Member Article

Acorn up for the double

Acorn Stairlifts has been shortlisted as a double finalist in a major regional annual business awards.

The Steeton-based stairlifts giant has made the final three in two categories of the 2016 Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards. Now in their 10th year, the highly respected awards showcase and celebrate the very best of business from the UK’s biggest county.

Acorn is a finalist for both the Exporter Award and the Community Award, recognising two distinct but important aspects of the West Yorkshire company’s operation. With an annual turnover approaching £150 million, exports now account for around two-thirds of Acorn’s revenue.

Its award-winning stairlifts, manufactured at a rate of 60,000 per year, are exported to more than 80 countries around the world, including the USA where Acorn is the clear market leader. The company also has wholly-owned subsidiaries in Ireland, Belgium, Italy, France, Germany, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, all selling direct to the public and organising rapid installation and aftercare.

Closer to home, Acorn continues to develop and support a range of charitable and community partnerships, both local and national. It is a long-time supporter of its local Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice, with Acorn staff having already topped their £20,000 fundraising total for 2016 through various fundraising efforts.

This year Acorn has also launched a new national partnership with Marie Curie, pledging to donate up to 60 stairlifts per year for patients in the leading charity’s care. They will enable people with life-limiting conditions to remain for longer in their own homes, cared for by Marie Curie nurses, while simultaneously easing pressure on beds in the network of Marie Curie Hospices.

In addition Acorn has this year donated two specially-adapted Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles on long-term loan, one to Manorlands and the other to the Marie Curie West Midlands Hospice. They will enable wheelchair-reliant patient to access and benefit from a range of day care services at both hospices. Meanwhile Acorn continues to donate stairlifts on a one-off basis in cases of exceptional need as and when they arise.

Dave Belmont, Company Secretary at Acorn Stairlifts, commented: “We’re thrilled to have made the final three in two categories of the Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards, particularly as they recognise very different aspects of the business.

“We’ve worked hard to grow the exports side of our business, taking top quality British-made products around the globe, and at the same time we are committed to giving something back to the community which has sustained out growth.”

Yorkshire Post Business Editor Mark Casci said the standard of entries for this year’s awards was the highest in their 10-year history: “The passion, talent and levels of achievement displayed were astonishing and made life very difficult for us as judges to whittle them down,” he said.

The 2016 winners will be announced at an awards evening at The Royal Armouries in Leeds on Friday November 4th, compered by BBC News and Antiques Roadshow presenter Fiona Bruce.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Duncan Smith .