Courier Business Awards
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS FOR CBA21
Thanks to all the businesses who entered this years Courier Business Awards. Some new faces, success stories, amazing development and recovery plans and even more inspiring journeys after such an unprecedented year.
Thanks also to our title sponsor Henderson Loggie and all our event sponsors and partners as we simply couldn’t do this without your invaluable and continued support.
Our winners have been crowned and what a spectacular night we had at our glittering awards ceremony on Saturday 30th October in our specially erected marquee in the grounds of the Apex City Quay Hotel, Dundee.
Congratulations once again to our worthy winners and here is our showcase of CBA21, enjoy!
Shortlist
-
Apprentice Award
Sponsored By:
- Blair Manderson , Fife Council Building Services
- Winner Courtney Bayne, Dundee City Council
- Jason Cargill, WeeCOOK Kitchen
Sponsored By:
Apprentice Award
Designed to commend an individual who has participated in an apprenticeship programme during 2020/2021 and exceeded their employer’s expectations. Entries can be submitted by the provider or apprentice.
Key Criteria:
- Commitment to personal development and progression
- Proof of significant contribution to the workplace
- Use of skills gained through apprenticeship programme
Shortlist
- Blair Manderson
- Winner Courtney Bayne
- Jason Cargill
-
Best Social Media (NEW)
Sponsored By:
- HTS (Scotland) Ltd T/A Assai Records
- Winner The Crystal Shop Scotland
- Verdala
Sponsored By:
Best Social Media (NEW)
Open to all businesses who have embraced social media to build their brand.
Key Criteria:
- Creative use of social media platforms
- Proof of benefits to the business
- Proof of growing numbers and/or subscribers
Shortlist
- HTS (Scotland) Ltd T/A Assai Records
- Winner The Crystal Shop Scotland
- Verdala
-
Business Leader (NEW)
Sponsored By:
- Caroline McKenna
- Sonia Cottom
- Winner Tim Allan
Sponsored By:
Business Leader (NEW)
Open to any individual or nominated person who has had a game-changing impact on a business operating within Courier Country.
Key Criteria:
- Track record of strong business or project leadership
- Demonstrate responses to business challenges and opportunities
- Proof of inspiring others
Shortlist
- Caroline McKenna
- Sonia Cottom
- Winner Tim Allan
-
Community Business
Sponsored By:
- Grain & Sustain
- Winner Hillcrest
- Social Good Connect
Sponsored By:
Community Business
Designed to reward more than profit groups and businesses who put community at their heart.
Key Criteria:
- Ability to influence customers and suppliers to adopt best environment, workplace and community practices
- Commitment to local employment, partnership working and social inclusion
- Significant contribution to the community or environment
Shortlist
- Grain & Sustain
- Winner Hillcrest
- Social Good Connect
-
COVID Resilience Award (NEW)
Sponsored By:
- Winner Hutchison Technologies
- Property Studios
- WeeCOOK Kitchen
Sponsored By:
COVID Resilience Award (NEW)
Open to all businesses who have shown innovative practices to keep trading throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Criteria:
- Commitment to empowering workforce
- Evidence of change of strategy and collaboration
- Evidence of positive outcomes and resilience
Shortlist
- Winner Hutchison Technologies
- Property Studios
- WeeCOOK Kitchen
-
Energy Business (NEW)
Sponsored By:
- Winner Coast Renewable Services
- Urban Foresight
Sponsored By:
Energy Business (NEW)
Open to all energy focussed businesses and supply chain companies operating in Courier Country.
Key Criteria:
- Evidence of energy transition and digitalisation strategies
- Investment in local operations
- Proof of commercial traction and growth
Shortlist
- Winner Coast Renewable Services
- Urban Foresight
-
Family Business
Sponsored By:
- Winner Powerwasher Services, Angus
- Royal Oak Tree Services, Angus
- Toll House Spirits, Angus
- Aydya Group, Dundee
- Winner Harry Lawson, Dundee
- Hutchison Technologies, Dundee
- Craigie Farm, Fife
- Winner Grain & Sustain, Fife
- The Crystal Shop Scotland, Fife
- Winner Crieff Hydro Hotel, Perthshire
- Manhattan Family Restaurant, Perthshire
- The Pickled Peacock, Perthsire
Sponsored By:
Family Business
Celebrating outstanding family owned and operated businesses who call Courier Country home. Open to any business from any sector which has one family member as CEO/MD with at least one other family member in the business. A family business from Angus, Fife, Dundee and Perthshire will receive a regional award and automatic entry into the Overall Family Business of the Year award.
Key Criteria:
- Evidence of family led operations
- Local procurement and service excellence
- Proof of market traction and growth
Shortlist
- Winner Powerwasher Services
- Royal Oak Tree Services
- Toll House Spirits
- Aydya Group
- Winner Harry Lawson
- Hutchison Technologies
- Craigie Farm
- Winner Grain & Sustain
- The Crystal Shop Scotland
- Winner Crieff Hydro Hotel
- Manhattan Family Restaurant
- The Pickled Peacock
-
Independent Retail Business
Sponsored By:
- Grain & Sustain
- Winner HTS (Scotland) Ltd T/A Assai Records
- The Crystal Shop Scotland
Sponsored By:
Independent Retail Business
Open to all independent retail businesses operating in Courier Country.
Key Criteria:
- Evidence of retail strategy instore and/or online
- Focus on customer service excellence
- Proof of commercial traction and growth
Shortlist
- Grain & Sustain
- Winner HTS (Scotland) Ltd T/A Assai Records
- The Crystal Shop Scotland
-
Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality Business
Sponsored By:
- Winner Crieff Hydro Hotel
- Sportsterz
- The Kirklands Hotel
Sponsored By:
Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality Business
Open to all businesses which provide the best leisure, food and drink, visitor experiences and accommodation within Courier Country; showcasing the region to the world.
Key Criteria:
- Commitment to talent and empowering workforce
- Demonstrate response to COVID-19 challenges
- Evidence of service excellence
Shortlist
- Winner Crieff Hydro Hotel
- Sportsterz
- The Kirklands Hotel
-
Most Innovative Business (NEW)
Sponsored By:
- ATL Turbine Services
- NCR
- Winner SP Automation & Robotics
Sponsored By:
Most Innovative Business (NEW)
Open to all companies who put innovation and continuous improvement at the heart of their business, whether through teamwork, changes to internal processes and systems, adapting or developing new products or services or pivoting through the use of innovative technology
Key Criteria:
- Ability to show out of the box thinking, problem solving and, empowering workforce
- Demonstration of efficiencies
- Proof of commercial benefits from innovative activities and practices
Shortlist
- ATL Turbine Services
- NCR
- Winner SP Automation & Robotics
-
Service Business
Sponsored By:
- Winner ATL Turbine Services
- Respond Healthcare
- Shackleton Technologies
Sponsored By:
Service Business
Open to all companies operating within Courier Country providing B2B or B2C services.
Key Criteria:
- Clearly defined customer service objectives and strategy
- Commitment to developing new talent
- Evidence of service excellence
Shortlist
- Winner ATL Turbine Services
- Respond Healthcare
- Shackleton Technologies
-
Small Business
Sponsored By:
- MadeAt94
- Winner The HR Booth
- The Malting House
- Verus Financial Planning
Sponsored By:
Small Business
Celebrating the small businesses that form the bedrock of our local economy in Courier Country. Open to any business with between 1 and 15 employees.
Key Criteria:
- Commitment to developing workplace talent
- Demonstrate innovation and service excellence
- Proof of strategy for growth
Shortlist
- MadeAt94
- Winner The HR Booth
- The Malting House
- Verus Financial Planning
-
Technology Business
Sponsored By:
- Broker Insights
- Winner NCR
- SP Automation & Robotics
Sponsored By:
Technology Business
Open to any company which puts technology at its heart, whether to drive its own business or to build bespoke platforms/technology solutions for customers.
Key Criteria:
- Evidence of creativity and implementation
- Innovation through technology
- Proof of market traction and growth
Shortlist
- Broker Insights
- Winner NCR
- SP Automation & Robotics
-
Young Business
Sponsored By:
- Doorstep Glass Recycling
- Konglomerate Games
- Winner Social Good Connect
Sponsored By:
Young Business
Open to exciting and innovative new companies operating within Courier Country which started trading or launched a distinct new venture within the last three years.
Key Criteria:
- Evidence of clear business strategy
- Innovation and commitment to service excellence
- Proof of market traction
Shortlist
- Doorstep Glass Recycling
- Konglomerate Games
- Winner Social Good Connect
2021 Partners
Henderson Loggie has been serving Scotland and Scottish business for well over a century. Our vision is to be first choice in Scotland as a place to work and for our services to owner managed businesses.
Our purpose is to help our teams and our clients achieve their potential, to create wealth for the local economy now and to leave legacy for the future in the communities where we are located.
That’s why we have been so involved with the Courier Business Awards since the beginning. It fits our purpose in Courier Country. Our offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow give us national coverage and we are proud to be headquartered in Dundee.
The Awards are a terrific celebration of everything local in Courier Country. We work closely with businesses of all sizes and we see at first hand the effort that goes into making them a success.
Recognising business achievement through the Awards sends out clear messages about the calibre of the organisations operating in this region and, via the Courier, it demonstrates to the wider public the vital role that local companies play as the backbone of our economy.
The Awards represent tangible recognition and reward for the knowledge, skills, capability, hard work and determination of the workforces in the diverse award categories. Courier Country is such a desirable area to build and run a business.
Like you, we want to make a difference in our local area and to see Courier Country grow and fly. The Awards are a showcase of the talent that exists throughout the area who have the same ambition.
Visit Henderson Loggie website
Henderson Loggie has been serving Scotland and Scottish business for well over a century. Our vision is to be first choice in Scotland as a place to work and for our services to owner managed businesses.
Our purpose is to help our teams and our clients achieve their potential, to create wealth for the local economy now and to leave legacy for the future in the communities where we are located.
That’s why we have been so involved with the Courier Business Awards since the beginning. It fits our purpose in Courier Country. Our offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow give us national coverage and we are proud to be headquartered in Dundee.
The Awards are a terrific celebration of everything local in Courier Country. We work closely with businesses of all sizes and we see at first hand the effort that goes into making them a success.
Recognising business achievement through the Awards sends out clear messages about the calibre of the organisations operating in this region and, via the Courier, it demonstrates to the wider public the vital role that local companies play as the backbone of our economy.
The Awards represent tangible recognition and reward for the knowledge, skills, capability, hard work and determination of the workforces in the diverse award categories. Courier Country is such a desirable area to build and run a business.
Like you, we want to make a difference in our local area and to see Courier Country grow and fly. The Awards are a showcase of the talent that exists throughout the area who have the same ambition.
Visit Henderson Loggie website
Visit ALTAR GROUP website
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work., Prime, 1-Click shopping, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Alexa, Career Choice and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon.
Visit Amazon websiteApex Hotels is a family-owned collection of 10 hotels in the UK’s most exciting cities. The 4-star hotels are renowned for their stylish bedrooms, contemporary restaurants and bars, and above all, their warmer welcome. Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa is perfectly placed in the heart of Dundee for a getaway, whether it be for business or leisure.
Visit Apex City Quay Hotel and Spa websiteATL specialises in the repair of components for gas turbines and in particular for late lifecycle turbines. With ageing assets, parts must be refurbished as new ones are increasingly difficult to source and repair can deliver a significant time and cost savings over purchasing new parts.
Visit ATL Turbine Services websiteBlackadders is a leading, national law firm offering expert advice to individuals and businesses across Scotland and beyond. Our business lawyers specialise in corporate & commercial law, intellectual property, employment, commercial property and dispute resolution, acting for private companies, entrepreneurs and investors across a range of sectors including digital/tech, food & drink, healthcare and the creative industries.
Visit Blackadders websiteBrewin Dolphin has been helping people to meet their financial goals and fulfil their aspirations for over 250 years. Founded in 1762 we are one of the UK’s leading wealth managers offering personalised financial planning and investment management advice to individuals, charities, trusts, institutions and financial intermediaries.
With a network of offices across the UK, Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland, whatever your plans for life we can help you achieve them. Generating an income, funding a personal passion, planning for retirement: our first investment will always be in understanding your priorities and building a personal relationship with you.
Visit Brewin Dolphin website
With more 5-star Trustpilot ratings than all other retailers combined, more organisations across the UK are switching to Castle Water for their business water supplies.
One of the UK’s fastest growing utilities, Castle Water is the UK’s leading independent retailer. We are licensed by Ofwat and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland and serve over 550,000 businesses, charities and public bodies nationally from our offices in Blairgowrie, Ayr, Leeds, London and Portsmouth.
Coast Renewable Services is situated on the east coast of Scotland within the Port of Dundee adjacent to the Sea Green Inch Cape and NNG Offshore Wind Farm projects. The Coast team is led by Mark Robson a seasoned renewable professional with over 17 years’ managerial and construction experience within the industry, growing his company since its inception in 2013. We now have over 45+ employees. With a proven track record within the industry operating in conjunction with OEMs and major contractors we at Coast are committed to the provision of turn key bespoke solutions to all our clients. At Coast Group we provide a full range of services for the life cycle of onshore and offshore Wind Turbine Generators as listed below. We provide-
• Full turn-key projects as a single point of contact from planning to completion
• Site and Construction quality management
• Project management
• HSE managers
• Installation and pre-assembly services
• Servicing and maintenance teams
• Statutory inspection services
• Wind Turbine walkdown and quality inspections
• Wind Turbine Blade Repairs and ground breaking Leading Edge Protection solutions in conjunction with Armour Edge www.armouredgesolutions.com
• GWO Training Academy opening Autumn 2021
• Coast Projects and Developments Ltd 2021
Visit Coast Renewable Services Ltd websiteWe are the leading business membership organisation in Dundee & Angus and part of the worldwide long-established Chamber of Commerce brand. We have over 700 members who between them employ over 67,000 people. We work hard to help provide members with the business connections and opportunities they need to flourish.
We represent our members’ views and use our collective voice to influence opinion makers. We are passionate about Dundee and Angus and promote it as a world class destination, helping the local business community to thrive.
Visit Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce websiteD&A College is an anchor institution dedicated to supporting individuals and businesses to attain the skills required to flourish. They utilise industry knowledge to deliver high-quality training and through a partnership approach, work with businesses to build strong successful workforces and deliver apprenticeship training across all industry sectors.
Visit Dundee and Angus College websiteMarsh Commercial – a diverse colleague community, serving a diverse client community with insurance, risk management and employee health & benefits advice. They leverage the scale, expertise and access to products and services provided by Marsh McLennan Companies for their clients’ benefit – whilst maintaining a personal client-centred approach.
Visit Marsh Commercial websiteMichelin Scotland Innovation Parc, an ambitious joint venture between Dundee City Council, Michelin, and Scottish Enterprise, is a world class Innovation Parc focused on sustainable mobility and decarbonisation. With a 32-hectare site and excellent physical connectivity, MSIP has dynamic space that can adapt to all sizes of business. As well as large, flexible space, tenants will have access to an innovation campus, a skills academy, business support and competitive, green energy delivered from sustainable sources. Underpinning all activities at MSIP is a collaborative approach to achieve the goal of net zero.
Visit Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc websiteFrom small cafes to the most sophisticated banks and retailers on the planet, NCR powers the technology that integrates everything and runs the entire operation. We provide the software, hardware and services to deliver experiences that delight customers. NCR has a long history in Dundee with over 550 employees (and growing) in their Research and Development facility.
Visit NCR websiteNinja Kiwi is a computer game developer with offices in Dundee and Auckland. Founded as Digital Goldfish in 2005 by two graduates from Abertay University the company went on to be acquired in 2012 by New Zealand based Ninja Kiwi. They have accumulated over 100 million downloads on the AppStores.
Visit Ninja Kiwi websiteThe 1,075MW 114-turbine Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm project is located 27km off the coast of Angus. A £3bn joint venture between SSE Renewables and Total, Seagreen will be Scotland’s largest and deepest offshore wind farm when complete. The project will provide a significant contribution to Scotland’s net-zero ambition and enough clean, renewable energy to power around 1.6 million homes.
Visit Seagreen websiteStarting as Tayside Security, Tayside Group has always made its goal to offer high efficiency, effective security services. Dedicated to ensuring your peace of mind at all times, we make it easy for you to enjoy thorough security. Over the years since our establishment we have offered security to a wide range of businesses, including wind farms and maritime operations.
Visit Tayside Group websiteWe deliver top quality advice and service to suit our clients and help businesses of every size – from family businesses, start-ups and SMEs through to large private and public sector organisations. With our lawyers covering every aspect of business set-up, development, compliance, protection and planning, we’re here for your business for the long term.
Visit Thorntons websiteThe University of Dundee has a core purpose to transform lives, locally and globally through the creation, sharing, and application of knowledge. We were ranked top in the UK for climate action in the 2021 edition of the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings.
The University contributes more than £740 million to the Scottish economy annually, supporting in excess of 4000 jobs across Dundee and the surrounding areas.
Our 17,000 students and 3,000 staff are drawn from over 140 countries around the world.
Visit University of Dundee website2021 Judging Panel
-
Dr Liz Cameron, OBE
Judging panel Chair and Chief Executive & Director, Scottish Chambers of Commerce
-
Graham Huband
Managing Editor, DC Thomson Media
-
David Smith
Managing Partner, Henderson Loggie
-
Alan Lees
Scotland Director, BT Corporate and Public Sector and Chairman of BT Scotland Board
-
Angela Vickers
CEO, Apex Hotels
Hear what our winners had to say
“It’s an absolute privilege to have won. To even have been in the final – I was happy with the picture on my table that just said I was a finalist. But to have actually got the award – I was shocked.”
Owner Clare Ferguson: “When lockdown happened we had to find new ways to promote our business. Here I was, a woman over 40 learning how to use social media. It has been such a success and connected us with so many people. When the shop was able to reopen we got customers coming in from all over the UK who had got to know us through our social media presence. Winning this award is super.”
Business Leader – “I’m thrilled and surprised and delighted. There were some fantastic colleagues on the shortlist and to my mind we are all winners. It’s only through the combined effort of the business community that we’ve all endured, survived and started growing stronger again. It’s a very united community in Dundee and Angus and we all support each other.”
Outstanding Contribution – “I was absolutely not expecting this. I’m actually very moved by it. There have been so many people over the past 18 months who have endured so much and given so much of themselves. Thousands of people have made outstanding contributions to their communities throughout this pandemic. To my mind what I’ve contributed is no more than my duty.”
Angela Linton, chief executive: “We’re absolutely delighted to have won this award, especially given how strong all the entries were. I’m very proud of our whole team. We’re a huge organisation and this has been a huge team effort. So many people in the community have needed our help and support and I’m so pleased our work has been recognised with an award.”
Director Mark Robson: “It’s brilliant to have won. We’re a locally owned, small renewable business and this award is really for the whole team, not just me. The business has grown so much in just two years, which is incredible for a small Dundee business.”
Director Liz Carnie: “We are very delighted with the win. The start of the pandemic was really a big worry for us but after about six weeks we managed to find some new customers in the food, care and haulage industry. It was a lifeline and since then we’ve even taken on new staff so it’s been great to have that growth despite the year. The whole team is looking forward to celebrating with a bottle of bubbly.”
Harry Lawson (second generation) and son Michael Lawson: “We didn’t expect to win this at all so we’re surprised and delighted. It’s been a very difficult year for everyone and people have done a remarkable job to come through it all.”
Louise Humpington, owner. “I’m very, very excited to have won this award. We are a zero waste refill emporium and with COP26 happening in Scotland it’s good to have a spotlight on the circular economy. It’s fantastic to be recognised by The Courier. So many companies now are starting to put sustainability first and we’re pleased to be at the forefront of that movement.”
Perthshire Family – Kristian Campbell, resort general manager: “I’m over the moon we’ve won. The business has been in the same family for six generations and it has been troublesome during the pandemic. But the whole team has really pulled through and we’re coming out of it stronger.”
Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality – Stephen Leckie, managing director: “The Courier Business Awards are always a highlight of our year. Winning an award this year means more than ever. It is now so hard to attract staff into the hospitality industry. It really does make a difference to our staff knowing that they work for an award winning company. Hospitality staff already worked so many hours a week and Covid has heaped even more work on them. I would like to thank every single one of our workers for all they’ve done.”
Keith Ingram: “I am delighted. We won the award in 2019 too, so it was really incredible to get it again. We really didn’t expect it. The team has worked really hard. It has been a tough 18 months and they have done really well to change and adapt. We’ve got a great team – this award is really for them.”
Roy Henderson, director, SP Automation and Robotics: “I’m absolutely overjoyed with the win. It’s superb for the company and everyone involved. We were all really surprised with it. It’s already been such a great night and this has really just topped it off.”
Elena Hamilton, customer service manager; “I’m really proud of the team, as it’s been a tough year and a half. So to have this recognition has been really appreciated.”
Alistair Booth, owner: I’m absolutely buzzing to have won. There was such an impressive field of businesses in this category so to have actually won feels amazing. This is our first Courier Business Award and we’ll definitely be back. Hopefully next time we’ll be in the running for best medium or large business…”
Fiona McDade, software division: “This is a big team award. We have a team of 150 people working on cutting edge software here in Dundee and this city is key to our future. We’re moving much more towards digital banking so a technology award means a great deal to us.”
Caroline McKenna, CEO and founder: “The team is just so excited to be here, especially. We were finalists in three awards tonight, so to win one was just brilliant. The team worked so hard for this. This award is absolutely about them, not me.”
Covid Resilience Award – Mike Forbes, marketing director: “I think you’re always pleased to be among the nominees, so it was a very pleasant surprise to win. It was a really great validation for the company and I’m very happy they’ve been recognised.”
Business of the Year – “This is a terrific piece of validation for all the work the staff have put in not just over the past weeks and months but over the last year and a half. This award really is nothing to do with me and everything to do with a big team effort. More than 100 people have shown amazing resilience, innovation and ingenuity. We’re currently finishing off a brand new office in Dundee Technology Park and when we move in this trophy will take pride of place in our display cabinet.”