FEATURE
Triumphant – Fleet Factors were winners of the inaugural Tees Business Awards .
AWARDS BUZZ
Inaugural event makes its mark
A
notable “ hat-trick ” for Middlesbrough FC , a poignant ‘ double ’ for Ken and Catherine Devereux , top prize for a family-run business and a rousing speech by Mackenzie Thorpe produced a night of tension , excitement and high emotion at the first Tees Business Awards .
Hardwick Hall ’ s Coleman Suite was a fittingly impressive venue for the event , organised by Tees Business – the team behind This Is Tees Valley – in association with headline sponsor PD Ports , and launched to celebrate the very best performers on the Tees business scene .
Around 380 people saw the coveted Tees Business of the Year trophy – dramatically carried into the room under the spotlight by PD Ports ’ Kirsten Donkin – go to Fleet Factors .
Founded in Teesside nearly 50 years ago and still managed by the same family , Fleet Factors is one of the UK ’ s largest independent wholesalers for vehicle parts , refinish products and PPE .
The company is based on Wallis Road , Middlesbrough , but has a Teesside depot on Portrack Lane , Stockton , 27 UK depots and more than 200 managed sites nationwide .
And according to finance director Katrina McManus and sales director James McCulloch , who picked up the impressive trophy , it was a huge honour to be the inaugural winners .
James said : “ The atmosphere has been electric – fantastic . Everyone has been
superb , every business has appreciated everyone ’ s skill sets and for us to take the top award is absolutely superb – beyond belief .”
Katrina added : “ We were established in Teesside in 1975 – it ’ s our home so it ’ s a massive thing for us . We ’ re known nationally now , but our home is Teesside .”
There was emotion , too , after a brace of awards went to members of the Devereux family , whose haulage business has been a mainstay across Teesside for decades .
Ken Devereux won the Lifetime Achievement award , while his daughterin-law Catherine won the Making A Difference title for the work done by the suicide prevention and support charity she set up , The Russ Devereux Headlight
Winners – 12 trophies were handed out at a glitzy ceremony to mark the inaugural Tees Business Awards .
Project – named after her late husband , and Ken ’ s son , who took his own life in 2018 .
Cath said of the award : “ We ’ re working for the people of Teesside to save lives . We have the highest number of suicides in our area and that needs to change .
“ What drives me on every day is Russ . He ’ s the absolute love of my life and there isn ’ t a minute that goes by that I don ’ t miss him . But I also want people to have somewhere to go , a place that understands if it happens to them .”
And the night after Boro scored three to clinch a play-off place , the club ’ s off-field activities bagged it a hat-trick of titles : Community Champions , the Diversity Award and Unsung Hero for MFC Foundation health coordinator Paul South .
There are a range of sponsorship opportunities for businesses who want to get involved with the Tees Business Awards . Find out more at teesbusiness . co . uk / teesbizawards – or call 01642 450255 .
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