SME OF THE YEAR AWARD
SPONSORED BY
Winner: GRITIT
Weather forecasters are already predicting a harsh winter and if they are right then the winner of this year’s SME of the Year Award, sponsored by James Cowper, will be happier than most.
When GRITIT was founded in 2004, it was the UK’s first nationwide gritting and snow clearance specialist, ensuring businesses stay safe and operational during the worst of the winter weather.
Today it has highly-trained specialist teams operating across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, providing gritting and snow- clearance to private and public companies in the retail, commercial, industrial, logistics and health sectors. In an average winter GRITIT will provide more than 100,000 service visits across the UK from its 92 depots.
In 2010, the company invested in developing its own award-winning bespoke technology platform to monitor weather conditions, carry out live tracking of vehicles and teams and ensure that everything is in place to meet customer demands, a move which has delivered major benefits and savings.
Over the past eight years it has averaged growth of more than 100% per annum, with a 99% customer satisfaction rate, and it is currently ranked in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 league table as Britain’s 37th fastest growing business, the first winter gritting company to be featured.
The GRITIT team has also demonstrated its commitment to the wider industry by founding
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – DECEMBER 12/JANUARY 13
an industry association which aims to improve standards within the gritting and snow clearing sector and it is leading a cross industry group to encourage and enforce best practice. It also supports a number of charities and community- based initiatives.
Its track record ticked all the right boxes for the judges, who were looking for companies with strong business performance and growth potential, examples of innovation in products and services and contribution to the industry or wider community.
Steve Clarke, managing partner, James Cowper, who made the presentation, said: “We were once again delighted to be sponsors of the 2012 SME of Year Award and this year our entries again proved that despite the continuing economic climate we are fortunate to operate in a region which is still awash with some fantastic SME businesses.
“Our winners, GRITIT, were able to demonstrate the very essence of entrepreneurialism. The team have grown their business from the humblest of beginnings to what is now a profitable, multi-million turnover organisation with a blue chip client base. With a ‘can-do’ attitude which resonates throughout the business, growth has been achieved on the back of outstanding customer service, staff empowerment, major innovation and investment in technology. We look forward to continuing to watch them grow and succeed.”
Nikki Singh-Barmi, managing director of GRITIT, (pictured with trophy) said afterwards: “We are
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delighted to have won this award, and believe it reflects the hard work and dedication of the team. We are immensely proud of our staff and their unfailing commitment to deliver real excellence.
“GRITIT is customer focused in the extreme. Our sole aim is to protect our customers against the physical and financial losses caused by harsh winter weather. And, as a result, we both lead and innovate in our specialist sector.
“In recent months, the company has won or been short-listed for a number of prestigious business awards. We hope to replicate this success in the years to come, as we continue to expand our service offering.”
Witney-based STL Communications, which provides business telephone solutions to companies across the south, took the number two spot and in third place was last year’s award winner Phabrix, from Thatcham, a worldwide leader in designing and manufacturing innovative broadcast test and measurement devices.
Three Reading companies, Cotswold Fayre, IT Talent and Fiscal Technologies, all claimed highly commended certificates.
JAMES COWPER
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