Winner: Sheppee International

A BUSINESS whose machinery is used by glass bottle producers around the world stole the show at the 2013 Press Business Awards.

Sheppee International clinched a hat trick on the night, the finale of which was being named Business of the Year 2013.

The Elvington-based manufacturer also took the title of Large Business of the Year and the Dare to Export crown.

Guests at the awards heard how, following a management buyout in the summer of 2008, the business was hit hard by the recession and soon found itself on the brink of going under.

However, as the European market dwindled Sheppee refused to accept the decline in trade.

Upon winning the Large Business of the Year award Sheppee chairman Elliott Seymour told the audience that after months of no orders the directors literally packed their backpacks and went to find prospective customers in the wider world.

Sheppee International, which supplies innovative machinery for the glass container industry, now exports 95 per cent of its turnover, which last year was £8.5 million, around the globe.

In a bid to boost things further, the company has recently set up an office in China to take advantage of the expanding markets in China, Indonesia and Thailand.

Sheppee also recently began supplying the Australian market and is now eyeing the massive potential of the American market.

Building relationships with existing customers has provided new opportunities, enabled the product to be sold into new geographic areas and provide a reference point for new customers in new markets.

This strategy culminated in Sheppee winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International trade for 2013.

The Sheppee brand is globally recognised throughout the glass container industry.

It is a market leader in hotware handling in the glass industry, in fact it is the only company to specialise completely in this line.

Judges in the Dare to Export award described Sheppee as a business that lives and breathes export.

Entry into new markets has seen Sheppee through the recession and enabled it to achieve a company record turnover in the financial year to June 2012. This has resulted in additional industrial units being taken on to provide additional capacity help reduce the lead time in supplying products, as well as theaddition of six staff since the recession period of 2009.

Judges of the Large Business award said Sheppee International demonstrated impressive growth in tough economic conditions.

Particularly impressive to the judges was the continuous investment in research and development and new systems to deliver significant productivity improvements for Sheppee’s customers.

In addition, the commitment to Investors in People, apprenticeships, employment growth and engagement made Sheppee, in the eyes of the judges, a very worthy winner.

With managing director Jon Wilson at the helm, Sheppee has continue to grow in recent years to achieve record levels of turnover.

Speaking after winning the Business of the Year title, Mr Wilson paid tribute to his staff who have stayed with the business “through thick and thin”.

He said: “We just took each award as they came along tonight, and it was the icing on the cake to win the overall award.

“All tonight’s awards are a result of all the hard work over the years from the staff at Sheppee.

“Through the recession we were barely breaking even month on month and that lasted for around 18 months. Cuts had to be made in terms of pay and hours, and staff stood by us.

“Now we have been able to recompense them for their commitment.

“Subsequently we have taken on more staff and expanded into Asia.

We have made the business more robust and more sustainable.

“Prior to the recession we were largely dependent on the European market, but that disappeared and we had to go out wider.

“Then when things picked up in Europe and the manufacturers got back on track we moved back in to where we had been operating before.”

Mr Wilson said regular communication with existing and potential customers is fundamental to gaining confidence and entering new markets.

Sheppee boasts a sales database which is regularly updated to ensure all information is recorded, assisting in understanding new markets.

The setting up of an Asian representative office has provided same-time zone support and cultural understanding of the requirements within the China market.

The China office has also allowed Sheppee to represent other companies within the same industry, selling their products, acting as an agent and taking a commission.

Established in 1993, Sheppee was named as one of 116 exporting companies to win a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of international trade, with bosses invited to meet the Queen for a reception at Buckingham Palace earlier this year.

Speaking about the Queen’s Award Mr Seymour said: “We are very proud. It is such an honour to receive the award in recognition of all the hard work by the team at Sheppee International.

“Receiving the award is already starting to help the business going forward. Since the announcement we have had enquiries and congratulations coming from Australia, America, South Africa and Germany.

“It really is the icing on the cake to demonstrate our quality and commitment to serving our customers.

“2013 is a year of award wins for us with The Press Business Awards too, and we hope that 2014 will see go forward and grow our position as a world leader in our industry.”

Mr Seymour works on the international expansion of the business while Mr Wilson runs the facility in Elvington.