Warley Carriers scoop top award at Nachural Business Ball

Held at Wolverhampton Racecourse for the third year, the event named Warley Carriers as overall winner of its business awards.

Operating in the Black Country since the 1970s Warley Carriers is now investing strongly in further sites on the strong order book from its Irish operation.

Employing 65 personnel and based at West Bromwich, the family owned multi million pound turnover company has a wide range of clients. Award judges said: "Substantial investment is planned for further growth and whilst challenges exist with increasing fuel prices and Brexit uncertainty the business continues to show impressive growth."

The Park Hall Ramada hotel in Wolverhampton won the hospitality award, while the start-up award went to the Little Dessert Shop. BCRS Business Loans, based on Wolverhampton's science park, was the Small Business of the Year and Wolverhampton Council took home the award for customer service.

The night's headline speaker was Byron Dixon, founder and CEO of the award winning Micro-Fresh. Hailing from Leicester, and recently recognised in the Queens Birthday Honours list for Innovation, Mr Dixon spoke about the need to be totally committed to your business and not to enter business half heartedly.

Byron Dixon founded his antibacterial and antifungal Micro-Fresh brand in 2006. His company is the leading partner for retailers such as John Lewis, Debenhams, Next, Sainsburys, The Pentland Group, Scruffs Workwear and Avon. It is also widely used by global innovators in the health and life sciences sectors such as GlaxosmithKline and Nuffield Health.

Mr Dixon spoke about the need to be persistent and bold when entering the world of entrepreneurship and that whilst Brexit was causing uncertainty, entrepreneurs were adaptable and innovative when it came to overcoming obstacles such as Brexit. He also spoke about not having fear when it came to enterprise and the need to give back.

Ninder Johal, CEO of the Nachural Group which organises the awards, spoke about the uncertainty around the Brexit situation. Whilst he asserted that it was going to be very problematic in the short term, the long term future was still very bright if the UK continued to innovate and add value to their products and build on the strengths of its economy and its role in world affairs.

A former president of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce and current board member of both the Black Country LEP Board and the West Midlands Growth Company, he spoke about the need to assert leadership and more critically to involve the voice of business during the Brexit negotiations. He spoke positively around the role of entrepreneurship and the positive contribution of the region and its broad range of sectors.

Promise Dreams was the charity on the night, attended by more than 450 people, and in excess of £8,000 was raised. Host for the evening was Tommy Sandhu and the music for the evening was provided by DJ Tony.

The headline sponsor for the Nachural Summer Business Ball and Awards was Kuflink, Other sponsors included Akaal ltd.com, Cobra Beer, East End foods, FBC Manby Bowdler, Baldwins Accountants, Hollywood Monster, Guest Truck and Van, 8 Outdoors, Enterprise Europe Network, Scholars, Pathway Group, Rational FX, Mercedez Benz ( Wolverhampton ) , Vision and the University of Wolverhampton.