THE business community of the Tees Valley turned out in force last night to honour its star performers.
More than 700 guests attended the Tall Trees Hotel in Yarm, near Stockton, to hear the winners in the North-East Business Awards for the Tees Valley area.
The ceremony was one of three regional events, leading to the overall final in April.
It featured Peter Middleton, the newly appointed chairman of the Tees Valley Urban Regeneration Company, as the keynote speaker.
Bells Stores, run by entrepreneur Les Bell, who set up his first dairy business in 1957 with a £1,000 grant from his father, swept the board with three awards.
The company of the year was Billingham firm Synetix, which produces catalysts for chemical processes.
The winners were:
Small Business: Shop-fitting specialists Newman Scott Ltd.
Business in the Community: Garlands Call Centres.
Export Award: Chemical catalyst producers Synetix.
Internet Award: Adventure Toys.
Best New Product/Service: Casings firm Harkers Engineering.
Retail Award: Bells Stores.
Learning and Skills Award: Bells Stores.
Technology Award: Bells Stores.
Services Award: Legislation solutions company Laidler Associates.
Company of the Year: Synetix.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article