The 2018 Medway Business Awards

The 2018 Winners

2018 Medway Business Award

2018 Overall Winner

A precision engineering company whose clients include Formula 1 racing firm McLaren and film legend Disney lifted the top prize at the 2018 Medway Business Awards gala evening at Priestfield on 16 November.

Lordswood based Total Machining Solutions Tools Limited prides itself in delivering total accuracy for its many prestigious clients.

A Computer Numerical Control (CNC) firm, the eight-year-old it delivers tolerances down to 0.2mm. The company’s growth has accelerated to such an extent it had to seek additional premises and increase staffing levels. Training is paramount and even the CEO Paul Beckett goes on a one-day session each month.

The portfolio includes household names and blue-chip companies such as McLaren, Force India, Disney and Marvel on projects for Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Beauty and the Beast, Star Wars and James Bond to name a few.

Making world class products for cutting edge businesses is what TMS is all about and they are justly proud of being based in Medway and being nominated at this year’s awards.

TMS has also raised more than £8000 for the Wisdom Hospice.

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Customer Service Award

Customer Service Award

Picking up the Customer Service Award was Lighthouse Safety Training Ltd which offers bespoke health, safety and environmental training and a consultancy service to all industries.

The company has literally proved itself a lifesaver with its training provision across a wide range of sectors. These include construction, retail and commercial companies.

The consultancy department aims to support clients to achieving compliance in all areas of HS&E by writing policies, RAMS & COSHH Assessments, carrying out site inspections, achieving SSiP Accreditations, hosting Tool Box Talks and will act as a safety manager providing retained advice.

It has also enjoyed substantial growth over the past 14 years and now has three classrooms at its Rainham base, although offers substantial training at clients’ premises throughout the UK. Staff training is also ongoing and last year a member achieved the top result in the NEBOSH general certificate out of 13,000 nationwide candidates.

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Brand of the Year Award

Brand of the Year Award

Brand of the Year Award went to Medway’s award-winning Copper Rivet Distillery.

In only just over two years, the company based at Pumphouse Number 5 has not only become an important centre for craft spirit production, but a tourist attraction. As Kent’s only spirit maker, the distilling firm creates the award-winning Dockyard Gin, Vela Vodka, Son of a Gun and gently maturing cask Masthouse Whisky.

The company says it is bringing true artisanship back to distilling as one of only a handful of distilleries in the country making clear spirits rather than buying wholesale and flavouring in a gin still. It is also one of just a few distilleries to grow its own grain in partnership with local farmers.

Copper Rivet’s spirits are among the most crafted in the UK, if not worldwide, with a production process unique to the industry and has a 100 per cent traceability from the bottle to the field where the grain was grown.

The team has sought to build partnerships with local businesses, craftsmen and of course farmers. It is making spirits that will become globally recognised for their quality, something the people of Medway can be proud of.

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Embracing Change Award

Embracing Change Award

The Embracing Change Award went to Umbrella Training Limited based at The Historic Dockyard.

Hospitality is the fourth biggest sector in the UK and Umbrella Training helps a vast number of apprentices of all ages and backgrounds move into successful careers.

With over 200 collective years of experience based here in Medway, Umbrella Training is an Elite Hospitality Apprenticeship provider offering work-based learning and development provision for the hospitality industry.

Nine out of 10 apprentices achieve lifelong learning, sustainable employment and achievement in their apprenticeship whist with Umbrella Training.

They are the experts, as they recognise how significant it is for companies to maximise their return on investment while implementing new and thrilling apprenticeship programmes. They work collaboratively with their apprentices and employers to deliver high quality and consistent training with opportunities. A proud Medway business that brings excellence to its clients.

Umbrella Training has now expanded to additional sites and is based in Nottingham, Leeds, Eastern and South West England.

"The Embracing Change Award is a pinnacle of 5 years of hard work. We were so proud to be announced winners in this particular category. Umbrella Training was founded in 2012 and our vision from the very beginning was to embrace the change in the Apprenticeship sector. We have been at the forefront of this change by acting as a change agent for the hospitality industry in the UK. We will continue to challenge the status quo and embrace change. Watch out for our next project - Skills Medway! The biggest shout goes to our amazing team - they are the real reason why we can embrace change so easily and why we can proudly say that we are Change Champions!"

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Making a Difference Award

Making a Difference Award

Paramount Independent Property Services scooped up the Making a Difference Award.

In just three years, Paramount Independent Property Services, based at Medway City Estate, has built a business with 50 staff, a portfolio of 550 properties and a commitment to helping the homeless. The company bought many rundown properties and converted them into suitable homes for vulnerable people.

Tackling every aspect of property management with their inhouse staff, they manage buildings for local authorities and bring empty homes back into use for local people. Always looking to procure new property, they deliver exciting refurbishments and redevelopments, offering interest free loans to landlords to improve properties for residents.

A dozen apprentices were also taken on and have gone on to become team leaders and gaining full-time employment. The company has expanded beyond Kent to Nottingham, Leeds, Eastern and South West England.

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