A South East manufacturing business has been shortlisted in The Manufacturer MX Awards 2016.

Drallim Industries Limited will now go head to head with manufacturers across the country for the title of Innovation & Design.

The competition has been exceptionally tough this year, with a 23% increase in the number of entries compared to last year’s programme.

Entrants will now undergo the most rigorous judging process of any industry awards in the UK.

Companies shortlisted in nine of this year’s categories will receive a site visit assessment in September, where judges will witness the entrant’s manufacturing processes in action and carefully evaluate their findings against the criteria.

The remaining three categories will be judged at the IMechE in London on September 21, where finalists will present to a panel of industry experts. The demonstrations will be followed by an intense 30-minute question and answer session.

The process will conclude at The Manufacturer MX Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner, at The Vox in Birmingham on November 2. Here, manufacturing leaders and the wider industrial community will come together to celebrate the award winners. This is the biggest annual celebration in the industry’s calendar and attracted almost 1,000 attendees in previous years.

Past winners range from SMEs to OEMs and have come from a diverse range of industries, for example: Lambert Engineering (The Manufacturer of the Year, 2015), Xtrac Ltd (The Manufacturer of the Year, 2014), Vaillant Group (Sustainable Manufacturing, 2014) and Sheffield Forgemasters International (Leadership and Strategy, 2013).

Dave Mooney, said: “We proudly promote British Engineering and stand out as being majority owned by an Employee Trust. Our Mission is to provide high quality, innovative design solutions to our customers; keeping skilled engineering jobs in the UK. We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Innovation & Design Award and are looking forward to the big event.” .

 

Nick Hussey, CEO of the Hennik Group, organisers of TMMX Awards said:
“We are delighted to present such a robust shortlist of wonderful manufacturing businesses. In several categories, entries are double those of 2015, and the total number of companies entering is up by almost 25%, with many companies entering multiple categories. To me, this demonstrates the breadth of their all-round manufacturing excellence.
All the shortlisted companies should be extremely proud that they have been selected against so much strong competition. The entry and shortlisting process is far more rigorous and evidence-based than any other industry awards programme and making it to the finals is a huge achievement. I’m looking forward to the site visits and meeting the individuals behind these extraordinary companies. I also look forward to seeing you all, and celebrating your success, at The Manufacturer MX Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner on 2 November.”

Philippa Oldham, Head of Manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “The Manufacturer MX Awards not only celebrate the best in UK manufacturing, but taking part gives companies the opportunity to receive valuable advice, free of charge, from world class experts. Finalists and winners then receive a detailed and confidential business report written by the University of Durham. In a time of fierce competition in business, the feedback provided through the Manufacturing Excellence Awards could make the difference between a company’s success and failure.

“The judging panel is made up of over 30 highly experienced manufacturing experts and the rigorous process involves desk based judging, factory site visits and in interviews with the panel. This enables the judges to ensure that we are identifying the very best of UK industry.”

Richard Hill, Head of Manufacturing & Automotive Sector, NatWest, headline sponsor of TMMX Awards commented: “We’re once again delighted to be supporting the MX Awards, and celebrating our 10th year of working with The Manufacturer to showcase some outstanding achievements in the industry. The awards are a great demonstration of the expertise, innovation and diverse range of specialisms that make up the UK manufacturing sector.

NatWest has been supporting UK manufacturers for over 200 years. And has teams across the UK dedicated to providing specialist local advice to help businesses succeed with their ambitions. I’d like to wish all companies the best of luck and congratulate them for their contribution to the sector.”

• Craftsman Tools Ltd
• Drallim Industries Ltd
• Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd (ETI Ltd)
• Fracino
• McLaren Automotive
• Tharsus