S&STAR WARDS2023 S & STAR BUSINESS AWARDS 2023

Welcometothe Express& Star Business Awards 2023 finalists’supplement

Today, we areproud to turn thespotlightontoall of the brilliantbusinessesthatare in therunningfor an awardat our flagship eventonThursdayeveningatWolverhampton Racecourse

Once againthisyearwewere bowled overbythe qualityofthe entriesfor ourannualbusiness awards –and allofthe businesses featuredinour supplement todayhavealready hadtoovercome fierce competitiontoreach this stageofthe competition.

Theeconomy is continuing to go through adifficult patch, but our finalistshavenavigated the challenges to emerge stronger than ever.These truly areoutstanding contenders.

Good luck to allofour finalists

Thewinners of allninecategories in the Express& Star Business Awards will be revealed on Thursday night.

WolverhamptonRacecourse is once againthe venue forthe glittering black-tie awards dinner.

Theevening will culminate in theannouncementofthe business of theyeartosucceed Brierley Hill’s EmmieraGroup,thenknownas HomeserveFurniture Repairs, who took home 2022’s topaward Judges hada toughtaskindecidingonthe finaliststhisyear.

Thequality of entrieswas so high that five finalistswerenamed forthe overallbusiness of theyear category,which is sponsoredbythe Express &Staritself

Onebusiness is in therunning forthree awards on thebig night

LestersPackaging,ofMount Road, Burntwood,isabusiness of theyearcontenderand is also a finalist forthe growth andinnovation award. Managing director Billy Hutchinsonisinthe runningfor business person of theyear.

Lesterslandedanawardsdouble last year as winnersofthe manufacturingchampionand smallto medium-sized business of theyear.

Finalistsinclude from some of thebest-knownestablished and successfulnames in business in the region, fledglingcompanies that are

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making anamefor themselves and topyoung apprentices.

Theawards, whichrecognise the best in thebusiness world in the newspaper’scirculation area,returned in 2022 aftermissing 2020 and2021due to thecoronavirus pandemic

Allkinds of businesses arefeaturedthisyear, from traditional engineeringand cutting-edge technology to hotels andsecurity firms.

Host

Host forthe big nightisonce againcomedian andimpressionist AaronJames,who hashosted three boxing world title fights in LasVegas.

Thecharity on theeveningwill be Wolverhampton’s GrandTheatre

Theother sponsors of categories are: BlackCountry andMarches InstituteofTechnology, Carvers, Collins Aerospace,Crowe,MNA Digital,Higgs LLP, EmmieraGroup andRichardson.

TheGrand Theatre is againsponsoring thedrinksreceptionatthe startofthe awards evening, which is produced by Yarrington andheld in themainEBC Suite at theracecourse

Silvaman Groupwill againbe supporting theawardsasassociate sponsors andanew associate sponsorthisyearisWombourne Windows