As the birthplace of the industrial revolution, and a leading nation in the manufacturing industry today, what better way to showcase the current movers and shakers of the manufacturing trade than with SME’s British Made Awards 2021!
As the birthplace of the industrial revolution, and a leading nation in the manufacturing industry today, what better way to showcase the current movers and shakers of the manufacturing trade than with SME’s British Made Awards 2021!
This year UK manufacturers have had to navigate a changing economy post-Brexit which has brought many challenges, but has also demonstrated the perseverance, tenacity and innovation of our nation’s greatest creators and makers. SME News is therefore proud to introduce the British Made Awards, to commend and spotlight only the best of British suppliers.
Contributing an enormous £191 billion to the economy overall in 2020/21, the manufacturing industry has remained the backbone of UK economy since its inception, and currently supports 2.7 million jobs nationwide. The North West of England contributes the single highest output per region, whilst the South East has cornered the market for the manufacture of electronics, which is now worth £4.7 billion alone! Strong industry links remain throughout the Midlands, with Birmingham once hailed ‘the city of a thousand trades,’ and Welsh manufacturing continues to account for nearly a third of its GDP.
With sights firmly set on the approaching second quarter of the 21st century, manufacturing executives from coast to coast are anticipating Industry 4.0, or the fourth industrial revolution. Characterised by cutting-edge digitisation, sustainably repurposed materials and waste-conscious processes, this exciting industry shift is expected to bring vital expansion in well-paid job opportunities and productivity. There is no better time to have your industry-leading services recognised by an awards programme!
Winning an award with SME News demonstrates that your company is receiving third-party attention, and it’s a great way to stand out from your competitors.
In order to decide on our lucky few, our in-house research team carefully analyse the information that is available both online and in the public domain, as well as any materials supplied by nominees. Case files, product samples and media packs are all accepted but are not mandatory.
Our results are determined entirely on merit, not on votes or the size of your institution, ensuring a level playing field so that all candidates receive the attention they deserve. We reward parties based on their reputation, commitment, innovation, determination, and contribution to their industry.
With a UK-wide circulation of 78,000, SME News remains the perfect platform for businesses looking to promote their brand across a nationwide readership, and each winner in the British Made Awards has the chance to utilise the SME News platform to share their news with our highly engaged audience. Check out what SME’s previous award winners say about us!
“The team at SME News were highly competent and professional. Along with being very helpful during the whole process. They used their expertise and resources to perfect the content to ensure the message and content was on point and relevant. I am delighted with their support and service and would recommend them to my connections and clients. I would most definitely work with SME News again in the future.”
Rachel Wade – Opt HR Limited
“SME News were so very professional to communicate with, we received guidance and assistance exactly as required and we have no hesitation to recommend SME News to any future customer. Here at I Giardini di Sorrento Italian Restaurant, Cardiff, had an immediate increase in public awareness from both SME and our own media posts. We have grown in strength over past 3 years, as a direct result, and thank them for their contribution and wish them every success going forward.”
Massimo Fraioli
“The SME team are very friendly and helpful. SME News has helped to promote my business in a unique and very positive way. An award from SME means a lot to me as it is clear that they are a team that are seeking out the best of British businesses and help them to succeed and grow.”
Martin Rapley – The Bug Man
If you are part of an enterprise which you feel is worthy of acknowledgement, or know of a company deserving of recognition, then please apply using the voting form above. If you would like further information on how you can get involved or our processes, please reach out to awards co-ordinator Emma Pridmore via the channels below.
Key Dates
Entries Open:
Monday 14th June 2021
Entries Closed:
Monday 13th September 2021
Winners Announced:
November 2021
Awards Coordinator
Emma joined the AI Global Media team as an Awards Executive in 2021. She finds value in helping business owners grow and expand their potential, ensuring our worthy winners gain the absolute most from their award. Emma is highly customer focused and is always happy to help!
Our Methodology
Researching nominees
The SME News team work ardently to identify market leaders, innovators and enterprising start-ups, driving many of the nominations themselves.
We also encourage external nominations via the SME News subscribers, online visitors, social media followers, clients and wider circulation.
Nominating parties are invited to put forward either third-party businesses whom they hold in high regard, or their own organisation.
Shortlisting nominees
All nominees are formally requested to accept their nomination. Should any firm or individual rather decline at this point, they are simply taken out of the running.
Those formally accepting are given the opportunity to submit additional materials in support of their nomination. Although there is no obligation to complete and supply material, we have found that many nominees value this stage, in the process, as much as our research team do.
Evaluating and judging
Our dedicated research team will assess all information presented to them.
The team gather information independently from a variety of publicly accessible sources, which are assessed alongside any material supplied by a nominating party or the nominee themselves.
The research team casts their final judgment, based on various criteria including: client dedication, innovation, business growth, longevity, online reputation, customer feedback and business performance.
The lucky winners
Once winners are determined, they are personally notified before any public announcement is made, allowing time for any communications throughout the wider business and the coordination of marketing strategies.
Unfortunately, not everyone can be a winner; however, all who take part are encouraged to come back next year.
Once the press embargo is lifted, details of our SME award winners will be made public via the website, award winners’ magazine and subscriber newsletter.
Making the most of your win
We are prepared to offer a range of promotional packages and items to SME award winners, which vary from inclusion in the free-of-charge winners’ directory, to trophies, content in our magazine and on our website.
We encourage all winners to publicly announce their win independently. Announcements via company websites, social media, via publicly released press releases, and through local and national press are all great ways of maximising the exposure which can be gained from such an amazing achievement. If you have need of further advice, on how to gain maximum exposure from your win, please feel free to get in touch. We are happy to assist our clients with their needs.
FAQsOur Winners
Our featured winners are included in our celebratory awards magazine, published online and circulated to the circulation of SME News. All winners are included in our winners directory. Once a year's winners have been announced the full list of winners for that year will be available to view by clicking on the equivalent button displayed below.
It is the first year this award has run. Winners will be displayed here after the official announcement, so come back and see them soon!
Testimonials
Our Awards Team
Jane Henderson - Director
Jane is one of three directors at AI Global Media, the publishing house behind SME News. Jane is committed to ensuring that each winner of an SME News award not only has a great experience but also gains maximum value for their win.
Jeremy Roe - Head of Research
Jeremy is dedicated to his research team and to the readers, nominees and award winners of SME News. Jeremy's diligent approach is carried across to this team members ensuring quality in the research carried out on behalf of SME News.
Martyn Walters – SME News Lead Researcher
Martyn joined the business in 2015 and rapidly became an integral part of the research team. Martyn has a keen interest in understanding businesses from those just starting out to those that have cemented their place in their market for decades or more. He also understands that an award win such as one of SME News’ can be a powerful marketing tool for small businesses making it key for the research team to select those most fitting and most worthy of one of these highly sought-after awards.
Steven Simpson - SME News Awards Team Leader
Steven came to the group in 2015 and has since proven to be a most respected, conscientious and valued team member. Steven oversees a number of SME News' key awards programmes ensuring that all nominees and winners receive a great experience from the team and that our winners are supported in gaining maximum exposure from such an amazing achievement.
Awards
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