Member Article

Acorn Stairlifts’ accolade at UK manufacturing awards

Acorn Stairlifts has been named national runner-up in the exports category of the UK’s leading awards for manufacturers.

The annual EEF Future Manufacturing Awards showcase the UK’s leading makers at both regional and national level across a wide range of industries. Known as “the manufacturers’ organisation”, EEF is the UK’s largest employer’s organisation and has been supporting and championing British manufacturing for the past 120 years.

In 2015, West Yorkshire-based Acorn Stairlifts entered the EEF Awards for the first time, with considerable success. It won the Outstanding Export Award at both regional and national level and went on the win the national ‘Winner of Winners’ title, the ultimate accolade at the prestigious London event.

“When we entered again in 2016 we didn’t realistically expect to replicate that level of success, but we’ve actually done very well indeed,” said Acorn’s European and UK Operations Director Nick Wilson.

“Back in November we won both the Outstanding Export and Innovation categories at the regional EEF Awards for the North East, Yorkshire and Humber, which put us into the national finals. To be named national runner-up in the Export category was a real honour, especially as the company who pipped us to the post went on to claim the Winner of Winners award this year.”

Speaking at the awards ceremony, EEF chief executive Terry Scuoler said: “Acorn Stairlifts has a track record not only in securing impressive export success, but also winning awards in a very competitive field. The fact that it has performed so well again this year in our awards tells me that its success is sustainable and its efforts continuous. Acorn Stairlifts’ achievements are very well-deserved.”

As outgoing holder of the Winner of Winners title, Nick Wilson was also asked to address the guests at this year’s national EEF Awards Ceremony, attended by senior and future business leaders from across the UK. Passing on some valuable advice to this year’s winner, he said: “When an organisation like EEF gives you its ultimate seal of approval with the Winner of Winners Award, it can only be beneficial to your business and its reputation, so make the most of it!”

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2017, Acorn is now the world’s biggest company dedicated solely to making, selling, installing and servicing home stairlifts. It manufactures more than 60,000 stairlifts per years at its three sites in Steeton, Shipley and Haddington, Scotland.

Export sales have been key to the company’s sustained growth, especially in the USA where Acorn is now the market leader for stairlifts. Employing more than 800 people in the UK alone, Acorn exports to 84 countries worldwide and has wholly-owned subsidiaries operating in Ireland, Belgium, Italy, France, Germany, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.

“To have our exporting success recognised again at national level by EEF is a great honour and one we’re very proud of,” added Nick Wilson. “It’s a credit to the entire team at Acorn who have shown yet again that British manufacturers can compete and win on the world stage.”

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