SME of the Year Winner: FISco


SPONSORED BY Adam Bruter (2nd right), FISco, collected the award from Robert Holland (right), James Cowper Kreston


The judges were looking for the very best small or medium-sized Thames Valley enterprises – SMEs that had demonstrated strong business performance, growth potential, innovation, and great business practices.


Nadine Dereza detailed the finalists, six vibrant SMEs contending for a prized title.


Robert Holland, managing partner of accountants James Cowper Kreston, was invited to the stage to announce the result of the judges’ deliberations.


“This SME Category was once again hotly contested and the judges were hugely impressed with the quality of the finalists. Any of this year’s finalists would be worthy recipients of the award.


“What distinguishes our winner is the journey that the company has been on. The business has grown from start-up to become a profitable, multi-million-turnover company in just five years with a clientbase that features a number of blue- chip clients. This company displays a continued drive for innovation and client care, has achieved an impressive rate of growth while managing to make considerable contributions to the local community and to the ongoing development of staff.”


The name of that winning company: FISco (UK).


Alan Bruter, MD of FISco, came to the stage to receive the award on behalf of his Winnersh Triangle-based business, a procurement specialist for workplace products and a strategic cost reduction company focusing on facilities management.


“It’s fantastic that we thought we were good www.businessmag.co.uk


at what we did, while now people outside our business think so too,” Bruter commented.


He also praised and thanked FISco’s workforce for driving the company forward to exceed all its targets, while growing from a £10 million turnover business to £18m sales. “When you are a small company you end up doing everything initially yourself – even now I still make cups of tea – but the important thing is to structure your business. We are now very focused, and I think getting the functions right and the right people into the business will now either make or break us.”


He admitted, as an outsource service provider, Fisco did outsource some of its own less essential functions – “We would be hypocritical otherwise, wouldn’t we?” – which made sure that the company stayed focused, lean and mean. “It’s things like that which help us grow our business in a very structured way.”


Second in this SME award category was


Newbury-based Roc Technologies, a specialist in business process transformation that has grown from formation to £14m turnover in just three years. Roc works with large enterprises and the public sector to optimise their business processes, manage change programmes, and to implement innovative technology solutions.


Third-placed was The Window Film Company a leading supplier and installer of window films and printed graphics, which delivers its project solutions to both residential and commercial markets through its use of state-of-the-art technology, innovative products and skilled staff. Headquartered in Chesham and operating nationwide, the company has had a landmark year, with record turnover, a major relocation and investment in people and equipment.


Highly Commended certificates went to Berkeley PR, a Theale-based agency that increased fee income by 22% to sales exceeding £4m, opened its first US office, and was shortlisted for 10 industry awards this year. Also Theale-based Clarify, a specialist in strategic business development for global B2B organisations. Clarify constantly punches above its SME weight, boosting sales productivity for clients including Vodafone and Xerox. And, celebrating its fifth birthday, Spectrum Corporate Finance a Reading-based corporate finance adviser with 13 staff, a £5m turnover, and deals in 2015 with a £475m combined value.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – DECEMBER 15/JANUARY 16


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