Walkodiles, Wummle cheese and walk-round software that provides forensic interactive crime scenes - just three of a multitude of products and services taking one of the most diverse groups of finalists ever a step closer to a 2007 Grampian Award for Business Enterprise.
The Walkodile, a harness system for safely walking groups of young children outside schools or nurseries, has taken Peterhead’s Red Island Ltd to the second round. Other finalists this year include MaxIMT, the provider of an innovative forensic crime scene examination software system, which facilitates a full 360 degree ‘walk-round’, and The Craigmyle Cheese Company, producers of Wummle, a soft, creamy, mould-ripened cheese. Craigmyle also reached the finals of the 2006 Awards.
The 26 finalists, split over five categories, are now just a round away from the prestigious awards dinner on the 7 June, where winners will receive a handcrafted trophy and cash prize. Now in their eighth year, the awards recognise business achievement in the north east of Scotland for companies of all sizes, operating in a variety of industry sectors.
The event is sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Scottish Enterprise Grampian and features a talk by Simon Woodroffe, founder of Yo! Sushi and former 'Dragon' on Dragon's Den.
"This is the most diverse list of first round finalists that I can remember seeing during my many years of involvement with the awards,” says Chris Travis, chief executive of the Enterprise North East Trust, the event organisers.
"It is this diversity, alongside another two D’s – dynamism and determination – that have become synonymous with the successes of businesses in the north east of Scotland, and once again these qualities are evident in the high calibre of entries."
"The entries for this year’s Awards are particularly diverse, and this is to be welcomed," says Colin Donald, director of finance and competitive business of Scottish Enterprise Grampian, co-organisers of the awards since 1999.
"The very nature of the awards means that we are again seeing new start-up enterprises side by side with longer-established businesses, and rural food sellers alongside oil and gas giants. Notably, many of the finalists are not only enjoying local success, a significant number of them are flying the flag for the area, by achieving national and international recognition in their respective fields."
The Grampian Awards for Business Enterprise first round finalists are:
New Start Award (£2k prize)
- Cushydoos Limited (Aberdeen) – event organisation
- Planb (Aberdeen) – specialist IT resources
- Red Island Limited (Peterhead) – Walkodile, a system for walking groups of young children
- Sovereign Dimensional Survey (Aberdeen) – dimensional surveying services
- Interactyx Limited (Aboyne) – interactive learning tools
- Be Design (Aberdeen) – graphic design, new media and advertising
Young Business Award (£2k prize)
- Capture Imaging Solutions (Aberdeen) – document management, copy, print and scan solutions
- Poseidon Engineering Ltd (Inverurie) – ultra-high pressure water jet cutting
- Source People Ltd (Aberdeen) – recruitment solutions
- The Craigmyle Cheese Company (Torphins) – hand made organic artisanal cheese
- Vital Veg (Inverurie) – organic fruit and veg boxes
- White Spark Promotions Ltd (Aberdeen) – promotional print for small businesses
Business Growth Award (£2k prize)
- Duncan Taylor & Co Ltd (Huntly) – rare single malt and grain whiskies
- Equalizer International (Aberdeen) – pipeline maintenance tools
- Journeycall Ltd (Laurencekirk) – customer support for the public transport sector
- Online Electronics Limited (Aberdeen) – pipeline inspection gauge monitoring equipment and pipeline data communications systems
- Insensys Oil & Gas Ltd (Inverurie) – specialist integrity monitoring
- JG Ross (Bakers) Ltd (Inverurie) – bakery and fresh food business
Alick Buchanan Smith Spirit of Enterprise Award (£2k prize)
- C&M Group Limited (Aberdeen) – offshore marine and onshore engineering services
- Filpumps Ltd (Inverurie) – supply, installation and servicing of pumps and pumping systems
- JG Ross (Bakers) Ltd (Inverurie) – bakery and fresh food business
- Loch Kinord Hotel (Aboyne) – Victorian country hotel with AA awarded restaurant
- MacPhie of Glenbervie (Glenbervie) – modern food ingredients
Sir Ian Wood Award for Innovation (£5k prize)
- Insensys Oil & Gas Ltd (Inverurie) – specialist integrity monitoring
- Interactyx Limited (Aboyne) – interactive learning tools
- MaxIMT (Aberdeen) – innovative forensic crime scene examination system
- Romar International Limited (Aberdeen) – magnetic systems for removal of metal contamination from drilling fluids
- TWMA (Aberdeen) – drilling waste handling and treatment solutions
- Walker Technical Resources (Aberdeen) – oil and gas repair services
“Aberdeen has been recognised as the UK’s most competitive city behind London for businesses, and the Grampian Awards for Business Enterprise are an opportunity to recognise the businesses that have driven this," says Stuart Heslop, Director of Commercial Banking Aberdeen for RBS.
I am sure the winners of this year’s Awards will take advantage of an increased public and business awareness to help further their future growth and development.”
Second-round finalists will be announced on 16 April and invited to attend a black tie awards dinner, to be held at Ardoe House Hotel, near Aberdeen, on 7 June 2007.
More information about the awards can be found at www.enetrust.com or by calling Laura Cox of Tricker PR on 01224 654081 or emailing her at: lcox@trickerpr.com.
