North-east firm ITC Hydraulics & Manufacturing has scooped one of the top gongs in the 2020 Business Women Scotland Awards (BWSAs).
It was today named established business of the year, capping a memorable if challenging 12 months for the business after it also triumphed in the “great” small and medium-sized enterprise category of the Offshore Achievement Awards in August.
Co-founder and managing director Tracy Clark has worked hard over the years to see ICT become a beacon in the hugely competitive oil and gas sector.
The company, which recently celebrated its 21st anniversary, employs 25 people across two Aberdeenshire sites in St Katherines – between Fyvie and Oldmeldrum – and Turriff.
Ms Clark launched the firm with her husband, Ian, in 1999, while also raising a young family. It has since developed and grown, working with clients around the world.
ICT’s MD said its latest success reflected “significant business achievements,” adding: “This year has been difficult because of Covid-19.”
The sixth annual BWSAs, which put women-led businesses firmly in the spotlight, went virtual for the first time. Attendees logged onto a private YouTube channel to watch the live event.
Hayley Wiles, of Angus-based WeeCOOK was the overall winner among entrepreneurial successes spanning the engineering, property, food, design and third sectors.
Sarra Bejaoui of SmartPA in Edinburgh was named businesswoman of the year and Susie Fraser of Glasgow’s Adeo Group took the inspirational woman of the year title.
Claire Murray of Edinburgh-based Emotion Works came away with the social impact of the year award.
Guest speaker was Lara Morgan, an entrepreneur who founded her first business, Pacific Direct, at the age of 23 and went on to sell her majority share in the specialist global supplier of luxury high-end brands for five-star hotels 17 years later for £20 million.
Business Women Scotland founder Lynne Kennedy said: “This year we have all faced the challenges of living with a world pandemic.
“Recent statistics have reported that women-led businesses were impacted more adversely than those of men, seeing their businesses experiencing lower trading volume.
“In this year’s awards, we have paid tribute to the incredible achievements of our shortlist of established and rising stars.
“Every single one of the finalists is an inspiration and a role model – not only to their peers within the sector but also to the next generation who are considering starting a business. We need to encourage now, more than ever, our future generation.”