North-east firms from Banffshire to Royal Deeside are celebrating after being named winners in the 2021 Northern Star Business Awards.
Organised by Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce (AGCC) and now in their 17th year, the gongs recognise companies for their exceptional accomplishments in business areas ranging from energy and innovation to people development, customer service and environmental action.
The awards were due to take place in person at P&J Live but the winners were instead announced virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Motive Offshore Group, of Boyndie, near Banff, followed up its win in the “going global” category last year by being crowned business of the year.
Established in 2010 by James Gregg and Dave Acton, Motive specialises in the manufacture, rental and servicing of high-capacity winches, umbilical testing, and deployment equipment and associated services to the onshore and offshore energy and marine industries.
It now has seven divisions, bases in Kintore, Port of Blyth, United Arab Emirates, the US and Norway; and following multi-million-pound investment in 2019 has executed an ambitious growth strategy aimed at creating a £20 million Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) business by 2025.
Other Northern Star winners include: Grampian Training Services, which has given more than 100,000 primary school children across the region first aid training; Aberdeen Football Club and PR firm The Big Partnership for the #StillStandingFree campaign; and Oldmeldrum-based James Fisher Offshore, which has significantly expanded its team, facilities and capabilities to grow its international operations.
AGCC chief executive Russell Borthwick said: “Through these most challenging of times, there are still good news stories out there – businesses innovating, adapting and doing incredible things among the economic mayhem.
“This year’s awards had a record number of entries and while things didn’t turn out quite as we planned, that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate business success in north-east Scotland.”