Recognition for Liniar at business awards

Liniar’s trading company, Denby-based plastic extrusion firm HL Plastics, has scooped a major national business award – with owner Roger Hartshorn also being announced as one of the top 100 manufacturers in the UK – at two separate award ceremonies in November.

The Growing Business Awards are the most established and respected national recognition of SME and entrepreneurial success in the UK. Created by Real Business, held in association with Lloyds Bank and supported by the CBI, the awards have previously identified emerging businesses that have since become household names, such as Innocent Smoothies, EasyJet and LoveFilm.

As part of the judging process, the Liniar team faced a panel interview in October with CBI members in London to test their company knowledge and elaborate about the Liniar products that are designed and manufactured at its factory in Derbyshire.

Finalists were invited to attend a glittering award ceremony and gala dinner at the London Marriott Grosvenor Square on 25th November, where comedian Ed Byrne entertained the 350 or so delegates before announcing the winners in each category.

Emma Arrell (Finance Director) and Sue Davenport (Marketing Director), having already faced the question panel together for the award entry, were delighted to discover the company had won the prestigious Growing Business of the Year 2014 for mid-sized companies.

Accepting on behalf of HL Plastics, Emma commented:

We’re thrilled to have won this prestigious award, especially as the competition in this category was so strong. The success of HL Plastics is not only down to the design of its innovative Liniar brand, but also to the 400-strong team who continually step up to meet the ongoing demands of our rapid growth. We’re so proud to be a part of this great British manufacturing company and this award is for them!

It was a busy week for Liniar, with MD Roger Hartshorn also announced as one of the UK’s most influential individuals in manufacturing as part of The Manufacturer Top 100.  A panel of expert judges from within the industry selected the individuals who characterise those important traits that help support and develop UK manufacturing.

The full list was published on 26th November at an evening hosted by TV presenter and engineer Kate Bellingham, with Roger acknowledged alongside business heavyweights from brands including Dyson, Maclaren, JCB and Rolls-Royce as well as Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of the INEOS Group.

The two awards mark a hat-trick for the HL team, who also took home the Derby Telegraph Company of the Year award in June. The company is 40 years old in December and will be celebrating in the New Year with staff and customers.