A night to remember as we honour the best of business in Calderdale

Halifax Courier Business Awards 2016 at The Venue, Barkisland. Award winners with host Jon Hammond, left.

The event, which was held at The Venue, Barkisland, rewarded the success of firms and entrepreneurs around the borough.

Former bank manager and Rotarian Ian Firth, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by BCA.

Mr Firth has been a Rotary member for more than 20 years and, during his recent tenure as branch president, presided over one of the most successful years of fundraising in the branch’s history.

His fundraising work for Overgate Hospice was recognised at the ceremony.

This year’s Business of the Year was awarded to Pexa Ltd, a high tech services firm that has been operating for 30 years, and was sponsored by Riley & Co.

The New Business of the Year, sponsored by Yorkshire Payments, went to Croft Myl, which specialises in converting existing buildings into office space for local businesses.

TSG Associates, which provides triage and mass-casualty equipment to the armed forces, won the Small to Medium Sized Business award, sponsored by Wilby Ltd.

The Manufacturing Award, sponsored by Pennine Pneumatic Services Ltd, was given to Polyframe Halifax Ltd, the UK’s largest manufacturer of PVCu windows.

Transport solutions firm Collet and Sons, which runs more than 200 tractors and trailers, won Innovator of the Year.

The Green Business of the Year award, sponsored by Calderdale Council was awarded to The Woolshops Shopping Centre after it fought hard to reduce waste and energy consumption.

Pennine Pneumatic Services Ltd, which employs 51 staff in Halifax, was presented with the Employer of the Year award, sponsored by Latitude 7.

James Howard from Yorkshire Payments, which has created 27 jobs for the district, was named Entrepreneur of the Year.

James Wheelwright from J&C Joel, won the Business Person of the Year award, sponsored by HSBC Commercial Banking. The firm’s turnover has tripled over the last decade.

For this year’s Green Champion title, sponsored by First Bus, the business awards chose to recognise the work of the Community Foundation for Calderdale, a key organisation in the relief effort after following the Boxing Day floods, and gave the title to chief executive Steve Duncan.