Fire and security systems specialist company from Gloucester named ‘Best UK Family Business, Southern England and Wales Region, £1-5m turnover category’
Allcooper Limited from Gloucester, has been named ‘Best UK Family Business, Southern England and Wales Region’, in the £1-5m turnover category of the Coutts Prize for Family Business 2008/9. The company will now go on to compete in the £1-5m category at the national finals to be held in central London on 23rd June 2009.
Allcooper’s are leaders in the fire & security industry, providing installation and maintenance services for their customers. The types of systems include, fire systems, intruder alarms, CCTV cameras, access control and physical security solutions. Based out of Gloucestershire, the company employs 62 full time staff and operates across the UK, servicing domestic and commercial clients and corporations, including a number of government departments.
Ian Marsh, Mediator and Founder, familydr Limited and Regional Chairman of the evaluation committee commented:
"As a successful second generation family business, the things that impressed the evaluation committee about Allcooper Limited included;
Juliette Johnson, Senior Family Business Adviser, Coutts & Co added "We're delighted to provide recognition to this special family business and showcase their achievements for the benefit of other family businesses. What really shines through is the strength of the family's values. These influence how and why things get done and act as the glue binding the family and business together. These strong values, coupled with their conservative approach and long term planning, should give them the best possible chance to weather this current economic downturn."
With the current economic downturn, businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to survive, which therefore increases the value of recognising these family businesses and their work. The companies that scored most highly were the ones that were able to give examples of what they had achieved.
Mark Evans, Head of Family Business, Coutts & Co, commented: "Success factors that can help family businesses adapt to the current economic downturn are at the heart of the fourth Coutts Prize for Family Business. It will be equally important to take active steps to manage the family as well as the business to survive the current recession."
The Coutts Prize for Family Business recognises the best run family businesses in England and Wales, and is the only regional and national awards programme in England and Wales celebrating the overall best performing small, medium-sized and large family businesses. The Prize, compliments Coutts successful Forum for Family Business Owners that is held throughout the UK.
The Coutts Prize recognises firms in three categories (£1m-5m, £5m-£25m, £25m+) that demonstrate a combination of high standards of family governance and corporate governance, a competitive market position, consistent financial growth, and a track record of charitable giving or involvement in local community. Entrants must be companies or firms where two or more family members together have control of over 25% of the voting shares and consider themselves as a family business.
More specifically, the independent evaluation committee was looking for examples of best practice including;
The independent evaluation committee is overseen by Roger Pedder, former Chairman, between 1993 and 2006, of C&J Clark Ltd (Clark Shoes), one of the UK's largest private family companies. It was established in 1825 and is in its sixth generation. Clarks is the leading shoe retailer and brand in the UK and has significant positions in North American, European and Far Eastern markets. Roger remains Chairman or Non-Executive Director of several private family and private equity backed companies and runs his own company, Fullzone Limited
The evaluation committee for the Southern England & Wales region includes: Ian Marsh, Mediator and Founder, familydr Limited; Will Ashworth, Managing Director, The Hotel and Extreme Academy Limited, Watergate Bay; Tony Bogod, Director, Cresco Limited; Edward Nicholson, Managing Partner, Mercator Partnership Limited; David Frost, Director General, British Chamber of Commerce; Dr Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Senior Lecturer, Entrepreneurship Henley Business School, University of Reading; Danny Jatania, Director Lornamead Limited and Amanda Tincknell, Chief Executive, The Cranfield Trust.
Renowned cartoonist, Robert Duncan, will create a unique cartoon for each of the winners, to tell their own story. The cartoons are framed by second generation family business John Jones. Silver plaques are made by third generation family business, Piccadilly Jewellers of Birmingham.
Coutts Prize for Family Business, Southern England & Wales Region Winners
Coutts Prize for Family Business, Northern England and the Midlands Winners
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Turnover £1-5m |
Turnover £5-25m |
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Allcooper Limited |
Norbar Torque Tools Limited |
For further media information on Coutts contact:
Jo Thorne, Regional PR Manager, Coutts & Co on 0207 957 2650 or mobile 0776 6070 859 or e-mail joanna.thorne@coutts.com
Notes to Editors
