Manufacturers named best family businesses

Norbar Torque Tools (whose directors are pictured at an anniversary celebration last year) from Banbury was named the best family business in the southern England and Wales region, while knitwear manufacturer John Smedley Limited from Matlock, Derbyshire, picked up the northern England and midlands region prize. Established in 1942, Norbar’s now third generation family business was the first company in Britain to commercially manufacture a torque wrench. The initial demand was driven by the need for the gasket-less cylinder head of the Rolls Royce Merlin engine to be accurately tightened. Since then, Norbar has continued to invest in the latest design, manufacturing and quality control technology to achieve the highest level of innovation and precision in the field of torque control and equipment. Norbar now employs 200 people in Banbury and a further 90 staff within its sales companies in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and China. Chairman Craig Brodey said he was delighted that the judging criteria included some of Brodey family’s core values. “These include striving for the best practice in family & business governance, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability,” he said. “While we may be a modern company in terms of outlook we have never abandoned some of the key fundamentals that the founder Bill Brodey exemplified such as integrity, respect and a desire to do the right thing by people. We are very pleased to have won this award reflecting as it does both the pride and the hard work of everyone involved in Norbar." Matlock-based John Smedley was founded in 1784 and is a seventh generation family business that manufacturers fine gauge knitwear that is exported to 35 countries. Employing 450 staff, and with 57 family shareholders the companies long term strategy is to remain in business for another 225 years, continuing to manufacture its products in the UK, while remaining an independent family business. John Smedley uses the finest Merino lambswool, silk, Sea Island cotton and cashmere and distributes to many of the worlds most prestigious outlets throughout the world. The companies will now go on to compete in the national finals to be held in central London on 23 June.