We launch the 2018 Cotswold Life Engineering, Manufacturing and Innovation Awards
Nominate your companies and your people here.
The phenomenal success of the EMI Awards over the past three years is down to you - the brilliant Cotswolds businesses who have deservedly won these coveted trophies, along with our generous sponsors and expert judges.
We’re very much looking forward to celebrating your glittering successes with you again this year at Cheltenham Racecourse.
The awards programme is now open, and entrants can register and nominate across the categories via the website emiawards.cotswoldlife.co.uk
From excellence in sustainable manufacturing to groundbreaking educational partnerships that make a real difference, outstanding leadership to mind-blowing technological advances and groundbreaking research and development projects, there are categories to inspire and reward.
This year, in response to feedback from our sponsors and judges, we have altered and added to our manufacturing categories.
We now have three awards for you to enter, which focus on the number of employees rather than turnover – we hope it brings a more level playing field on which to compete.
We have also introduced a new Lifetime Achievement Award to celebrate the success of an individual who has made a significant impact in their field.
Each year, it’s impossible not to be amazed by the talent that’s out there in Cotswolds’ businesses; the extraordinary work you’re doing, the products you’re making, the breakthroughs you’re facilitating which keep us at the forefront of industry.
The latest figures from EEF – the manufacturers’ organisation - show UK manufacturing is gearing up for the fourth industrial revolution, contributing £6.7 trillion to the global economy and representing 10% of the UK’s output.
The sector makes up 44% of exports, represents 70% of business R&D, provides 13% of business investment and employs 2.6 million people directly.
All of this means the UK is currently ranked eighth in the world in terms of output – one place up on the year before.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) says the sector has grown 1.4 per cent year-on-year in the post-war years, and attributes this to a better quality, more skilled workforce.
It says a shift from low to high productivity goods, improved automation and technology, more R&D investment and a more integrated global economy is driving it.
All of that is of course good news – but we know it’s not easy.
That’s why we launched the Cotswold Life EMI Awards – to raise awareness of the importance of engineering and manufacturing to the region.
Often, the work you do stays under the radar, your companies often hidden away on industrial estates, behind high hedges and walls.
From the number of companies supporting the aerospace sector in the west to the automotive, bio and life science companies in the east, you’re doing amazing things, despite what is already a chronic skills shortage.
Our awards are a true celebration of engineering and manufacturing excellence.
They are still the only regional awards to showcase the companies located here to the business community, but also to a much wider Cotswolds audience.
We want to shine a light on the exciting, dynamic, innovative work you’re doing.
You may not sell your goods locally you might export most of what you make to global markets - but you employ local people and you help maintain a valuable supply chain here.
Please, come forward and nominate your companies and your people.
Opportunities await for those who reveal themselves.
