Quadruple winner at fourth Wakefield Business Awards
More than three hundred people got their glad rags on at Tileyard North last night (Thursday) to celebrate the fourth Wakefield Business Awards. There was one clear winner from the 45 finalists on the night, with Castleford-based Solupak scooping four trophies.
Two of the wins were for people on its team – managing director Helen McDonald was awarded business leader of the year, and temporary production operative-turned packing supervisor and sustainability and quality lead, Luke Laycock, won the rising star category for under 30s. The other two awards were for team of the year, and micro or small business of the year.
Solupak’s wins are testament to the growth of the business, which supplies sustainable cleaning products formulated and manufactured in Castleford to 17 countries worldwide. It manufactures 12 million water-soluble sachets each year, removing the need to transport heavy, bulky water and reducing single use plastic, with the resulting environmental savings. The company counts Greggs, John Lewis, Calvin Klein and BrewDog among its clients.
Helen McDonald, Solupak’s managing director, said: “We are shocked to have won four of the five awards we were finalists for, but the achievement is testament to the whole team and the work we’ve put in this year.
“We are a small team of just 21 people, but our results are mighty. We’ve increased turnover 25% since 2023 and entered the consumer market for the first time in 2024.
“Importantly for the way we run the business, we have achieved Disability Confident Level 2 certification and were placed in the top 7% of global businesses during our Ecovadis Silver sustainability certification.
“I’m delighted to be leading such an incredible team and really grateful to every one of them for their commitment and hard work.”
Hosted by local radio personality, David “Dixie” Dixon, the ceremony celebrated winners in 13 categories. Other award winners include Thurston Group, which won medium/large business of the year, Chris Whittam Photography, who won micro/small business of year, and Wakefield BID, which won the charity/not-for-profit category and received a donation from money raised on the night.
Established in 2022 to celebrate the stories of businesses across the Wakefield district, the Wakefield Business Awards have grown to become a staple in the business community’s calendar.
Awards founder and managing director of We Are Wakefield, Claire Sutherley, commented: “It’s been another brilliant night celebrating the exceptional businesses we have in the Wakefield district. From the smallest ones, often run from people’s spare rooms or by just one person, to some of the largest in the area, they all had amazing stories to tell. And every one of them makes an important contribution to our local economy.
“The Wakefield Business Awards provide a platform for all finalists to tell their stories and shine a light on the exceptional resilience and creativity of businesses throughout Wakefield and the Five Towns.”
With 21 judges drawn from organisations across Yorkshire, each entry is scored three times by separate judges, with the winner given to the highest-scoring entry. Highly commended prizes were given out when scores were tight at the top, with seven being awarded on the night.
Co-founder of the awards, chair of the judges, and managing director of Wakefield-based awards specialists Awards Writers, Louise Turner, said: “We’re seeing increasing quality in the entries we receive, with the Wakefield business community really embracing the awards as an opportunity to showcase their amazing achievements.
“In a tough economic climate, it’s incredible to be able to read so many success stories, and even better to see the celebrations when winners are announced on the night!”
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