Local Business Accelerators: The winners (From Worcester News)

Local Business Accelerators: The winners

2:21pm Tuesday 10th January 2012 in Biz By Mike Pryce

AFTER many hours agonising over a list of high-quality candidates, judges have finally chosen the three successful companies in the Worcester News Local Business Accelerators competition. Launched last autumn, the Newspaper Society-backed initiative aimed at boosting emerging local enterprises, proved highly popular and attracted a raft of potential winners.

“PIcking three from all the talent and ideas before us was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make,” said Worcester News editor Peter John, one of the judging panel. “There were so many entries with very strong cases.”

Eventually the top three were named as: The Holywell Water Co. Ltd of Holywell Road, Malvern Wells; M30H Services Ltd of The Deer Park, Eckington, near Pershore and CM Engineering of Belle Vue Terrace, Malvern.

As part of their prize, each will receive specialist mentoring from experts at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, with free advice on how to grow their businesses and free membership of the chamber. They will also have a substantial allocation of free advertising space in the Worcester News and an initial free business health check from leading regional law firm Harrison Clark, which is based in Worcester. In addition, one of the three will later be chosen to go forward to the Midland regional final of the LBA competition, with the chance of advancing to the national finals, where the ultimate prize is individual mentoring from Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden, who will become the winning firm’s consultant and mentor for a year.

As well as Mr John, the Worcester News LBA judging panel comprised H-W Chamber chief executive Mike Ashton, David Green, vice chancellor of the University of Worcester and Robert Capper, head of the commercial department of Harrison Clark .

Holywell Water Company

The success of The Holywell Water Co Ltd brings back into focus one of the area’s best known products. The Holywell Spring on the eastern side of the Malvern Hills, not to be confused with the later plant at Colwall, is the original source of Malvern Water and the company was founded by father and son Michael and Rhys Humm in 2009 to produce spring water from its original site. Last year it won the most promising newcomer business category in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

“We are absolutely delighted, thrilled and very excited to have been chosen in the top three of the Worcester News LBA competition,” said Rhys Humm. “We had set ourselves various business objectives for 2012 and now this could well lead to them being turned into reality. As it was an integral part of Malvern’s Victorian Water cure, we have revitalised the product with the dining table firmly in mind. We bottle only in glass, never plastic, thus reflecting the quality of this world famous water.”

In its report, the judging panel said: “Malvern Water is one of the iconic products of the Worcestershire-Herefordshire area and this is a bold and exciting venture to restore it to the forefront of the bottled water market, which these days is highly competitive.”

CM Engineering

CM Engineering was set up in 2008 by Colin Morris. who has been in the logistics business for more than 35 years as an engineer and LGV driver. His experience has led to him inventing a quick fit air line replacement system for articulated lorries, which he has called The Bessie.

“I am very pleased indeed to have been chosen as one of the three winners of the Worcester News LBA competition,” he said. “I hope this will give the impetus to really push this product across the transport market. I am also very proud that this is an all British product, designed and manufactured in the Midlands.”

Mr Morris first had the idea for the spannerless air line replacement three years ago. It means a lorry driver can change a damaged air line himself without needing to call out a specialist fitter.

In its report, the judging panel said: “The simple ideas are often the best and this has the potential to revolutionise sections of the haulage industry by reducing delays and cutting costs. The basics behind The Bessie have been tried before, but Mr Morris has had the ingenuity, determination and business acumen to see his idea from an initial invention through a maze of legal requirements to fruition.”

M3OH Services

M3OH Services Limited was set up in 2009 by Dr Steve McVittie, who is medical director, and Dean Mortimer, business development director. Its aim is to prove healthcare to the business world by resolving employees’ health care issues.

“All at M3OH services are delighted to have been successful in the LBA awards,” said Mr Mortimer. “The business support that the LBA award delivers will undoubtedly support M3 in achieving its business ambitions for 2012. We look forward to the opportunity of competing to secure the national award in the next stage of the process.”

M30H, which has nine directly employed staff, offers medical, musculoskeletal and mental health services and saw a six fold growth in the last financial year. It has a client portfolio of 140 client businesses, the largest employing 600,000 people worldwide.

Its bespoke IT system provides online real time access to managers anywhere in the world, so that referrals can uploaded, tracked and managed without having to make time consuming phone calls. It has a physician resource of more than 260 physicians throughout the UK.

The judging panel commented : ”Any system that endeavours to reduce the amount of time lost to the business world through sick leave is to be applauded. The importance is to consider both the needs of the company and the individual and to do the best for both parties. Here in Worcestershire we have a company which is succeeding in doing this on an international scale.”