Bernard Ginns: Let’s raise a glass to county’s dynamic and fast movers

The atmosphere was amazing and that wasn’t just the free champagne on an empty stomach.

The Yorkshire Fastest 50 is our celebration of the Yorkshire businesses that are doing the most to drive economic growth in God’s Own Country.

Since its launch in 2011, the awards have tracked the economic recovery in Yorkshire.

The people behind the businesses never fail to inspire with their stories of enterprise and endeavour.

The audience of 200 at Aspire watched as waste management services company Transwaste was named overall fastest-growing business.

Asked how Transwaste achieved such strong growth, Chris Tute, environment manager, told me: “Our recycling rates. We recycle on average 94-95 per cent of our waste. We’re good at recycling.”

This business proves the old Yorkshire adage that where there’s muck, there’s brass.

The fastest-growing medium business was Auto-Silicone Hoses, which specialises in manufacturing and supplying high performance silicon hoses and other parts to the automotive sector.

Its founders Rob Matheson and Andrew Young started selling items on eBay while at school.

Today, their Mirfield-based business has a turnover of £6.2m and employs 64 people.

Mr Matheson attributed the company’s success to hard work, a good team and perseverance.

MSM Foods, one of the largest importers and distributors of Polish food in central and northern England, was named fastest-growing small business for the third year running.

Rafal Bieniek, general manager, told me it was an honour to win the award and said he was surprised to win again after a tough year in 2013.

The Normanton-based company has opened shops in Belgium and Holland and plans to expand into Scotland and London this year.

Again, he attributed the company’s success to hard work.

“Don’t think you’re going to work from 8am to 5pm if you’re going to achieve that,” he said.

Roger Marsh, chairman of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, was a good choice for keynote speaker.

He told the audience that city regions like Leeds can become net contributors to the UK economy if the Government delivers on its promise to devolve powers and funding.

Mr Marsh said: “My plea to Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg is to make good on their coalition agreement pledge to narrow the gap between the South and the North by directing sufficient resources to invest strategically by those who know best in city regions like ours to deliver for the whole country.”

London, the South East and East Anglia are the only net contributors to the UK economy, which underlines the big challenges facing efforts to achieve any successful rebalancing.

Still, nothing should undermine the excellent work of all the companies that made the Yorkshire Fastest 50 this year.

The programme was delivered with law firm Ward Hadaway and Bradford University School of Management.

The awards ceremony provided an opportunity for me to speak about some of the changes that we’ve made a the Yorkshire Post.

I should say The Yorkshire Post because last week we reinstated the definite article to the title piece of the newspaper.

The YP is 260 years old this year – a good opportunity we thought to refresh our historically quite conservative organ.

You will see some subtle shifts in tone to broaden our appeal to a younger audience, but we will be keeping the authority and depth our readers trust and expect.