Excellence in Business Awards 2010: Pace has top billing for small screen viewing

The Saltaire company, founded in 1982, is on a rocketing growth trajectory.

According to a study by industry analysts IMS Research, the company leap-frogged global rivals Motorola and Technicolor to seize top supplier spot. It shipped 17.2 million boxes in 2009 and is expected to ship a record 21 million in 2010.

The company now supplies boxes for over 120 of the world's pay-TV operators and employs over 1,200 people in locations around the world, including operations in France, the US, India and China.

Pace director of communications, Helen Kettleborough, said: "The Yorkshire Post Excellence Awards are always a good indication of which Yorkshire companies have really stood out in terms of performance and success.

"We're very proud of how far we've come in the last few years, and so to be one of those stand-out companies and be recognised in the region where it all started feels really good."

Pace, which also won the exporter award in 2008, adds this year's exporter award to a growing list of accolades.

Pace gains more than 90 per cent of its sales in markets around the world.

In 2009, shipments into Europe and the rest of the world accounted for 51 per cent of revenues, with Europe taking 6.2 million boxes and its rest of the world region taking another 1.3 million units. The Americas accounted for the balance of sales, some 9.7 million boxes.

Technology entrepreneur David Hood founded Pace and plotted the company's growth through the 1980s and 1990s until its float in 1996.

Since its launch, Pace has delivered well over 50 million boxes into markets around the world.

Its customers include Astro in Malaysia, Comcast in the US, Viasat in Scandinavia, BT Vision, BSkyB and Canal+.

"Pace has dramatically changed its global market profile and reach over the last few years and this has borne fruit in a way we only dreamed of," said Ms Kettleborough.

"Over 90 per cent of the products we ship are now sold in overseas markets. Winning the Exporter of the Year award for the second time is a real recognition of that, and feels particularly fitting in the year that we achieved the milestone of being global leader in our key set-top box market."

Pace says it puts innovation at the heart of its business,

and since launching its first high-definition (HD) box into the US in 2002, has now delivered HD products to more than 70 pay-TV operators around the world.

"There's a feeling of pride to the Excellence Awards that you don't see elsewhere and we're really honoured to have that pride directed at Pace," said Ms Kettleborough.

But Pace is not stopping there. Yesterday shareholders backed its 308m ($475m) acquisition of US broadband firm 2Wire.

The firm is expanding further in the home entertainment market with a purchase that lifts it to third in the global "home hub" or "residential gateway" market.

The company wants to position itself "at the heart of convergence for the digital home".

Textile equipment that's in demand across the globe

James H Heal & Co Ltd

SME Manufacturer of the Year

THE region's manufacturing industry has been hit hard during the economic crisis but James Heal is growing in the face of adversity.

The Halifax-based company, which won the SME Manufacturer of the Year category, sponsored by the Manufacturing Advisory Service, designs and makes fabric and colour-testing equipment for textile manufacturers, supplying customers including Marks & Spencer, Victoria's Secret and Louis Vuitton.

It has been a part of Yorkshire's manufacturing industry since 1872 and is the only company in its field still manufacturing in the UK.

This year, the company has increased its sales 10 per cent beyond its target.

Last year's turnover of 6.6m is expected to reach 7.5m, which is above the 7.1m turnover for both 2007 and 2008.

The company is also developing a new purpose-built distribution centre to help manage increased order levels and export logistics effectively and efficiently.

Managing director David Repper said the firm was "elated" to win the award. "We are a successful business and have been for many years but we haven't really shouted about what we do before. Getting this recognition will help us going forward."

The company employs almost 90 people at its 72,000 sq ft headquarters and it has recruited 20 people over the last year. It also has over 60 agents and distributors in 61 countries.

In 1995, James Heal won the Queen's Award for Export Achievement. About 90 per cent of its current turnover comes from the export market, particularly the main centres of textile production – China, India and Turkey.

Mr Repper said: "I don't know what is going to happen in the future but as long as the global market continues to be successful then demand for our products will increase.

"Our biggest market is China. Companies like M&S, BHS and Next who manufacture abroad need to be sure that they buy the testing equipment from people like ourselves to make sure the quality doesn't diminish."

James Heal has invested heavily in new product development and machinery in recent years.

Last year it also adopted a "lean manufacturing" approach, working with the Manufacturing Advisory Service to find new ways of driving down costs to enable them to remain a UK manufacturer while being more competitive through market development and diversification, such as supplying machinery to test diverse products like hernia patches and wet wipes.

Mr Repper said: "We are into lean manufacturing. If we are going to remain a UK manufacturer, we have to get our costs down to compete.

"With the help of MAS we are well into a lean manufacturing programme, which is all about how to knock the cost out of what we do."

The company is also planning to undergo a rebranding in the next six months.

"The company has been around since 1872 and at no point has anyone stood back and looked at the overall brand. That's something we are looking to address," said Mr Repper.

Treating staff as greatest asset pays off for ad agency

Gratterpalm

Best Company to work for

ADVERTISING agency Gratterpalm was awarded the accolade of Best company to work for.

The Leeds-based company, whose clients include Asda, Lakeland and DFS, has one of the largest studios outside London.

Last year it delivered over 8,000 campaign briefs and increased turnover by 10 per cent to 8.5m, setting it well on the way towards its 10m target.

Commenting at the awards Gordon Bethell, managing partner at Gratterpalm, said: "Our fantastic people are central to the success of our business. Our philosophy and culture is focused on being a great place to work, so that we can be a great company to work with.

"We know that happy colleagues have the passion to try and exceed our clients' expectations day in, day out, which is ultimately why we enjoy so many long-standing relationships."

One of Gratterpalm's biggest challenges is how to attract new business. Recent client wins include Morphy Richards and Greggs.

"People generally knew us for Asda and, therefore, for retail and subsequently point of sale," said Mr Bethell. "This narrow positioning served us very well for many years but limited our growth potential. Over 87 per cent of our new business comes from ex-clients or contacts, but we have an appetite to broaden our offer further."

Other clients include Umbro, Superdrug, Lakeland, DFS, Arla, LA Fitness and M&S Outlet.

The agency has been booked for the fourth year running to mastermind Asda's campaign in the run-up to October 31.

Gratterpalm has created a free-standing wardrobe to showcase Asda's wide range of adult Hallowe'en costumes as well as car park banners and foyer posters.

The company predicts one of the biggest growth areas will be its digital services and it is building up a digital team.

Broadcasting is also expected to expand, aided by the appointment of a head of broadcast, and investment in a new editing suite.

The company recently changed its position in the market after facing increasing competition from other advertising agencies in the retail sector and in April it launched a new training academy – G Academy – which it said was 300 per cent oversubscribed. Mr Bethell is calling for more help for Yorkshire's advertising agencies.

"The trade talks itself down and compares itself under-whelmingly to London and holds itself back," he said. "It is not uncommon to produce creative work that is complimented in London and highly criticised in the region, because of the sometimes insular view."

Gratterpalm says that its people are its greatest asset and it has invested heavily in human resources expertise to ensure its employees are committed to the business and understand their role in making it succeed.

Gratter Chatter, an employee survey, has become the bedrock of internal marketing activity.

The survey recently reported that 85 per cent of colleagues believe that Gratterpalm is a "very good place to work".

Helen Saunders, HR director at Gratterpalm, said: "We are a 145- strong team and growing, so for an agency of our size to be recognised for the commitment and innovative approach towards employees is relatively unusual in our industry and something that we are exceptionally proud of as a team."

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