Heating firm's business award

2:00am Wednesday 7th May 2008

A HEATING company has won a coveted Castle Point business award.

Castle Point Gas and Heating was named the Mayor's Choice in the Castle Point Business Awards.

The award was fiercely contested, but the Thundersley-based business beat its competitors to the Business Excellence Award.

Castle Point Gas and Heating has been operating since 1982, growing to a £13million per year business with 92 full-time direct employees and 21 sub-contractors.

Dave Wells, managing director, said: "We are chuffed at winning and our employees can feel proud for being part of achieving it.

"This is the first time we've ever entered a business competition and this shows we are doing something right.

"Companies, particularly in this industry, are scared of apprenticeships, but we've proved them wrong. Teaching youngsters and training them pays real dividends for the company as well as the community."

Judges, including Castle Point mayor Beverley Egan, were particularly impressed by the business's commitment to the local area and the fact a large proportion of the company's workforce had been employed from local schools and fully-trained through its apprenticeship scheme.

Mrs Egan said: "The success of this business is helping the local economy and is also creating local jobs for local residents.

"The company's training programme is an excellent example of how businesses can develop the skills of employees, helping the individual while also delivering a better service.

"It was a difficult choice with so many excellent businesses to choose from."

EDITOR'S CHOICE

EDITOR'S CHOICE