HUSQVARNA UK A CUT ABOVE THE REST WITH AWARD WIN
Aycliffe Business Make Your Mark Awards
COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by
THE FINALISTS
CONTEGO ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE
Senstronics managing director Andy Reed presented the Company of the Year award to Caraline Robinson, manufacturing director of Husqvarna UK.
HUSQVARNA UK A CUT ABOVE THE REST WITH AWARD WIN
Robotic mower maker Husqvarna UK is officially a cut above the rest after bagging the big one – the Company of the Year title at the Make Your Mark Awards.
And for manufacturing director Caraline Robinson, it was quite the moment in a career at the company which began 45 years ago when it was Flymo.
In that time, Caraline has seen massive change – it currently employs 273 permanent staff but that goes up to 600 when agency staff are included.
Then there’ s the products it makes – literally the best in cutting-edge technology.
But for Caraline – who was presented with the award by Senstronics managing director Andy Reed – it’ s all about Husqvarna UK’ s people.
She said:“ It’ s an absolute team effort. People work so hard to deliver what we deliver as a business. We got two awards last year and we’ ve got two this year, which is wonderful.“ It’ s all about cooperation – our people really support each other. We get new people coming in and they always say it’ s been so nice to be welcomed and helped when they needed something or have questions. It’ s from that‘ day one’ experience that lets people understand what our culture is like.”
Saying the firm was“ thrilled and proud” to win the Company of the Year trophy, she said it was partly down to how Husqvarna rose to various challenges it’ s faced in recent years.
Those challenges included switching from making Flymo hover mowers to“ vastly more complex” robotic mowers, coming through Covid, constantly industrialising new, innovative products and developing new manufacturing methods.
She added:“ We develop our people to be the best they can be and we care for, and support, each other, providing the best possible foundation for great teamwork. In doing so, we have overcome all of these challenges.”
And with new products always being developed, she was confident the Husqvarna UK team would keep rising to the challenge.
She said:“ A lot of our success is down to recruiting the right people in the first place – bringing people in with a similar sort of mindset to the others in the business.
“ We often ask people to demonstrate, for example, a caring thing they’ ve done or an example of where they’ ve supported somebody or gone above and beyond to help colleagues.
“ That’ s the type of thing we look for – it’ s not always about skills. Skills can be trained – you can give people experience and training but it’ s about having the right attitude too.”
PREVIOUS WINNERS 2024: SENSTRONICS 2022: 3M 2018: STILLER WAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTION 2016: PWS 2015: FINLEY STRUCTURES 2014: TEKMAR ENERGY
Contego is a dynamic, forward-thinking business that has grown from a small local company into a national leader in pest control, all while remaining deeply committed to its community.
Since 2023, Contego has expanded significantly, growing its workforce by more than 30 team members, securing large-scale national contracts and launching innovative services, including an internally built customer portal.
Contego’ s dedication to social responsibility is evident through initiatives such as the Contego Challenge, raising funds for local charities, and its commitment to sustainability, staff wellbeing and local recruitment.
The company also celebrates its employees through the Contego Hero Awards, recognising their hard work and achievements.
BTS FACADES & FABRICATIONS
BTS Faces and Fabrications moved from its rented unit in Spennymoor to its stateof-the-art facility on Aycliffe Business Park in 2012 after the owners pooled their pensions to buy Unit 1, Central Park.
Turnover has grown from £ 7.5m to £ 10.4m in the last three years, with its workforce increasing from 40 to 56.
From their sustainability credentials, stakeholder representation and community work to their investments into automation and innovation, the team coin themselves as forward-thinking manufacturers.
BTS won the sustainable / ethical manufacturer accolade at the Made in the North East Awards
22 | Aycliffe Business