BIBAs reveals 2014 awards shortlist

The shortlists for the 17 prizes up for grabs at the Be Inspired Business Awards, the BIBAs, have been published.

The top award, Business of the Year, has as an eight-strong shortlist including Leyland firm Bleep UK, Chemical Innovations from Bamber Bridge, marketing firm ICG Brandbuilders from Warton, and Kirkham energy brokers Inspired Energy.

Companies were selected for the shortlist following a selection process which culminated in a fortnight of interviews. Each of the shortlisted firms will  now receive a visit to their business premises from the judges.

Business of the Year

Bleep UK Chemical Innovations I C G Brandbuilders Inspired Energy Lailas Fine foods New Call Telecom The Stocks Hall Nursing & Care Group White Moss Horticulture

New Business of the Year

Remvox The Networking People Colossal Training Forward2me ChocAmor Contrado Digital All You Knead Love My Limited

Small Business of the Year

Direct365 Connect 2 Cleanrooms Suresite Group Ainscough Training Services Peter Jackson the Jeweller Lantei Inteb Sustainablity CM Oxendale

Service Business of the Year

ICG Brandbuilders Springhill Care Fairbanks Environmental Preston Bus Granby Marketing Services Assured Cleaning Services Pakawaste Engineering Services Businesswise Solutions

Employer of the Year

Connect 2 Cleanrooms Fairbanks Environmental Springhill Care Inspired Energy Magma Digital The Stocks Hall Nursing & Care Group True Bearing Chartered Taylor Patterson Group

Business Woman of the Year

Karen O'Donoghue - Via Partnership Sarah Southworth - Specialised Cleaning Services (North West) Janet Thornton - Inspired Energy Jo Varey - Granby Marketing Services Claire Fryer - The Mosaic Care Group Michelle Cuffe & Felicity Lacey - Excel Fostering Rose Watkins - Centaur Training Services (North West) Nicolla Bishop - Home Angels Chorley

Exporter of the Year

Chelsom Limited Tangerine Holdings TISS Scorpion Automotive Tetrad Chemical Innovations Pakawaste Trelleborg Offshore UK

E Business of the Year

Direct365 Connect 2 Cleanrooms Talent Dynamics Hanger World The Ink Squid Suntana Spray Tan WebsiteUK

Manufacturer of the Year

Tangerine Holdings Chemical Innovations White Moss Horticulture Longthorne Gunmakers Lailas Fine foods SPS EU Scorpion Automotive Tetrad

Professional Business of the Year

Taylor Patterson Group Magma Digita True Bearing Chartered Cassidy + Ashton Astute Wealth Management Lance Mason Jones Melling Clayton Recruitment

Entrepreneur of the Year

Steve Pearson - Remvox Laila & Nazir Remtulla - Lailas Fine Foods Mohammed Patel - Lance Mason Julian Silverwood - Silverwoods Waste Management Claire Fryer - The Mosaic Care Group Joe Govier - Connect 2 Cleanrooms Jim Elliot - Hangerworld Nigel Eastwood - New Call Telecom

Excellence in Customer Service

Springhill Care New Call Telecom NuBlue Via Partnership Parbold Equestrian Centre Ainscough Training Services Chestnut Business Solutions Hesketh Press

Construction Business of the Year

Conlon Construction Story Homes Pinington Homestead CSL Cassidy and Ashton Jones Melling Building Careers CM Oxendale

Medium Business of the Year

Scorpion Automotive Ascentis Lance Mason Tangerine Holdings SPS EU Blackpool Zoo Granby Marketing Services Promenade Hotels

Micro-Business of the Year

Silverwoods Waste Management Pennine Events GConnect The Little Big Voice Colossal Training Group55 Training Station WJT Technical Support

Leisure Business of the Year

Blackpool Zoo Promenade Hotels Fylde Executive Cars Starboard Hotels Group Longthorne Gunmakers The Wellbeing Farm Winter Gardens Blackpool Crow Wood Leisure

Creative Business of the Year Bespoke Internet Chelsom Lighting I C G Brandbuilders Knight Time Creations Marmalade Toast SPS EU Stone Create YouMeSign