Friday, March 29, 2024

SureScreen Diagnostics named Derbyshire Business of the Year

SureScreen Diagnostics, which has supplied millions of Covid-19 lateral flow tests to British people during the pandemic, has been crowned the Derbyshire Business of the Year by East Midlands Chamber.

The Derby-based company picked up four awards in total at the Derbyshire Business Awards on Friday 12 November, also including Excellence in International Trade, Excellence in Innovation and the Outstanding Growth Award.

It has grown from a workforce of 50 employees to 450 over the past 18 months as it has scaled up production of its rapid antigen tests, which diagnose whether an individual has Covid-19 with 98% accuracy.

These have been shipped to about 40 countries and the UK Government ordered 22 million units, while antibody tests have also been supplied to 53 countries – leading to SureScreen planning to build extra manufacturing capacity that could create another 1,000 jobs in future.

The Derbyshire Business Awards, held in partnership with headline sponsor Mazars, recognised winners across 13 categories, ranging from Business Improvement Through Technology and Environmental Impact Award within an organisation to individual honours for Entrepreneur of the Year and Apprentice of the Year. There were new categories this year for Collaboration Project of the Year and Excellence in Innovation.

Finalists, chosen by a judging panel of the Chamber’s senior leadership and board of directors, as well as sponsors, discovered their fate during a gala dinner attended by 350 people at Derbyshire County Cricket Club – marking a return for face-to-face celebrations after being held virtually last year.

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “There has been so much to celebrate within our business community despite a challenging 18 months and these awards have showcased some of the incredible companies that call our region home.

“As the economic recovery continues, and new opportunities present themselves in a new era of global trade and sustainable business, these are just the kinds of organisations we should be highlighting when we’re shouting about everything the East Midlands has to offer. We know it’s a great place to do business and these are living proof.

“We received so many high-calibre applications, which demonstrated how the pandemic hasn’t been a period in which we have just stood still. Instead, the time afforded for reflection has led to many companies seeking out new opportunities, innovating and driving themselves forward.

“While last year offered us a different kind of experience in a virtual awards ceremony, it was great to be back holding such a landmark event for the Derbyshire business calendar in person once more. Once again, we are so thankful to our sponsors for making this event so successful.”

The Derbyshire Business Awards – one of three awards hosted by the Chamber, with others in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to follow – were hosted by British-Gambian broadcast journalist Haddy Ndure and featured entertainment by Turner and McHugh, a female duo who joined forces after featuring on BBC singing competition The Voice.

A raffle was held to raise funds for East Midlands Chamber president Eileen Richards MBE’s three chosen charities this year – Chesterfield Samaritans, Help the Homeless Leicester and Nottinghamshire Hospice.

Eileen, who owns Leicester-based ER Recruitment, gave a speech in which she highlighted the national importance of the new Museum of Making, regeneration projects like the Becketwell scheme currently underway, and the potential impacts of Derby being selected as a UK Capital of Culture for 2025 and the home of Great British Railways.

Commenting on the awards, she added: “During my year as president, I’ve been privileged to witness some of the amazing success stories that don’t always receive the wider recognition they ought to, so I’m thrilled to see some of these come to the fore at the Chamber’s Business Awards.

“The Derbyshire Business Awards has shone the spotlight on some well-deserving winners but I’d also like to congratulate the finalists for their outstanding entries too as we had some really strong competition across many categories this year.

“SureScreen Diagnostics is a very worthy winner of the Derbyshire Business of the Year and I’ve been in awe of the growth it has experienced over the past 18 months while also playing a pivotal role in the fight against Covid-19 both in the UK and overseas.”

Winners of Derbyshire Business Awards

 

Business Improvement Through Technology – Sponsored by Purpose Media

Winner

Futures Housing Group

 

Finalists

Healthy Stuff

Penny Hydraulics

Scenariio

Thompson Tree Services Midlands

 

Community Impact Award – Sponsored by University of Derby

Winner

Fortem Solutions

 

Finalists

Griffith Foods

Liniar

MVIS

Resilient World Solutions

 

Outstanding Growth Award – Sponsored by Amazon

Winner

SureScreen Diagnostics

 

Finalists

Fibre Tec Solutions

Professional Heating Solutions

Project D

Sky Recruitment Solutions

 

Environmental Impact Award – Sponsored by Futures Housing Group

Winner

Derby City Council – DE-Carbonise Project

 

Finalists

Devtank

Griffith Foods

Liniar

MVIS

 

Commitment to People Development Award – Sponsored by 2020 Training

Winner

Peak Indicators

 

Finalists

AIM Commercial Services

Aztec Oils

Nelsons

Purpose Media

 

Apprentice of the Year – Sponsored by Derby College Group

Winner

Lisa Scarboro – Futures Housing Group

 

Finalists

Keenan Gregory – Futures Housing Group

Amelia Burton – Griffith Foods

Mia Cooper – Joined Up Careers Derbyshire

Tom Sharratt – Neuways

 

Entrepreneur of the Year – Sponsored by Ryley Wealth Management

Winner

Max Vaughan – White Peak Distillery

 

Finalists

William Crooks – Cawarden

Adam Bamford – Colleague Box

Peter Ellse – Cosy Direct

Jillian Thomas – Future Life Wealth Management

 

Education and Business Partnership Award – Sponsored by RDS Global

Winner

Dronfield Heritage Trust

 

Finalists

Access Training (East Midlands)

Derby College Group

Embark Federation

REAL Education

 

Excellence in Customer Service – Sponsored by Aston Lark

Winner

UK Asbestos Training Association

 

Finalists

Anoki

MaryJanes Catering

Purpose Media

The Accountancy Recruitment Group

UK Asbestos Training Association

 

Excellence in International Trade – Sponsored by HSBC

Winner

SureScreen Diagnostics

 

Finalists

Atlas Copco Medical

Aztec Oils

Cathelco

Graphoidal Developments

 

Small Business of the Year – Sponsored by Begbies Traynor

Winner

Project D

 

Finalists

Peak Indicators

The Input Group

Think3

Thompson Tree Services Midlands

 

Excellence in Innovation – Sponsored by Rolls-Royce

Winner

SureScreen Diagnostics

 

Finalists

HSG

Liniar

Scenariio

 

Excellence in Collaboration – Sponsored by HSBC

Winner

Derby Market Place

 

Finalists

Derbyshire Voluntary Action

Penguin PR with Colleague Box and Vibrant Accountancy

Safe and Sound

The Swap Shop

 

Business of the Year – Sponsored by Mazars

SureScreen Diagnostics

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our news site - please take a moment to read this important message:

As you know, our aim is to bring you, the reader, an editorially led news site and magazine but journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them.

With the Covid-19 pandemic having a major impact on our industry as a whole, the advertising revenues we normally receive, which helps us cover the cost of our journalists and this website, have been drastically affected.

As such we need your help. If you can support our news sites/magazines with either a small donation of even £1, or a subscription to our magazine, which costs just £33.60 per year, (inc p&P and mailed direct to your door) your generosity will help us weather the storm and continue in our quest to deliver quality journalism.

As a subscriber, you will have unlimited access to our web site and magazine. You'll also be offered VIP invitations to our events, preferential rates to all our awards and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Just click here to subscribe and in the meantime may I wish you the very best.









Latest news

Related news

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close