Businesses from across Powys have gathered for the launch of the county’s premier business awards.
The annual Powys Business Awards, which began in 2009, were launched at the office site of the Newtown bypass, with sponsors and past finalists attending the event.
Cllr Martin Weale, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, said: “The Powys Business Awards go have gone from strength to strength since they were launched and I’m delighted that Powys County Council continues to support them.
“Not only do these awards provide an excellent opportunity for the county’s businesses to raise their profiles, it gives us the chance to showcase their quality.
“The Powys Business Awards are now an important date in the business calendar and I would urge all businesses in the county to enter this year’s awards. They are an excellent way of highlighting the range and expertise of the county’s businesses and also they celebrate their success.”
This year sees a range of new categories added including recognition for environmental and quality excellence. The awards are an opportunity for all businesses, social enterprises and charities in Powys to compete for a chance to be a finalist no matter if they are large or small or if they are a new start-up or an existing business.
At the launch, organisers Mid Wales Manufacturing Group and Powys County Council announced the confirmed list of categories and sponsors for this year’s business awards.
Nick Cleary, Project Manager for Griffiths, gave guests an update on the progress being made on Newtown bypass and some of the local benefits the project had brought to the region.
Guests were also treated to the hospitality services provided by the Catering and Hospitality Department of NPTC. 
Ceri Stephens, Group Manager for Mid Wales Manufacturing Group, said: “The Powys Business Awards provides a fantastic platform for businesses to raise their profile. Those who enter the awards are independently judged on their excellent standards.
“The awards also provides a public forum where finalists can gather in the presence of other business leaders and their peers to celebrate their success on the night.
“Winners on the night will also benefit from local publicity as the awards are covered by local and regional newspapers and broadcasters. Everyone who reaches the finals also has the added bonus of having a free professionally made short film about their business which can be added to their website or otherwise used in their publicity.”
Application forms are now available for the 2017 Powys Business Awards, which will culminate in a black-tie dinner this year bring held in The Hafren, Newtown on Friday, October 6.
The categories for the 2017 Powys Business Awards are:
• Start-up Business Award sponsored by The County Times
• Outstanding Apprentice Award sponsored by FSB
• Entrepreneurship Award
• Growth Award sponsored by Finance Wales
• Excellence in Quality Management Award sponsored by Myrick Training International Trade Award sponsored by Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors
• Small Business (Under 30 Employees) Award sponsored by NPTC Group
• Social Enterprise/ Charity Award sponsored by Mid Wales Housing Association Ltd Excellence in Environmental Management Award sponsored by Griffiths
• Micro Business (Under 10 Employees) Award sponsored by The Cambrian News & Brecon & Radnor Express
In addition to the above awards, the Judging Panel have a discretionary award called the Judges Award which is made each year to recognise some outstanding achievement or person that has come to the judge’s attention during their visits and which the strict criteria for the other awards does not recognise sponsored by Mid Wales Manufacturing Group
Secondly from the category winners the overall award for Powys Business Awards, the Business of the Year, is sponsored by Powys County Council.
Further details on all the awards can be found on the website www.powysbusinessawards.co.uk and deadline for submission of entries is Sunday, July 10, 2017.
Photo: Cllr Dai Davies, Chairman of Powys County Council, tests out the vehicle system simulator that was at launch of the 2017 Powys Business Awards. Also pictured are Ceri Stephens from MWMG and Nick Jones from Myrick Training.
Photo: At the launch of the 2017 Powys Business Awards were the competition sponsors (back row, left to right) Nick Jones from Myrick Training; Gaynor Morris from Finance Wales; Nick Cleary from Griffiths; Cllr Martin Weale, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning; Emma Wilde from Lanyon Bowdler; (front row, left to right) Peter Swanson from Mid Wales Housing Association; Ceri Stephens from MWMG; Cllr Dai Davies, Chairman of Powys County Council; Nicola Thornton-Scott from NPTC and Pauline Johnson from FSB.
