship programmeand policy of rewardinghardwork.

Fantastic Operations director Doug Hill said:“It is fantastictohavewon.It is agreat achievementand it is nice to getrecognition of thehardwork of ourteamoverthe five to sixyears

“Ithas been really difficult times. Everyone hasput in alot of hours andthe wholeteamhas contributed to this

“Thistrophyissomethingreally nice to take back to theoffice.”

OwnerGlynCostigan wasalso a finalist in thebusiness person of the year andUSP wasinthe finalfour forbusinessofthe year.The steel stockholderhas grownrapidly since it wasformedin2016 andbegan trading in January2017.

TheKingswinfordbusiness, whichoffersstructuralsteel flat rolled products, now employs38at Gibbons Industrial Park USPstarted with onelarge table basedina smalloffice andinthe firstyeardespatched34,000 tonnes

Thebusinesshas invested heavily in young people andhas workedwith Nova trainingtobring apprentices to thebusinessand slowly grow the workforce.Currently sixmembersof itsteamhavesuccessfullycompleted apprenticeships at USPSteels and earned permanent contracts.

In 2019 it rebrandedfromUnited Sheet&Plate Steels to USP Steels By theend of 2021 thebusinesswas despatching105,000 tonnes of steel from the34,000 four yearsearlier

Thepandemicpresented anew challenge andits firstmajor hurdle. USPmanaged to operateaseffectivelyaspossiblethrough clever staffrotations to minimise Covid risksyet maintain itsdespatchesto meet customer demand.The business wassupplying many keyNHS contractsand it wascriticaltoofferanimproveddeliveryservice so it began despatchingonweekends andexpandedoperational hoursto 24/7 to help achievethis.

Thesignificant growth delivered improvedprofitability andMr Costigan hasreinvestedthese profitsbackintothe business by buying of anew four-acresiteinKingswinford

Thetotal projectinvestmentis about£10 million andthe move is duetotakeplace in theautumn.

Theother finalistswere: JL Drinks,Kingswinford; School of Coding,Wolverhampton and SMARTBalustrades,Burntwood

GROWTH ANDINNOVATION AWARD WINNER: LITTLEDESSERT SHOP

Wolverhampton-basedLittleDessert Shop’sperformanceinadaptingduring thepandemichelped it land theGrowthand Innovation Award.

RomanAslamzada,headoffranchise andoperations, said:“It is absolutely amazingtohavewon.Itwas an honour to be chosenfromsomany great finalists.

“I want to thankeveryone forsupportingus.”

JamesLanefromsponsors HomeserveFurniture Repairspresented the trophy to theexcited teamfromLittle DessertShop.

Judges said that thebusinesshad achieved incredible growth whilefacingthe unprecedentedchallenge of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Achievements included expanding bakery production andopening 20 new stores

Mr Aslamzadasaidthatanother40 sitesweresoontobeopenedand Little DessertShopaimed to hit100 sitesby theend of 2023

Thebusiness, whichhas itshead office at GorsebrookRoad, wasableto open newstoresagainst allthe odds during thepandemic LittleDessertShop, whichopened its firststore in Wolverhamptonin 2015 offering waffles,crepes,cheesecakes, cookie doughtand gelato,has growntonow employ390 people Thenationallockdownin2020 meantthatdine-in stores had to close andthe company’sstoreswerenot madetohandledeliveriesand takeaway.

Thebusinesschose to plan forthe future andonceagain innovatethe brandand head towardsagoalofunprecedented growth in unprecedented times.

It launched auniquedeliveryand takeaway model.