Hydraulics Online is delighted to announce that we have been recognised as the North West Business Exporter of the Year in the 2018 National Federation of Small Businesses Awards
We’d like to extend a big “thank you” to all our team, customers and suppliers who have made it possible for Hydraulics Online to enjoy further award success – this time as the FSB’s North West Business Exporter of the Year.
The FSB’s Celebrating Small Businesses Awards showcase the best small businesses from the length and breadth of the UK, recognising those who have made the biggest impression over the last 12 months in 12 areas across the UK.
As experts in business, the Federation of Small Businesses offers its members a wide range of vital business services including advice, financial expertise, support and a powerful voice in government; their mission is to help smaller businesses achieve their ambitions.
The award was announced on 21st March, 2018 at the Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa, Blackburn.
Phil McCabe, Development Manager for West Cheshire and Wigan at the Federation of Small Businesses commented: “It is very pleasing that Hydraulics Online won the export category in our FSB North West Business Awards. The firm offers a truly fantastic range of hydraulics products, making it an essential port of call for companies at home and abroad.
“The fact that it is a quality business is reflected in its continued success and growth, which also makes it a standard bearer in the area of international trade for other small businesses.
“In addition, Helen is a dynamic entrepreneur and a real inspiration. I congratulate her and all the staff who make the company so special.”
Recognition from the UK’s Department for International Trade
The award was also welcomed by Veronica Dawson, International Trade Adviser within the North West International Trade Team at the Department for International Trade. She said: “I have been working with Helen at Hydraulics Online for a few months now, and I am constantly impressed at the level of passion and commitment she continues to show to increasing the company profile both in the domestic and export marketplace.
“I know that Helen is now working with local students at Manchester Metropolitan University, offering essential experience in a work environment and is keen to mentor other SMEs in the region. I can’t think of a better role model – keep up the good work!”
Helen Tonks, Operations Director and Co-Founder of Hydraulics Online, expressed her own delight in the company winning this recognition from the FSB – an important partner for businesses. Helen said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have won the Business Exporter of the Year award in the North West – especially since it follows on so quickly from the award successes we enjoyed at the end of 2017 at our local chamber awards.
“It is a wonderful recognition of the hard work of all our team and the relationships we’ve built with our suppliers and our customers since first launching Hydraulics Online 14 years ago.
“When we founded the company in 2004, we had little idea of how far we would come – but we have always had the same clear, strong vision for the customer-centric business we wanted to build. It might sound a bit crazy for an ‘online’ business to focus so heavily on customer service – traditionally the online model is associated with efficiency and cost reduction rather than excellence in customer service – but that is what has driven our success and these awards are a wonderful endorsement of that.”
2018 International Business Festival
Hydraulics Online has now been invited by the Federation of Small Businesses to attend the International Business Festival 2018 in Liverpool on 12th June as an exporting case study. The International Business Festival 2018 runs from 12 – 28 June at the Exhibition Centre on Liverpool’s Waterfront and is the world’s biggest international business festival.
The event is designed to deliver business growth through the sharing of knowledge, insight and ideas, enabling the creation of new, lucrative connections, with investors, buyers and partners, to secure future business. The Festival attracts more than 30,000 international industry professionals ranging from small SMEs to global market leaders – the people who play a key role in business strategy and success.
“We’re honoured to be invited to participate at this international festival as a speaker and exporting case study,” said Helen Tonks of Hydraulics Online. “It’s another example of one of the most exciting aspects of our recent award wins; more doors are opening for us to work with leading local organisations, innovation leaders and our peers. It’s great that we have been given this opportunity to ‘pay it forward’ by sharing some of the lessons we have learnt along the way with other small businesses and start-ups as a business exporter now trading the whole world over.”
