A MARKET leading company from North Yorkshire was named as the Small Business of the Year for 2016.

Langver Engineering, from Thirsk, designs and manufactures ratchet tensioners for use on curtain-sided lorries to 90 per cent of the UK market.

An ambitious growth strategy has been put in place following a management buyout in 2005, which has seen the business grow year on year.

A rebrand helped to establish an identity for the business, which now regularly engages with its customers using social media and website news features.

Its marketing material has been refreshed and customers can benefit from printed product charts and user guide videos.

Joint managing director Claire Matten explained that she and fellow MD Scott Taylor had worked at Langver since they were teenagers and their management buyout had been “a bit of a natural progression”.

She said moving into the European market was the next major step for the business.

Mr Taylor said: “It’s been a long journey up for us. We started there as apprentices and worked through to management.”

He said the management buyout had pushed the use of modern technology at the company.

The judges said that the calibre of the shortlisted companies seemed to improve each year, and 2016 was no exception, as any of the three finalists would be worthy winners.

All three had demonstrated outstanding and innovative products, a thorough understanding of their sector of operation and considerable all-round business acumen and entrepreneurship.

They said Langver Engineering Ltd displayed all of these qualities, together with a real passion for the business.

In recent years it had increased exports considerably, a move which had been reflected in both turnover and profit.