This week, we were delighted to attend the Motorsport Industry Association’s (MIA) Business Excellence Awards at the NEC in Birmingham, and to sponsor the Small Business of the Year category. The annual awards celebrate the high standards of skill and professionalism within the motorsport and high performance technology industries, this was of particular relevance to Northamptonshire given the significant number of companies based in the county that are leading these industry sectors.
Our congratulations go to Northamptonshire based Flybrid Systems, which won the Technology and Innovation Award. The company specialises in hybrid vehicle technology and is set to help reduce vehicle CO2 emissions via advanced high-speed flywheel based energy storage and recovery systems. This company is a great example of a High Performance Technology business that is operating in Northamptonshire.
Our recent report on High Performance Technology companies in the county showed that 80% of businesses in this sector are SMEs, and the county has a strong network of innovation centres and accommodation for smaller businesses, along with support and funding through schemes such as INV-ENT. Small businesses are integral to the local economy and we are committed to providing on-going support to them.
As part of our recognition of the role small businesses play in this industry, and within the County’s economy, we were pleased to sponsor, the Small Business of the Year Award this year, which recognises and supports smaller organisations with a turnover of less than £5million.
Anglo American Oil, which supplies clean fuels to the racing, garden, arborist, agricultural and boating markets won the Small Business Award this year, and we’d like to extend our congratulations to them. Based on the awards, 2012 is set to be an important year for small companies and the High Performance Technologies sector, and we’re very excited to see what it holds for Northamptonshire’s business.
