WINNER : COCOON & BAUER
Sponsored by Punch Robson Solicitors
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
WINNER : COCOON & BAUER
Interior design specialist Cocoon & Bauer says teamwork is key to its success .
Established in 2017 by Peter Turner and with a high level of female involvement , individuals and major firms alike owe the smart looks for their homes and premises to the Yarm-based company .
But according to interior designer Casey Hall , the firm owes much of its success to its team spirit .
Proudly clutching the award for Business of the Year , Casey told Tees Business : “ We all work well together and support each other . Peter ( Turner ) is the MD and he ’ s amazing and he teaches us so much .
“ We didn ’ t expect this – we thought it would be amazing if we did win but we didn ’ t expect anything . It ’ s very exciting and I ’ m really proud of the team and all of us women !
“ Design is subjective – people have different tastes , which keeps it exciting .
“ But all our clients are amazing and we work across such a broad subject – hospitality , residential , commercial . And we couldn ’ t ask for a better team .”
Casey , who was joined on stage by several female colleagues to pick up the award , said it had been “ an amazing night ”.
She added : “ It ’ s really nice to support other women in business and for them to support us – we ’ re very proud .”
And as for Cocoon & Bauer ’ s future ? “ We ’ ll just keep expanding and taking jobs on that are not just in the local area , bigger jobs too . I ’ m not going to say better because every job is good in its own right – but we ’ ll keep going , keep doing really well and keep working really hard .
“ But this just shows that if you work hard , you can achieve anything – I really believe that .”
Winners by design – Casey Hall , right , of Business of the Year winners Cocoon & Bauer , was presented with the trophy by Elaine McLaine-Wood of category sponsor Punch Robson Solicitors .
FINALIST : FINALIST :
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS
Based in Middlesbrough and with a regional office in the North-West , Industrial Technology Systems ( ITS ) is a female-inspired business that has achieved exceptional success .
With a global reach across five continents and operations in more than 24 countries , ITS specialises in independent automation systems integration . It has seen significant growth in turnover , with sales rising by over £ 1m in the past 12 months .
The company is committed to diversity and 40 per cent of the workforce are female , with many in key leadership positions . Those female employees have made significant contributions to the company ’ s success and serve as role models within ITS , a company that actively supports local good causes and organisations such as Teesside Hospice and CEO Sleepout .
EDEN TRAINING ACADEMY
Eden Training Academy is a vocational training and development provider that , by specialising in maths , English and employability skills , is dedicated to raising standards and promoting opportunities for people to transform their lives and create a stronger workforce .
Based on Belasis Business Park in Billingham , it ’ s the brainchild of its Billingham-born MD Dawn Skerritt , whose dream was to make a tangible difference to her local area by offering relevant and meaningful quality training to all .
In 2017 , she achieved that dream when she established Eden Training Academy . Twelve of the 16 current staff are female , with a projected turnover for next year of £ 1.72m – an increase of £ 230,000 – and three more staff due to employed .
SPONSOR ’ S MESSAGE
Elaine McLaine-Wood , managing partner , Punch Robson Solicitors , said : “ The Tees Businesswomen Awards continue to grow and we ’ re very proud to have been involved from the very start . It ’ s great to see the new names and faces coming through every year and the awards night is always a fantastic evening . Congratulations to all the shortlists and the winners .”