JOHN ELLIOTT MBE
Aycliffe Business Make Your Mark Awards
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Sponsored by
JOHN ELLIOTT MBE
Aycliffe Business Park board member Paul Hind presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Ebac chairman John Elliott MBE.
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The best thing in work is to see someone fulfil their potential at any level.” The words of Ebac founder John Elliott MBE as he picked up this year’ s Lifetime Achievement prize at the Make Your Mark Awards.
And with the business he set up in the 1970s still going strong, it’ s fair to say John has more than fulfilled his potential – but he’ s not done yet.
Still enthused by the business he began – and despite the past four years being“ the most difficult I’ ve known” – John, 82, says a couple of new Ebac products“ will be massive for the business.”
They include a world-first air source heat pump that goes in the attic rather than in the garden and which, says John confidently,“ will make us a lot bigger than we are now”.
And after receiving a standing ovation from the 250-strong audience in Hardwick Hall’ s Coleman Suite, he gave some straightforward advice to any business:“ You’ ve got to be confident, humble and be able to deal with failure. And never chase money – chase success. If you achieve success, money will chase you.”
PREVIOUS WINNERS 2025: BRIAN CORKER( NC GROUP) 2024: RONNIE NICHOLSON( GESTAMP)
The Aycliffe Business Park Community board chose John as this year’ s winner, following in the footsteps of NC Group’ s Brian Corker last year and 2024 winner Ronnie Nicholson of Gestamp Tallent.
Explaining his loyalty to the North-East, John said:“ It isn’ t perfect – I don’ t have rose coloured glasses, but it’ s where I live, it’ s where the people I care about live and that’ s why it’ s important to me.”
Bemoaning“ useless” banks but praising Ebac’ s teams over the years, John said he didn’ t have a secret to his business longevity, other than hard work.
He added:“ You need a bit of luck too. My daughter does psychological tests of people and when she did me, she said I’ m not driven by winning – I’ m just determined not to lose. There’ s a big difference.”
And as he reflected on the Ebac story, he said:“ We’ ve made lots of money from good products but we’ ve lost money as well. That’ s where you learn – and when things are going well, you keep pushing on, you don’ t relax.
“ Our dehumidifier is the best in the world. Our water coolers are among the best. And in 2020, we developed artificial intelligence controlling the humidifier – six years ago, we were doing that.
“ I’ ve failed at times but I’ ve learned from that. I’ ve been performing well over the last four years because we’ ve had difficulties. But when we get success again – and we will – I’ ve got to be strict enough to be as determined.
“ You’ ve got to understand what people value and what they don’ t value – and understanding customers isn’ t easy. You can do market research but you’ ve got to go to the coalface, you’ ve got to live it. And that’ s what we do.”
Announcing John as this year’ s Lifetime Achievement winner, Aycliffe Business Park member Paul Hind said:“ This is a story of determination in the face of adversity.
“ Of vision, courage and belief. And of a lifelong commitment to making a difference – not just in business, but in the community.”
John’ s award was one of 11 handed out at another tremendously successful Make Your Mark Awards, which were delivered by Resolution Media and Publishing on behalf of Aycliffe Business Park, in association with Husqvarna UK.
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