Simply the best – top Welsh businesses receive awards

The key successes of the Welsh construction industry were honoured on Friday, March 6, at the fourth annual ‘Built on Success’ Awards, hosted by ConstructionSkills.

The event, held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, was attended by key figures in the Welsh construction industry.  These included special guest, Deputy Minister for Skills John Griffiths AM.

One of two new awards, the Investing in the Future Award, was presented to Bangor-based Watkin Jones for its innovative scholarship programme.

Ceredigion-based Gethin Jones achieved the other new award, the Apprentice Champion Award, in recognition of his success as a trowel apprentice, and the rapid progression of his career at Jason Tudor Hockenhull.

In the traditional categories, Gwent-based Joyner Group took home the People Development Award for its innovative approach to training within the workforce.

Denbighshire-based Wynne Construction was awarded the Business Development Award for demonstrating impressive financial growth, the successful expansion of its education sector-building expertise and the development of its staff.

The Supply Chain Award was presented to Ceredigion County Council, with Swansea-based Morrison Construction taking home the Leadership Award, which recognises an individual’s or company’s commitment to developing its employees, business and the sector.

With sustainability being a key issue for the industry, an award was presented to Cardiff-based Cowlin Construction for setting and achieving a wide range of sustainable and environmental targets.

Finally the Directors Award, which was chosen by ConstructionSkills’ Wales Director, Wyn Prichard, was presented to Newport-based Construction Youth Trust for making an outstanding contribution in the sector during 2008.

Wyn Prichard said: “Surviving the economic downturn is a factor at the forefront of everyone’s minds at the moment. “We wanted to use these awards to celebrate those companies and individuals who are successfully leading their businesses through the current downturn to the benefit of the whole industry.”

ConstructionSkills also presented the Welsh Woman in Construction and Built Environment Award to Jane Boyes of Boyes Rees Architects and finalists Liane Sheppard of Capita Glamorgan Consultancy and Ann-Marie Smale of Powell Dobson.

The title of Construction Ambassador of the Year was awarded to David Stowell of DDS General Builders.

Pembrokeshire College was also highly commended in the Sustainability category, while Lovell Partnership was highly commended in the Investing in the Future category.  For more information on the awards please contact Victoria Walsh at victoria.walsh@cskills.org