COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Husqvarna
3M plant manager Paul Hind enjoys a joke on stage with Make Your Mark Awards Husqvarna manufacturing host Charlie Charlton , after his firm was revealed as the 2022 Company of the Year .
director Caraline Robinson presents the Company of the Year award to 3M plant manager Paul Hind .
PEOPLE POWER
Award is for ‘ our team ’ says Company of the Year winner
Immediately after being revealed as Aycliffe Business Park ’ s Company of the Year , plant manager Paul Hind dedicated the award to his team . 3M won the big award at the end of the 2022 Make Your Mark Awards ceremony , held at Redworth Hall in May , pipping BTS Facades and Fabrications and Valhalla North , who had already earlier won awards . “ It ’ s been challenging but we ’ ve come through it together and this is going to mean so much to a lot of people ,” said Paul .
“ I ’ m just a fitter that managed to get a decent job . I ’ m so proud of everyone who works there – it ’ s the people . It doesn ’ t matter about the machines and the building , it ’ s the people .”
Throughout the Covid pandemic , 3M produced over 250m respirators , with the majority going to hospitals all over the world , including in our NHS .
More than 150 additional people were recruited , working 24 / 7 to meet impossible demands . 3M ’ s team worked right through the pandemic , from day one when staff had to carry paperwork as key workers .
“ Normally we produce things for welders , or for people who work in foundries or pharmaceutical ,” added Paul .
“ This time we were helping save the lives of people who were saving other people ’ s lives . That just elevated what we ’ re trying to do .
“ People really put themselves out to do what was right for the NHS . We all clapped on Thursday evenings and did our little bit by staying in , but our guys came to work every single day working long hours – they were amazing .
“ We ’ ve had to say ‘ no ’ to customers – we ’ ve had to take on the NHS and hospitals around the world . There was something really amazing that happened in there and I ’ m extremely proud .
“ This award is well deserved – our guys really need something like this and to get it from your own town is the biggest compliment we could ever get .”
As someone who was brought up in Newton Aycliffe , Paul remains fiercely passionate about his local business park , and has visions of expanding 3M ’ s operations here in the near future .
He explained : “ We are really pushing our company
22 | Aycliffe Business