“A Passion for Success”

Arco is the UK’s leading supplier of personal protective equipment, workwear and workplace safety products. Now in its 125th year, the business can point to 39 branches, 100,000 customer accounts and a turnover well in excess of £200 million.

“The bigger our profits the more good work we can do.”
Nick Hildyard
Joint Managing Director
Arco

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“More than meets the eye”

Founded in 1984 as a regional optician, Specsavers now operates 1,000 stores globally and enjoys an annual turnover of nearly £900 million. The business covers the UK, Channel Islands, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain and Scandinavian territories, and has recently expanded into Australia.

“This Award, in our silver jubilee year, would help to show our people what an amazing contribution they have made to our business.”
Doug and Dame Mary Perkins
Founders
Specsavers

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“Health, wealth and happiness”

Vitabiotics was founded in 1971 and is Britain’s leading and fastest-growing vitamin supplement company, with eight national brand leaders. The business is responsible for some of the UK’s best-known health products and has built a reputation for producing effective treatments for multiple types of medical conditions.

“We fine-tune our products in great detail and take perfectionism to a new level.”
Dr Kartar Lalvani
CEO
Vitabiotics

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‘More than just “ships, ships and more ships!”

Bibby Line Group Limited - a highly diversified business group with its roots in shipping – was one of the winners of the 2008 edition. Current activities include debt factoring, “coastels” (barge-mounted accommodation units), jack-up rigs and woodland burials, as well as land and sea distribution services. The company can lay claim to being one of the world’s oldest shipping companies still in private ownership.

“[In our anniversary year] we blew the budget on our charitable donations. It’s the kind of thing you don’t mind to blow your budget on.”
Sir Michael Bibby,
Managing Director, Bibby Line Group

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‘A brand for all seasons’

Pentland Group - an apparel consumer brand management business - was one of the winners of the 2008 edition. The group began life in 1932 as the Liverpool Shoe Company selling fashion shoes to UK retailers. Currently the group’s trading activities are focused on consumer brand management, the design, sourcing, marketing and distribution of footwear (e.g. Ted Baker and Lacoste shoes), clothing related accessories (e.g. Berghaus and Speedo, as well as retail in the sports and fashion sectors - JD Sports plc).

“As long as we continue to focus on innovation, we will not get caught up in recessions.”
Andy Rubin,

CEO, Pentland Brands

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‘Service with a smile’

Timpson Group - a high street shoe repair and engraving company- was one of the winners of the 2008 edition. Founded in 1865 as a shoe retailing business, the company now trades from 580 shoe repair, key cutting, engraving and watch repair sites across the UK and Ireland. Timpson Locksmiths is the national 24-hour security company, while House Nameplate Company is the UK’s largest manufacturer of house signs.

“We can’t remember a specific conflict in the last 15 years… our culture works in a way that ensures issues are resolved early on before they can boil up.”
James Timpson,
Managing Director, Timpson Group

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