Excellence in Business Awards 2010: Child's play meets serious business of design

The Huddersfield-based firm, which won the Innovation of the Year category, sponsored by Drax, has unveiled a number of new products in the last 12 months including the Mylo stroller, the Morph baby carrier and the world's first "gaming console" concept baby rocker.

The company, which has a turnover of 121m, has a raft of celebrity fans, including singer Gwen Stefani, actress Sarah Jessica Parker and designer Stella McCartney.

It has a retailing and wholesaling division that designs and produces maternity fashion wear, childrenswear, furniture, wheeled goods, nursery equipment, toys, gifts and skincare and exports them to over 23 countries worldwide including the major European, Far Eastern and North American markets.

Earlier this year, the company reached an agreement with American retail giant Babies R Us to sell a selection of its products at 23 store locations across the United States.

The family-owned company expects the new market will generate sales of up to 10m in the first year. If successful, the launch could lead to Mamas & Papas products being sold across the retailer's 340 US stores.

After receiving the award, Katie Owen, of Mamas and Papas, said: "We are expanding across the globe. We have just gone live in America and that's doing really well, and now we're looking towards Canada, so I think that's what has won the award for us."

The ethos of the brand is to provide the ultimate in quality, safety and design with the impeccable customer experience – for parent, guardian and infant – paramount throughout.

Over the past five years, all the company's profits have been reinvested in creating a range of products that aim to set a global standard in excellence and also future proof the business and its continued investment in Yorkshire.

The five-year programme included building a research and development department and a design and development department alongside a global standards testing lab within its headquarters.

Claire Etchell, of Mamas and Papas, said: "We've got a team of really talented designers, all in-house at head office who are working every day to come up with something new and innovative."

In addition, the brand has invested in new computer systems to improve warehouse management and online sales to make sure 95 per cent of stock is available at all times. It has also made improvements to its customer service.

Italian entrepreneurs David and Luisa Scacchetti established Mamas & Papas in 1981 because they couldn't stand the dowdy British nursery goods of the time.

From a modest beginning, the product range grew to include nursery equipment, cots and mattresses. It's now expanding around the world.

It currently employs more than 500 people at its headquarters in Huddersfield and a further 1,200 across its stores in the UK.

A long-standing partner manufactures its products near Hong Kong in China.

Universities are pools of talent for businesses to work with

Peter Edwards

THE business community needs to work more closely with universities, the outgoing chairman of the regional development agency told firms.

Terry Hodgkinson has been accountable for Yorkshire Forward's performance for the last six-and-a-half years, reporting directly to senior government ministers. He also said he was "really proud" of the role he played in supporting business during that time.

He urged companies to follow the example of Mamas & Papas, the Huddersfield-based nursery wholesaler and retailer, which experienced rapid growth after developing links with higher education.

"It is really important. We have worked really hard with our universities and colleges to really develop this pool of talent because this absolutely important to the world of business that this talent comes through.

"Mamas and Papas worked closely with Huddersfield University and that's where the innovation comes from. Our universities are some of the best in the country, in fact, the best in the world, and businesses need to work closely with them, like Mamas and Papas did, to create something far bigger than the business really aspired to, from a very early start, for a couple from Holmfirth."

The firm counts Victoria Beckham and Geri Halliwell on its customer list.

Mr Hodgkinson added: "Luisa Scacchetti couldn't get a pram for a baby. She is an Italian, went back to Italy and brought it back and everybody liked it and she went back to Italy and bought six more and that's how Mamas & Papas started.

"There are so many stories of how inspirational businesses started in Yorkshire. I've been really proud to be part of the development team that has supported you in your mission to create fantastic world-class business."

Low carbon enterprise rises from ashes of the property boom

Clean Energy Capital

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Peter Edwards

YOU can drop any charges of navet. Sean O'Connor may be a young entrepreneur in a young market but he has negotiated his way round some huge obstacles while building an innovative environmental business.

Mr O'Connor, who built a property empire in his early twenties, founded Clean Energy Capital (CEC) in 2006, when the housing market was teetering on the brink. It wasn't long before it fell over the edge of the cliff and the rest of the economy followed.

The entrepreneur's portfolio survived unscathed, however, having avoided investing in the apartments which so stung buy-to-let landlords during the recession. He used his earnings to set up CEC, a green investment and energy-trading firm, and its success meant he landed the Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Entrepreneur of the Year award, sponsored by O2.

Mr O'Connor, aged 30, said: "It was a real privilege to win the award. There was a lot of stiff competition and it's great to be recognised. We are in a new marketplace. The low carbon economy is a booming sector and we have positioned ourselves to take advantage of the growth."

CEC, which is based in Leeds and also has offices in London and Sunderland, raises money which it spends on investments in low carbon projects in the energy sector. It also

trades in the energy commodities generated,

such as green oil, algae and biofuels.

Once a green project or technology has been identified, CEC works out how much capital is needed for the venture and tries to match with investors. If they cannot be found, then CEC approaches institutions, wealthy individuals or financial professional advisers who can put forward their clients.

CEC has grown profits and Mr O'Connor, a sports management graduate from Northumbria University, has become an emerging leader in the low carbon economy.

His springboard to CEC came from entering the property market aged just 23. He went on to launch a number of ventures and also built up a personal property interest of 40 houses, which he still owns.

"You learn a lot about what it takes to make a business work and I brought that skill sector to the green sector when I started this company.

"That has enabled me to ride out the recession because the green market has been growing while every other sector has been driven by fear rather than ambition.

"Now, as the economy comes out of recession, we start to see people make decisions based upon ambition, rather than

just fear."

Mr O'Connor is confident he can continue to grow the firm, which has 15 staff, despite the cuts George Osborne will announce in the comprehensive spending review tomorrow.

"One thing the Chancellor has said he was increasing spending on was the green sector. We are fortunate we are in a sector that is supported by Government and they understand (it) needs to grow. I think there will be scores of opportunities coming our way."

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