Naylor Group, a 135-year-old family-run supplier to the UK construction industry, has been named Business of the Year at the Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber Awards.

The Barnsley-based firm, which has invested over £18 million in the last two years, impressed judges with its significant growth, technological innovation, and commitment to staff development and community engagement. Naylor Group also won the Large Business of the Year category and was highly commended for the Sustainability Award.

Edward Naylor, Executive Chairman of Naylor Industries, said: “We’ve been on quite a journey over the past few years. Historically, we have manufactured clay pipes for the construction industry – demand for which has been declining for a number of years. We recognised that we needed to adapt our business by diversifying our product range, entering new markets and perhaps most important of all, investing in the communities we serve, creating opportunities for the next generation to forge successful careers in the manufacturing sector."

Naylor Group, which employs 350 people, has reduced its electricity consumption by 89% and repurposed over 7,000 tonnes of used plastics, diverting them from landfill.

Rotherham-based IT provider Balliante was crowned Small Business of the Year. Managing Director Craig Boddy commented on their win and growth: "Being named as small business of the year is a huge honour, and I feel incredibly proud that the hard work and dedication shown by our team has been recognised in this way. When we relocated our business to Rotherham Town Centre, we wanted to play a small part in contributing to the regeneration efforts of the town. We've enjoyed a significant period of growth during the past twelve months, not just supporting fellow businesses in South Yorkshire, but we've also seen demand for our services increase from customers across Europe and the US."

A gala dinner saw more than 560 members of the South Yorkshire business community gather to celebrate their achievements, hosted by veteran and author Colin MacLachlan.


Full List of Winners

The awards celebrated achievements across various sectors, including the work of charities, with Rotherham Samaritans securing Charity of the Year. Barnsley Hospice CEO Martin Tune was named Business Person of the Year.

Business of the Year Naylor Group
Apprentice of the year Max Brough, Airmaster
Business Community Impact Equans
Business Growth Utility Source Limited
Business Person of the Year Martin Tune (Barnsley Hospice)
Campaign of the Year Rotherham Hospice
Charity of the Year Rotherham Samaritans
Commitment to People Development Glu Recruit
Excellence in Customer Service Equans
Social Impact Esh Group
Sustainability Award Riverlution
Most Promising New Business Jiggle
Small Business of the Year Balliante
Large Business of the Year Naylor Group