Leicester company wins Coutts prize for family business

Automotive parts company ‘Swann Systems’ named ‘Best UK Family Business, Northern England Region, £1-5m turnover category’

Automotive parts company, Swann Systems based in Leicester, was last night named ‘Best UK Family Business, Northern England Region’, in the £1-5m turnover category of the Coutts Prize for Family Business. The business will now go on to compete in the £1-5m category, at the national finals to be held in London on 6 June.

The Coutts Prize for Family Business recognises the best run family businesses in England and Wales, and compliments Coutts successful Family Business Forum that is held throughout the UK. Mark Evans, Head of Family Business, Coutts & Co, commented: “With a 300 year history of working with family businesses, Coutts has a special understanding of the enormous contribution family firms make to both the economy and society, as well as the specific challenges they face.

“Now in its second year the Coutts Prize for Family Business is only regional and national awards programme in England and Wales celebrating the overall best performing small, medium-sized and large family businesses. The interview process acts as a company health check.”

Established in Leicester in 1968, Swann Systems is a company with two divisions, Auto-Trim Systems (ATS) and Capital Seating and Vision (CSV), each with a varied portfolio of products and services for the automotive, motorsport and industrial industries. With a range of products including in-car multimedia systems, specialist seat modifications for disabled clients and vision equipment, Swann Systems now has an annual turnover of £1.4 million. 

John Freeman, regional chairman of the evaluation committee commented: “The things that impressed the evaluation committee about Swann Systems included:

·The sheer passion and excitement for the business conveyed by the nomination combined with continuous product development and the adoption of modern management techniques;

·the importance given to good corporate governance and management practice from separate family and business meetings to staff appraisals to product innovation;

·the openness and determination in successfully resolving difficult family situations; and

·the very special attention paid to providing for disabled customers and the investment of time as well as money in supporting a range of different charities.

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 and consistent financial growth, and a track record of charitable giving or involvement in the 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;

·ethical standards reflecting family values;

·effective planning for succession of top family management and non-family members;

·a means of returning wealth to shareholders; and

·a track record of innovation in products, services, technology and ways of doing business.

The independent evaluation committee is overseen by John Freeman, founder and Partner of Business Analytics, a management consultancy. John has extensive experience as a consultant to family and non-family businesses, and is a member of the Family Firm Institute.

The evaluation committee for the Northern England region includes: Lucy Armstrong, Chief Executive, The Alchemists (Northern) Ltd; Simon Berry, Managing Director and Chairman, English Lakes Hotels; John Josephs, Trustee and Treasurer, Tyne & Weir and Northumberland Community Foundation Network; David Molian, CREDO Co-Director, Cranfield School of Management; Barry Owen, Chairman, Mason Owen and Tim Watts, Chairman, Pertemps Ltd.

Winners were given a unique family business cartoon sketch, created by renowned cartoonist, Robert Duncan, depicting some of the more light-hearted moments of running a family business, and framed by acclaimed family business and jewellery designers, Boodles. Robert Duncan, will also create a unique cartoon for each of the winners, to tell their own story.

Coutts Prize for Family Business, Northern England Region
Nominations and winners

Turnover £1-5m

Turnover £5-25m

Turnover £25m+

Brainboxes

A W Lymn*

Pindar

Dovehaven Care Homes

Alpha Health Care

The Kerfoot Group Limited

Halsbury Travel

Alpha Hospitals

Meteor Group*

Horobin Limited

Broadgate Homes Limited

The Cains Beer Company

Plas Newton Estates Limited

Burbidge & Son Limited

Surepak

D R Group

Swann Systems*

Erodex

Radford Jewellery

Tanners Wines Merchants

San Carlo Restaurants

*Winners.

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

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