23 March 2017
Old Woking firm nominated in Toast of Surrey Awards
The Toast of Surrey Business Awards seeks to honour local businesses that have striven for success throughout the years, and reward their efforts with one of the area’s most prestigious accolades.
The awards, sponsored by the Surrey Advertiser, will be presented at Mercedes-Benz World in Weybridge on June 28, with 13 categories this year including International Trade, Contribution to the Community and Retail Business of the Year.
The introduction of some fresh, new categories has seen a large number of businesses apply this year, one of whom is Old Woking-based, family business Harvey Water Softeners, which has put its managing director forward for the Director of the Year award.
Harvey Water Softeners is Europe’s largest water softener manufacturer, building and designing thousands of machines every year. The company has been based in Woking for 40 years and grown into one of its largest employers, with almost 200 staff now working at its headquarters, where the world-famous Kenwood brand began life half a century earlier.
Behind any established business is a team that is the linchpin to its success, and at the centre of Harvey Water Softeners is managing director Martin Hurworth. He joined the team four years ago and brought with him 20 years’ experience in the engineering industry.
Under his guidance, the company has been steered in new directions and the introduction of his modernisation programme has seen Martin, in his own words, put ‘the head and heart in their rightful places’. Last year also saw Martin appointed as the family firm’s external leader and he has made huge strides in this area.
The Director of the Year category at the Toast of Surrey Business Awards looks at the individual achievements of the entrepreneur behind a business and Martin hopes he will walk away with an award on the night.
Martin said: “Family businesses are full of passion and emotion – that’s what makes them such interesting places to work. Harvey’s was no different when I came on board. However, if you’re not careful, that passion can interfere with the business side of things, where numbers and figures need to be king. My job has been to swap emotion with data throughout the business.”
Martin outlined the programmes he has introduced since joining Harvey’s, adding: “I had to develop myself as a leader, too, realising we needed to bring in a culture of coaching. I’m pleased to say all of our managers are now trained as coaches and we now have the right people in the right seats, which allow a more supportive and focused environment for our people. I’ve helped everyone here to set our company goals and then work towards them every day.”
With a 10% increase in turnover on the previous year and an increase of 60% in three years, the company has posted record growth since the Brexit vote last summer and its rise is forecast to continue, helping to put Woking on the map.
Taking part in the Toast of Surrey Business Awards, with the managing director in with a chance of walking away with an accolade, is set to add yet more strings to the company’s bow.
For more information on the awards please contact Katy Hedge at event organisers Champions (UK) plc by emailing [email protected] or call 08453 31 30 31.
Award categories
As with previous years, awards are up for grabs in a number of categories, but new for 2017 they have been given a re-vamp to allow and encourage more businesses to get involved. There are now 13 awards:
- Company of the Year
- SME Business of the Year
- New Business of the Year
- Director of the Year
- Services Award
- Sales and Marketing Award
- Excellence in Manufacturing Award
- Excellence in Science & Technology Award
- Retail Business of the Year
- Creative Communications & Digital Business of the Year
- International Trade Award
- Contribution to the Community
- Not-For-Profit Organisation Award
