Now in their fourth year, the accolades reward the excellence of the country’s manufacturing sector and recognise the achievements of innovative and productive businesses.

This year’s event which is sponsored by Tughans and HSBC in association with the Department for International Trade will be held at a special lunch event at The Europa Hotel, Belfast on 12 May.

All of the winners will be automatically entered into Insider’s national manufacturing final, the Made in the UK Awards which is taking place in Liverpool on 22 June.

“Building on the success of previous years we extended the number of award categories this year,” says Insider’s regional business editor Philip Cunliffe. “This has not only led to a record number of entries but the level of interest from some of the leading manufacturing businesses in the region has been hugely encouraging. It should make for a very exciting event.”

Insider has been assisted by Manufacturing NI, Invest NI, the NI Centre for Competitiveness and the NI Polymers Association, representatives from which formed the judging panel for the awards. The shortlists are as follows:

Manufacturing Apprenticeship/Training Scheme Award

JW Kane Precision Engineering?
Creagh Concrete Products Ltd?
South West College?
Greiner Packaging?Montupet UK

Manufacturing Innovation Award

SAM Mouldings?
UPU Industries?
Creagh Concrete Products?
Interface Inc?
Denroy Plastics?
AES Global

Export Award?

MJM Group?
BA Components?
WIS Group?
UPU Industries?
EDGE Innovate

Medical/Life Sciences and Healthcare Award

?Primepac?
Fortress Diagnostics?
Almac?
CIGA Healthcare?
MET Healthcare

Advanced Manufacturer/Technology Award

?Interface Inc?
Tyrone Fabrications?
Greiner Packaging

Food and Drink Award?

The Echlinville Distillery?
Linden Foods?
Dunbia?
Genesis Crafty?
New Found Joy

Manufacturer of the Year (turnover under £25m)

?EDGE Innovate?
Gray & Adams (Ireland)
?JW Kane Precision Engineering?
SAM Mouldings?
Bradfor?
Ecohog

Manufacturer of the Year (turnover over £25m)?

Montupet
UK?WIS Group?
Dunbia?
Creagh Concrete Products

To book tickets for the awards lunch in Belfast on 12 May contact Lauren Ainsworth on 0161 907 9735 or lauren.ainsworth@newsco.com