British Made Awards 2023
SME News is excited to announce that the British Made Awards are returning for the third year in 2023! As the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, Britain has been at the forefront of the global Manufacturing industry for centuries. Since then, British Manufacturing has continued to dominate the international market, and is still hailed as a central hub for innovation today. As we are now on the precipice of a fourth Industrial Revolution – often referred to as Industry 4.0 – it is the perfect time to recognise the leading companies and experts whose dedication and disruptive approach are ushering in this new era in Manufacturing. The British Made Awards 2023 will focus on highlighting the trailblazing businesses from across the UK who are making the most of advancements taking place in the sector, utilising emerging technologies such as IoT, Machine Learning, AI, and 3D Printing to stay ahead of their competition. A recent report from The Boston Consulting Group states that these technologies could increase industrial efficiency by up to twenty-five percent, leading to impressive growth in the sector. Britain’s “Smart Factories” and their associated technologies are allowing manufacturers to automate production, streamline operations and factory processes, simplify supply chains, and drive productivity across their business. British Made Awards 2023 Phone: +44 (0) 203 970 0018 www.sme-news.co.uk Sofi Parry Senior Editor
Contents 4. Celestion: Most Innovative Audio Equipment Company 2023 6. Starlight Essences Ltd - Starlight Shopping: Best Wellbeing Product Company 2023 8. B Hepworth and Co Ltd: Best Windscreen Wiping & Wash System Manufacturer 2023 10. South West Kustom: Best Vehicle Body Restoration Company 2023 - Bristol 12. lifesafety.ai: Most Innovative AI-Led Health & Safety Company 2023 14. KBH Building Services Ltd: Most Trusted Timber Window & Door Manufacturer 2023 16. NeuerEnergy: Best Climate Change AI Solutions Company 2023 18. Carter Consultancy: Best Business Culture & Change Consultancy Firm 2023 - London 19. Falcon Tenders Ltd: Best Custom Superyacht Tender Builders 2023 20. Berjen Ltd: Best Fitted Furniture SME 2023 -Yorkshire 21. Chris Renovation Ltd: Best Kitchen & Bathroom Renovation Company 2023 - London 22. 7007 Limited: Leading Innovators in AI Data Analytics 2023 23. Pulpex Ltd.: Sustainable Packaging Innovator of the Year 2023 24. SSV Capital Ltd:Most Disruptive Asset Management Firm 2023 - London 25. Archipelago Expedition Yachts: Best Luxury Boat Design Company 2023 - UK 26. OHM Energy: Best Renewable Energy Company 2023 - South East England 27. Konektio: Best Industrial IoT Company 2023 – East Midlands 28. R&E Falkingham Joinery Ltd: Best Family-Run Joinery Business 2023 - Yorkshire 29. FT Tile & Design: Bathroom Design Business of the Year 2023 - London 30. Thumbsie Ltd: Best Children's Health Solutions Manufacturer 2023 - South 31. Colourways Textiles Limited: Best Family-Run Luxury Brand Clothing Manufacturer 2023 32. Nexsan Technologies Ltd: Best Unified Storage Technology Solutions 2023 33. Mercury Hampton: Most Insightful International Culture & Recruitment Consultancy Firm 2023 34. SQR Group Ltd: Best HSQE Systems Consultancy 2023 35. QuickFix Profiles: Most Innovative Building Materials Company 2023 - South East
SME News | British Made Awards 2023 | 4 Celestion has earned a global reputation for its premium loudspeaker transducers and compression drivers. With exceptional performance and superior reliability, its designs are manufactured for musical instrument amplification and sound reinforcement. Celestion is dedicated to the pursuit of research and development to innovate its state-of-the-art technology and shape the future of loudspeaker design. Founded in 1924, Celestion will next year mark its centennial anniversary. The company began designing and building radiogram speakers in south-west London and has a long history of manufacturing loudspeakers in Britain. From radios, Hi-Fi, and home theatres to oilrigs, factories, and loudhailers, Celestion has built loudspeakers for a wide range of domestic and commercial applications over the course of its history. The business pioneered the development of the purpose-designed guitar speaker and continues to be the world-leading brand in this market. More recently, Celestion has supplied transducers used for sound reinforcement used in a range of leisure and retail venues. Some products are offered for retail sale, but the majority are sold business to business. to OEMs (original engineering manufacturers). The transducers built today are of two distinct types, designed to satisfy two key market segments. The first comprise low-frequency woofers, high-frequency compression drivers, and wide bandwidth coaxial speakers, designed and built to the specifications of clients who manufacture the high-profile, sound reinforcement cabinets they are loaded into. Celestion caters to industry-leading British brands such as Martin Audio and Funktion One and international companies such as EAW. The second type are specialist musical instrument speakers, supplied to eminent British guitar amplifier brands, including Marshall and Vox and market-leading international brands such as Fender. Celestion has been endorsed by many legendary guitarists that the business refers to as its Partners in Tone. Ambassadors include Brian May (Queen), Angus Young (AC/DC), Slash (Guns N’ Roses), Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Tonny Iommi (Black Sabbath), and many more. The business is proud of its collaborative work with clients to meet the exact specifications for their projects and manufacture bespoke and often highly customised designs. The team works closely with OEM customers to understand their specifications for each new project and identify how best to fulfil their needs. All Celestion’s high end sound reinforcement and musical instrument products are built in the UK, which is perceived by the audio industry as having a significant premium. In the 1980s, Celestion was the first audio company to use laser interferometry to make detailed measurements of loudspeaker operation. Celestion is a renowned leader in the use of finite element methods, a sophisticated mathematical process that enables the company to simulate loudspeaker prototypes on computer prior to building. Using the latest design software, Celestion applies Finite Element Analysis (FEA) together with 3D CAD design tools for engineering analysis and design support. The team has customised these tools to achieve further accuracy in modelling and provide more revealing data visualisation enabling the team to model new concepts which in turn allows for greater flexibility, creativity and speed in development. The development process is further enhanced by Celestion’s ability to quickly build prototypes at its Ipswich design headquarters. The site is equipped with advanced equipment such as 3D printing to help enable the rapid building of samples for testing, measurement, and approval. This focus on development along with extensive on-site resources enables the company’s specialist technicians to prototype, test, and measure the performance of new designs. All Celestion products are subjected to thorough testing in order to deliver consistently high quality and faultless performance. For example, engineers make use of innovative tools such as the Klippel Distortion Analyser to make detailed measurements of loudspeaker performance. This streamlined integration of research and development, and industry-standard measuring equipment, ensures Celestion products achieve the highest degree of accuracy from design concept through to manufacturing. The design brief for the new TSQ range of low frequency drivers is “longevity of high Most Innovative Audio Equipment Company 2023
performance”, producing a premium professional audio loudspeaker that performs as close as possible to specification, even after hundreds of hours of use. Wear-and-tear is inevitable, but by incorporating several small but important improvements Celestion has ‘held back’ the product aging process, so TSQ woofers and subwoofers perform better than their competition for a longer period of time, throughout the lifespan of the product. Key improvements such as the unique Precision Tuned Venting for highly efficient motor cooling, laser cauterised lead out wires, laminated dual or triple suspensions and optimised multi-layer voice coils all contribute to improved operation and greater product longevity. Crucial to the groundbreaking performance of many of Celestion’s high frequency compression drivers are its titanium diaphragms. The taller profile of the patented deep-drawn diaphragm ensures modal breakup (and hence distortion) occurs at a much higher frequency than that of conventional devices, ensuring greater clarity of sound reproduction when used together with the companion Maximum Modal Suppression (MMS) phase plug design. The unique symmetrical curved elements of the patented Axiperiodic diaphragm, used with the UK-built Axi2050 wideband compression driver facilitate a large diameter, low mass diaphragm used to reproduce a much wider frequency band than conventional devices, while maintaining high efficiency. Its novel geometry when coupled with the sympathetically designed phase plug enables the shape of the mechanical modes to be tailored so they do not couple with the acoustic modes, and with no large resonance peaks the result is sound reproduction of exceptional clarity. Celestion has recently invested in a new production line currently being commissioned at its UK factory in Suffolk. Used primarily to manufacture the TSQ range of premium low-frequency loudspeakers it will significantly boosting the company’s turnover of UK-built products and is a significant contributor to the company’s future growth plans. Internal culture values every team member, the company preferring to think of themselves as an extended family. Celestion is a close-knit company with many employees having over a decade experience with the business. Its longest-serving employee will soon retire after 50 years’ service. The company’s streamlined integration of research, development, and manufacturing ensures that Celestion delivers unrivalled product performance, service, and value. After nearly 100 years in the audio industry, Celestion continues to design and manufacture its superior products for a wide variety of applications. For its pioneering work in the audio industry, Celestion has received our award for this year’s Most Innovative Audio Equipment Company. Contact Details Contact: Ken Weller Company: Celestion Web Address: https://celestion.com/
SME News | British Made Awards 2023 | 6 Since she was a child, Deborah has always been very aware and perceptive of the energies around her. When she reached her early twenties, she began engaging in regular meditation and attending energy healing classes while she studied maths and physics at university. After graduating, she realised that her true calling was to serve as a healer and holistic therapist. For this reason, Deborah set out to become an Alternative Practitioner. Initially, she worked in a holistic clinic in the German city of Bonn, where she supported and guided people on their unique life path. She then set up her own clinic in 1977, which served as a place where people could engage in healing, meditation, and seminars on spiritual awareness. Deborah believes that every soul has a unique origin in the divine light, from which they embark on their own journey of development that leads them through the starlight world. This is when each soul forms their unique qualities and potential. Some souls originate from specific star systems and incarnate on Earth with the purpose of bringing light from their own worlds. As a result, there are many souls on Earth that originate from Pleiades, Orion, Sirius, and more. When she learned of her calling to create Starlight Essence Therapy, Deborah felt drawn to the powerful energy of Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain. For this reason, she was inspired to move to England to found Starlight Essences and the Starlight Centre. Containing pure starlight, Deborah’s Starlight Essences are connected to the Starlight Lotus of Stonehenge. Deborah’s Starlight Essences provide people with clarity, freeing them from the confines of this seemingly physical reality by reminding them that they are spiritual beings that have embarked on a human experience. This enables them to follow their heart and path while effectively playing their part in the creation of a new world. They are encouraged to go with the flow and enjoy their place in life, making their lives feel easier and more pleasant. Through its user-friendly online website, Starlight Essences provides a huge range of products. It offers multiple ranges of essences and sprays, including Starlight Essence Therapy, Lotus Bliss, Lotus Druids, and Body Bliss. Suitable for both people and animals, these products can be applied on the body or in the aura. They can be used intuitively or as instructed by a Starlight Essence Therapist. They can also be used for landscape healing, in nature, and for Feng Shui. Additionally, customers may use the website to purchase various crystals, which should be cleaned with the Xerana cleanse spray. With so many more new Starlight worlds coming to earth, Deborah was inspired to start a monthly Golden Starlight Bliss Workshop Series. Supported by the corresponding essences and crystals, she takes attendees on a journey to the sacred Starlight Temples. There, they will receive whatever they need in life at that moment and will be empowered by healing, transformation, and strength. The process awakens new resonances for the starlight in their energy system and body, potentially resulting in visions, insights, or messages. Lastly, Deborah’s most unique offering is the opportunity to receive a Starlight Reading from herself. As part of this, she provides the customer with an audio file, between 10 and 20 minutes long, in which she enlightens them to their unique star journey. They will learn about the star families and the higher dimensions of light that are waiting to unfold through themselves. The reading will enable customers to connect with their own light origin and starlight potential to discover their calling in their current incarnation. This will make it easier for them to remember and engage with the starlight worlds. As a result of its excellent products and services, Starlight Essences Ltd has been awarded Best Wellbeing Product Company in the British Made Awards 2023. With a lifelong passion for her work, there is no doubt that Deborah looks towards a bright future. We congratulate her on her success in this awards programme and look forward to seeing what her future holds. Contact: Deborah Reiter Company: Starlight Essences Ltd - Starlight Shopping Web Address: starlight-shopping.com Based in Salisbury, Wiltshire, Starlight Essences Ltd is an online and mail order retail company that produces and sells vibrational essences and sprays designed to support and enhance wellbeing. The company was founded by Owner Deborah Reiter, an experienced spiritual teacher, feng shui consultant, and holistic therapist who moved to England in 2003 to help people connect with their inner light, realise their true potential, and experience healing, support, and guidance for their own path. Best Wellbeing Product Company 2023
SME News | British Made Awards 2023 | 8 Based in Redditch, Hepworth Group is a leading company that designs and manufactures high-quality windscreen wiping and wash systems for the marine, rail, fabrication, and specialist vehicle markets. Its four key divisions include Hepworth Marine, Hepworth Rail, Monitor Marine, and Hepworth Fabrications. Here, we dive into the company’s history and its commitment to quality. In 1868, Hepworth Group was established when Benjamin Hepworth built a factory in Kidderminster to supply chemicals to the major carpet manufacturers in the area. The company went on to achieve great success over the next century but, due to the increasing environmental pressures of operating a chemical plant in a town centre, the company went on to change directions. Here, it began its journey to become a trusted provider of bespoke wiper systems. Hepworth Group was acquired by Mr E. G. Eddy in the early 1900s, whose family continues to run the business today. Having joined as Company Accountant in 1978, third generation owner Jonathan Eddy took on the role of Chief Executive Officer in 1989. Over the years, he has driven Hepworth to expand into the marine and rail markets from the traditional commercial vehicle and bus markets. In 2004, Jonathan was responsible for concluding the successful purchase of Hepworth’s largest competitor, Wynstruments Ltd. In 2008, he went on to lead the company’s move from its 10,000 square foot premises to a new factory of 42,000 square feet, combining the Wynn and Hepworth wiper manufacturing bases. In 2009, Jonathan also negotiated the purchase of Crossley Fabrications and acquired more factory space to accommodate the additional business in Redditch. As a well-established company that has adapted to changing circumstances over the years, Hepworth recognises the importance of adopting modern business trends. To grow, it has been crucial for the company to leverage technology in order to effectively communicate with its current and potential customers. With social media becoming more and more important with every year that passes, the company has worked to establish a presence on these platforms to enhance its engagement with its customer base. Today, Hepworth has over 70 years of experience in the marine wipers market, and more than 30 years of experience in the rail wipers market. The company creates bespoke wiper systems that suit a variety of requirements, manufactured entirely in-house. Whether the client’s craft is still on the drawing board or at the beginning of refitting, Hepworth’s team of expert design engineers will help them achieve considerable savings, both in installation cost and in greatly improved efficiency. With a long and illustrious history behind it, Hepworth has grown in both size and strength, eventually coming to position itself as the global market leader it is now. However, despite the success it has achieved thus far, the business understands that it must not stagnate, continuously striving for improvement and working to be the best in its field. Ultimately, Hepworth’s continued strategy is being the global partner of choice for the world rail and marine industries, manufacturing and supplying them with unique and integrated product solutions. It also strives to be recognised for its exemplary customer service, offering world class standards of quality, delivery, and lifetime costs. Best Windscreen Wiping & Wash System Manufacturer 2023
To this end, Hepworth strives to instil unparalleled standards of delivery, specification, value, reliability, and quality within each of its products and services, exceeding those provided by any of its competitors. The company is committed to ensuring that its quality systems exceed all internationally accepted standards. Currently, it holds some of the most highly regarded accreditations in terms of manufacturing and engineering, encompassing both the marine and rail industries. These accreditations include IRIS, DNV, ABS, EN15085, and ISO 9001. Hepworth’s design and engineering philosophy was built with this unwavering commitment to quality in mind. The company strives to ensure that its products and services meet the stringent requirements set by its customers and exceed the expected standard of the company. As a result of these outstanding processes, Hepworth proudly manufactures and supplies the highest quality window wiping and washing systems to clients in various global industries. These systems are proven to be some of the most reliable on the market. In fact, the US Coast Guard has relied on Wynn wipers for more than 30 years, which is a testament to the product’s quality and reliability. Hepworth recognises the value of its growing workforce and understands that it would not be where it is today without their continued dedication and support. Since taking over the company, Jonathan has worked hard to foster a culture of belonging, learning, and growth amongst the team. By creating an environment in which collaboration and continuous improvement are valued, he has empowered his team to reach their full potential. The company’s continued success is truly a testament to his exceptional leadership as well as the efforts of his team. Each valued colleague at Hepworth receives a competitive salary, life assurance, company pension, and health insurance, making it a desirable place to work. Operating across various industries, including the marine, rail, and fabrications, the business seeks candidates with knowledge and skills in their specific market. Those interested in joining Hepworth’s ever-growing manufacturing business are invited to explore vacancies on its website. For its continued excellence in all areas of business, Hepworth has been awarded Best Windscreen Wiping & Wash System Manufacturer in the British Made Awards 2023. With yet another accolade to add to its growing collection, there is no doubt that the company will go on to achieve great things. We congratulate Hepworth Group on its success in this prestigious awards programme and wish it the best of luck in all its future endeavours. Contact: Jonathan Eddy Company: B Hepworth and Co Ltd Web Address: b-hepworth.com
SME News | British Made Awards 2023 | 10 Best Vehicle Body Restoration Company 2023 - Bristol Every vehicle needs a fresh coat of paint from time to time. And, when said time comes, visiting a trusted company with a brilliant reputation is simply non-negotiable. For the Bristol area, one such company is South West Kustom – a small collective that has triumphed over the local vehicle restoration scene. Manned by Daniel Bennett, Rich Webb, Steve Gates, and Jodie Lee, this quartet has been able to make a real difference, and we explore how. Setting its sights on achieving excellence, no matter the scale of the work provided, South West Kustom is Bristol’s number one company for vehicle restoration. Regardless of whether it’s providing classic car insurance approved repairs, classic car body and paint services, bare metal repairs, body modification and fabrication, custom paintwork, automotive paint distribution, or damaged and unwanted car purchases, South West Kustom is dedicated to listening to a customer’s needs to reach the desired result. And with such a diverse clientele, ranging form individuals to large corporations, South West Kustom has proven that it’s more than capable of delivering a comprehensive, client-involved service. What makes South West Kustom truly unique, however, is its personalised services for classic car owners. As a company that specialises in classic cars, it’s able to provide a tailored experience that’s wholly bespoke to the car enthusiast in question. After all, quality work is its primary objective, and its team of four is prepared to do whatever it takes to establish an amicable relationship with its clients that’s sure to last, all whilst ensuring that each project is completed to the best of its ability. This dedication to meeting its self-set standards is clearly reflected through online reviews – the likes of which are consistently praising the collective for its impressive variety and level of quality. One such review had this to say – “… Great team here. Attention to detail is second to none, and they really take pride in their work. So you know your vehicle is in safe hands…”, whilst another noted the “… Great care and effort that is taken in all of the work that is done - fantastic attention to detail and quality of finish. Also amazing custom finishing on both my car and bike. Great customer service. Highly recommended.”. Though there are plenty more words of praise from clients across Bristol, we believe that South West Kustom’s impact on customers has already become abundantly clear. As car enthusiasts, this quartet won’t rest until it has achieved a result far exceeding anything that any client could’ve expected. At its heart, South West Kustom seeks to preserve its clients’ vehicles, largely working with classic cars in order to maintain value in both an investment and sentimental sense. Regardless of what a customer is looking for, its prowess within such a niche field grants South West Kustom the opportunity to really thrive. The result is clear – there’s an unapologetic display of talent, skill, and passion for its work that’s simply undeniable once witnessed. Where most would see operating within a niche as a restriction, South West Kustom takes full advantage of this quality to truly emphasise its unique expertise and individuality. After all, every car is different, and South West Kustom is on-hand to ensure that it stays that way. To South West Kustom, maintaining high standards is imperative to its operations. As such, it has avidly devoted itself to recognising the best possible approach to each individual situation, be it through listening to every detail that its clients have to offer, to consulting one another on how to best reach the perfect end result. This, combined with ethical practises, ensures that each job is treated with the utmost sincerity, whilst ensuring that each individual is heard and considered throughout the process. It’s an approach that, unfortunately, isn’t witnessed too often within the industry – one that truly sets South West Kustom apart from its competitors. But just how does South West Kustom manage to consistently secure a solid internal structure? Put simply – South West Kustom is a family more than it is a workforce. With such a small number of individuals operating within the collective, it’s able to draw out the strengths of each individual, giving each person the chance to shine in their own right. As a quartet, it boasts an advantage in passion, personalisation, and preparation. So, if a challenge were to arise, there are no doubts in South West Kustom’s mind that there will be an expert at the ready to assist. Combine all of these factors, and you’ve got a vehicle restoration company whose quality remains uncompromised, no matter how tough a project may be. If there is one key part of South West Kustom that must be emphasised, it’s its ability to consistently deliver quality workmanship that lives up to the reputation that it’s tirelessly worked to earn. However, this isn’t its only defining characteristic – South West Kustom is so much more than a collective brimming with quality. It’s a communicative partner throughout a client’s restoration journey – one that’s eager to deliver a personalised service that’s perfectly catered to even the most niche of needs. And, once the project is complete, South West Kustom is on-hand to provide educational content to help clients maintain the results. Of course, this may be easier said than done, in which case the quartet will provide comprehensive follow-up services to ensure ongoing satisfaction. There truly isn’t anything holding South West Kustom back from continuous improvement. It possesses both talent and passion in droves, and the result is a constantly evolving collective that is set on making changes to benefit customers even further than it already does. Its professional approach and impressive insight into the classic car industry is simply second to none, and it’s for this very reason that we’re eager to feature South West Kustom in this awards supplement. We’re sure that, as it proceeds into the future of its sector, it’ll find even greater success. And we can’t wait to see it happen. Contact Details Contact: Daniel Bennett Company: South West Kustom Web Address: https://www.southwestkustom.co.uk/
SME News | British Made Awards 2023 | 12 The importance of health and safety in the workplace is something that cannot be underestimated in this day and age. It is vital for several reasons, not least of which is the essential protection of employee wellbeing, both mentally and physically. It also ensures that any members of the public who come into contact with the business are likewise protected, and it is a crucial part of an employer’s duty to its staff, making sure they are not put at risk of injury as they carry out their work for the company. All businesses must, of course, comply with health and safety laws and regulations, as flouting such can not only lead to fines but can lose you staff, eat into your profit margin, and ultimately might lead to illness, injury or even the death of an employee. LifeSafety is specifically designed to reduce workplace injuries by using an AI-driven resource that oversees the compliance of workers to ensure they are appropriately kitted with the essential PPE whenever entering a site. The primary clients LifeSafety deals with are construction companies and contractors, especially those who are involved in large-scale commercial and infrastructure projects. Its unique solution to addressing construction site safety using AI monitoring addresses the particular challenges of construction site safety. This ranges from compliance and connectivity to power and environmental conditions. The way LifeSafety works is by performing inference and object detection locally, thus eliminating the need for a high-bandwidth internet connection. This is important as connectivity can be an issue for some construction sites. The feedback LifeSafety can provide is immediate, with zero latency. It saves clients’ costs by being able to deploy the model on the edge, negating the need for reliance on a heavy cloud infrastructure. One of the additional benefits LifeSafety brings to the UK is through its own manufacturing process. As all LifeSafety devices are manufactured and produced locally, it is concurrently supporting local businesses, and taking advantage of the region’s admirable high quality and safety standards. Using UK based manufacturers also allows for quicker iterations and adaptations, based on real-time feedback direct from the field. LifeSafety’s successful transitioning from trial to this new stage of deployment marks a significant phase in the company’s life, and brings it closer to its goal of setting a new standard in the world of occupational safety across the construction industry and beyond. LifeSafety is keeping a close eye on the state of the industry in its region, and is pleased to see that the construction business is steadily embracing technology ranging from the IoT (Internet of Things) monitoring of environmental conditions, to wearable devices. This signifies a shift in perspective, as the industry moves towards a data-driven and proactive approach to health and safety compliance. LifeSafety is perfectly positioned therefore to capitalise on this trend, by enhancing safety measures and fostering continuous improvements in workplace safety measures. The company’s comprehensive health and safety analysis is a major plus when it comes to ensuring safety is delivered accurately, using the most advanced technology. It empowers the organisations it works with to proactively identify risks, prevent accidents, and create secure and productive work environments. Using advanced British company LifeSafety provides an innovative helping hand when it comes to reducing injuries within the workplace. It offers an AI-driven solution for monitoring Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) compliance in real-time, using computer vision to detect whether construction workers are wearing the required safety hardware, such as hats, boots, and gloves, when they enter a site. Most Innovative AILed Health & Safety Company 2023 “We specialize in delivering cuttingedge solutions to enhance workplace safety. Our comprehensive range of services includes AI-driven safety inspections, incident reporting, realtime hazard monitoring, and PPE tracking.”
technology to identify complete safety assessments, and a robust system for capturing and resolving any incidents that do occur with complete effectiveness. The real-time monitoring provided by LifeSafety means that it’s easy to detect and promptly address any potential hazards, whilst the efficient tracking of PPE ensures optimal safety compliance at all times. LifeSafety is determined to provide efficient incident management for organisations to help them enhance their safety across the board. Its innovative system prioritises timely reporting of incidents and encourages thorough investigations. It can be used to facilitate seamless communications, driving continuous improvements and mitigating risks with its enhanced safety protocols. All the solutions LifeSafety brings are there to make life easier for its customers. On an internal level, LifeSafety is focused on creating a positive culture for all of its own employees. It feels this is of paramount importance because it directly impacts on productivity, innovation, and the company’s overall success. It aims to foster a culture that is built on the pillars of open communication, collaboration, continuous learning, and mutual respect. It also feels blessed to boast a business that is further enriched by the diversity of its workforce, which brings a wide range of perspectives and ideas to the table. LifeSafety brings a team of innovative and technical thinkers together, who continuously strive to stay ahead of the curve while exploring groundbreaking new technologies. It has been fortunate enough to attract exceptional talent to the business, undoubtedly in part due to its emphasis on providing opportunities to work on such pioneering UK projects. Its involvement with cutting-edge technology within the Machine Learning and AI domains is also a big draw for potential candidates. It has focused on building a culture of creativity, research, and development within the team, with employees encouraged to explore new ideas and take innovative approaches as individuals. 2024 marks a pivotal year for LifeSafety as it is the timeframe identified for transitioning from prototype to production. In other words, it is the go-to-market year for the company. This reflects the culmination of the team's rigorous testing, refinements, and achievement of the desired quality benchmarks. As it steers towards commercialisation, its focus on establishing robust manufacturing processes further intensifies. LifeSafety is intent on fostering strategic partnerships, and building a strong market presence for its radical new product. LifeSafety also finds itself in the honoured position of being entered in the prestigious inaugural MK STEM 2024 Awards. These awards recognise and celebrate talent and excellence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) across the city of Milton Keynes, where LifeSafety is based. The company has also won the title of Most Innovative AI-Led Health & Safety Company 2023 in the British Made Awards, 2023. We congratulate this outstanding company, fast on its way to building a successful market presence with its groundbreaking technology. Company: lifesafety.ai Web Address: lifesafety.ai Contact Name: Harry Pod
SME News | British Made Awards 2023 | 14 Since its establishment in 2014, KBH Building Services Ltd. has grown into a leading contractor, serving some of the UK’s largest housing associations and construction companies. The business is committed to maintaining the highest possible standards in everything it does, striving to be honest, fair, and approachable. Ultimately, it aims to achieve complete client satisfaction by delivering projects on time, within budget, and with unparalleled quality. KBH Building Services delivers a range of construction services to the public and private sectors. Its offerings include manufacturing and installing firedoors and windows, carrying out refurbishment works of kitchens, bathrooms, and general voids, and fitting safety flooring. It also provides fire stop solutions and other services like decorating, plastering, internal wall insulations, plumbing, electrics, and emergency response works. Impressively, KBH Building Services boasts an annual turnover of £17 million, working with more than 100 employees, operatives, and sub-contractors. The business stands out for its unrivalled commitment to the quality and performance of its products. With roots in its local community, the company genuinely cares about its clients (housing managers or associations) as well as the end users of its products (the actual residents). Over the years, KBH Building Services has tried every model available, including outsourcing to third parties in the UK and abroad. Eventually, it realised the strategic advantage it would gain from investing in a manufacturing base of its own. For this reason, the business expanded to incorporate a manufacturing site in Norfolk, from which it now produces its industry certified timber doorsets and windows. Thanks to this strategic expansion, KBH Building Services has been able to improve its offerings in a number of ways. Firstly, with full control of its supply chain, it can monitor and manage every aspect of its production. This means that it can answer clients’ questions immediately, with the first phone call or email, providing them with greater transparency. Secondly, operating from a UK-based facility comes with the advantages of being able to visit on short notice and easily invite prospective clients to tour the site. It was also especially beneficial during the pandemic, when international travel was restricted. Furthermore, the UK has some very specific particularities that are not always obvious to partners located abroad, including types of buildings, materials, climate, and architecture. With all its manufacturing taking place in the UK, KBH Building Services is able to leverage the local market’s skills, experience, and knowledge in order to provide its clients with the best and most suitable solutions. This has resulted in fewer callbacks, less errors on site, increased consistency in what is ordered and what is delivered, and a faster response time to any queries before, during, or after installation. Moreover, KBH Building Services is committed to bringing IT and technology into the SME end of the construction industry. For example, the company is proud to have developed an online order creation tool that can be used to generate a product “passport” containing the item’s complete history, including a 3D image, QR code, and details about materials used. With the simple click of a button, orders can automatically be sent to manufacturing from the survey at site. This means that the tool not only decreases lead times but also serves as a product record that can be checked for compliance, quality, and proof of order. The tool also allows database creation and can be used to generate tables containing details about past orders. With this, data analytics teams can spot trends related to factors like material stock and client preferences. They can also evaluate the exact time from survey to order to installation for future reference. Internally, KBH Building Services operates based on a culture of support and success, striving to help its employees achieve their personal goals alongside the wider goals of Most Trusted Timber Window & Door Manufacturer 2023
the business. To this end, the company offers staff the opportunity to earn qualifications that they may not have had the resources to acquire previously. It also provides them with the chance to receive professional independent financial advice. With this support, they can save money, structure their home finances, and plan their pensions more effectively, helping them succeed in the years to come. It is evident that KBH Building Services truly values its workforce, treating them as individuals and rewarding them fairly for their excellent work. This culture sets the company apart from other big organisations, ensuring phenomenal success and satisfaction amongst its team. As a result, no one has left the company in the past three years; instead, its team continues to grow in size and strength. Overall, for KBH Building Services, it is not enough to just be financially profitable. The company wants to add value in everything it does. For this reason, it takes a triple bottom line approach to measuring its success, meaning that it not only uses the traditional financial method but also considers the environmental impact of its activities and the social value of its work. For example, KBH Building Services believes that it has a social duty to fulfil by ensuring that community members no longer have to suffer from poor fire safety measures and poor security measures. For this reason, when replacing an old doorset with a new one, it always works to make sure that the product will keep residents safe by preventing the entry of intruders and the spread of fire. This, together with its social responsibility programme, ensures that the company’s social bottom line is also "profitable". In terms of the environment, KBH Building Services is committed to reducing waste, recycling materials where possible, replacing old vehicles with newer electric ones, using IT algorithms to optimise routes and reduce travel, and inspecting the supply chain for more sustainable materials. Furthermore, the company is in the process of adding solar panels to its manufacturing sites to ensure that all energy used is green. As a result of its continued excellence in all areas of business, KBH Building Services has been named Most Trusted Timber Window & Door Manufacturer in the British Made Awards 2023. In the future, the company continues to focus on its technology projects as well as its social and environmental efforts. We are delighted to congratulate KBH Building Services on its success in this awards programme and look forward to seeing what its future holds. Contact: George Karaargirov Company: KBH Building Services Ltd Web Address: www.kbhbuildingservicesltd.co.uk
SME News | British Made Awards 2023 | 16 Best Climate Change AI Solutions Company 2023 With offices in London and the Netherlands, NeuerEnergy is a software development company that offers a plug-andplay SaaS platform, designed to streamline the journey to net-zero by helping organisations analyse and plan their efforts to reduce their CO₂ emissions. The company has also launched a platform that aims to drive the sustainability of cities by evaluating their existing and new development projects. Here, we dive into both innovative solutions and the company’s internal operations. In the Carbon Majors report of 2017, it was shown that just 100 companies had been the source of more than 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions since 1988, highlighting the need for corporations to mitigate and eliminate the emissions that result from their various activities. Today, the world’s leading companies are working to obtain net-zero in their operations, striving to achieve a balance between the carbon that is emitted into the atmosphere and the carbon that is removed from it. NeuerEnergy was created to join them on this journey, guiding them to reduce their emissions, meet their sustainability targets, and make a positive social impact. Established as part of Microsoft’s ‘AI for Social Impact’ programme, the company’s goal is to leverage technology for social good. NeuerEnergy’s team consists of both data and sustainability experts who have a broad range of specialisms across the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, net-zero, digitisation, digitalisation, analysis of net-zero technology options, carbon reduction planning, scenarios and financial modelling, and risk management. With their expertise, NeuerEnergy has developed the only net-zero platform that leverages both machine learning and artificial intelligence to completely automate carbon accounting, produce fully costed carbon reduction solutions with integrated planning, purchasing, and management, and connect companies to sustainable finance solutions. Available through a flexible, cost-effective, and modular subscription pricing model, NeuerEnergy’s net-zero platform offers a feature-rich end-to-end journey, designed to help users reach their targets. The platform is intuitive, intelligent, and can be tailored to fit in seamlessly with their unique situation. It aims to make their lives easier by assisting them with tasks like data gathering and business impact analysis, as well as project planning, contract negotiation, and monitoring. The NeuerEnergy journey to net-zero begins with analysis. Users can effortlessly combine their carbon reporting on scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions into a single dashboard, view their scientific footprint, create scenarios to identify optimal pathways, and discover relevant technologies that will help them achieve their goals in line with their budget. The next stage of the journey is to plan. In this, NeuerEnergy’s platform enables users to ensure mandatory compliance and declaration based on a scientific approach and global standards. They can create a net-zero programme and manage multiple projects in near-real time, including suppliers and partners. Thirdly, NeuerEnergy’s platform facilitates procurement, enabling users to combine multiple pathways. These can incorporate on-site energy generation, energy storage, EV infrastructure, voluntary and involuntary emissions procurement, and nature or technology-based emissions removal. In this, they can set financial targets, generate standardised bankability, and carry out financial analysis for all procurement decision-making, with streamlined access to funding through the platform. Lastly, the NeuerEnergy net-zero platform can be used to manage the performance of programmes and individual projects dedicated to the mitigation and removal of emissions. Usefully, users will receive alerts and relevant solutions to any events that could jeopardise their progress. The platform can also be used to gain operational insights based on future scenarios, supporting forward planning. When managing their net-zero projects with NeuerEnergy’s platform, organisations can easily remain compliant with scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions targets and declarations, including TCFD, SBTi, IFRS, and more. They can also effectively manage all credentials and certificates that demonstrate their transparency and show that they deliver on their promises. Moreover, NeuerEnergy also offers a Sustainable Smart City solution. With almost two thirds of the world’s population expected to be living in urban areas by 2030, cities are likely to face increasing challenges related to poverty, environmental degradation, poor air and water quality, and more. The company’s smart city platform is designed to evaluate existing and new development projects in urban areas in relation to these issues, utilising a balanced approach based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Environmental, Social, and Governance guidelines, and metrics like time, quality, cost, and ROI. As a UK-based business, NeuerEnergy is proud to attract some of the nation’s best talent to its development and commercial teams, striving to be an employer of choice in the industry. Where possible, it hires new team members based on recommendation from existing staff members, seeking to leverage their diverse networks. By maintaining high brand awareness and leadership in its field, the company is able to select top talent who are culturally aligned with its values. Internally, it strives to emphasise the importance of these values through displays, performance reviews, quality manuals, role modelling, and leadership.
Whilst building a strong team is important from the outset, NeuerEnergy is also committed to continually investing in employee training and development to maintain the competitive advantage. However, the company understands that, in order to retain its world-class staff, it must work to create a happy and challenging internal work environment where employees are welcome to contribute their opinions openly. It also works to support their individual health and wellbeing through staff outings, benefits, and pension schemes. As a result of its excellent British-developed technology solutions, NeuerEnergy has been named Best Climate Change AI Solutions Company in the British Made Awards 2023. Despite the challenges it faces as it champions the urgent need for strides towards net-zero, the company is optimistic about its continued efforts to deliver a significant overall impact through continued applied innovation, research, and development. Conact Details Contact: Tally Ivanova Company: NeuerEnergy Web Address: www.neuerenergy.com
SME News | British Made Awards 2023 | 18 Best Business Culture & Change Consultancy Firm 2023 - London From providing businesses of all sizes the ability to improve and grow, to empowering individuals to take actions that will ultimately benefit themselves, their business, and their clientele, Carter Consultancy is a firm that truly cares about the internal structures of its clients’ collectives. A team is only as strong as its weakest member, after all, but Carter Consultancy is in the business of ensuring that there is no fragile link. Join us as we explore its three main methodologies, and how they are put to use in order to encourage change throughout a variety of businesses. Throughout its practises, Carter Consultancy employs three key approaches towards completely reinventing the culture of a business. By placing a focus on Continuous Improvement, Customer Experience, and Change Management, it has founded the ability to tailor each method into a bespoke package that’s designed for the betterment of each individual business. And, with packages ranging from coaching or intervention sessions to day-long workshops and training sessions, spanning from one to three days, Carter Consultancy promises a wholly unique experience that caters to even the most specific of needs. In addition, Carter Consultancy doesn’t find itself bound by industry restraints – it’s able to operate across any field, no matter its complexity. After all, its focus is on the people themselves, regardless of the size or origin of a collective. By embedding and enhancing its methodologies to encourage change within a business culture, Carter Consultancy is able to not only increase productivity, but promotes an enjoyable work atmosphere that’s wholly geared towards uplifting its members. It’s this notion that truly drives Carter Consultancy – it holds a genuine love for seeing people grow and thrive which, in turn, develops into success for every individual involved. As an active member of the British Quality Foundation, an organisation that supports excellence from SMEs to corporate household names, Carter Consultancy boasts a unique edge that’s simply astounding for a single man firm. Its position within the community is what allows it to truly flourish – this collaboration encourages interactions between like-minded individuals that are facing similar challenges, and are seeking the best methodologies to rectify these issues. Helping companies become the best version of themselves is where Carter Consultancy thrives, and it consistently demonstrates an unapologetic willingness to help people and customers transform their structures for the better. At its heart, Carter Consultancy is looking to change the world of business transformation. It holds a deep passion for making it both easy and accessible for organisations, regardless of size, to reinvent the way they see themselves. This is ultimately accomplished through the aforementioned methodologies, the likes of which having come from an authentic enthusiasm for the sector. Benefitting people is the aim, and Carter Consultancy has already proven time and time again that it’s beyond capable of steering companies towards a new future – one where its employees praise the internal structure, and look forward to coming to work every day. We’re very excited to see what the future holds for Carter Consultancy. With big plans on the horizon, most notably its eagerness to launch a self-serve assessment tool entitled NOVA, the firm promises innovation in the most niche of places. Thanks to its services, workforces across the UK are operating better than ever, and we’re sure that its impact will continue to appear throughout more collectives as time goes by. As such, we’ll be keeping a close eye on Carter Consultancy, and we can’t wait to see the difference that it makes as it progresses into 2024. Contact Details Contact: Dave Stubberfield Company: Carter Consultancy Web Address: https://carter-consultancy.com/
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