We’re one big happy family! It has just been announced that Hydraulics Online is a finalist in the Manufacturing and Engineering category of the North West Family Business Awards 2020.
The news comes just on the back of Hydraulics Online celebrating its 15th Birthday in December of last year. Husband-and-wife team, Mark and Helen Tonks founded the business in 2004. Both sharing the vision of creating a specialist, independent and customer-led company that could offer an alternative to traditional, product-led industry players.
Today, we’re a multi award-winning provider – offering a leading hydraulic design consultancy service and sourcing products from over 80 hydraulic brands. Moreover, Hydraulics Online supports customers in 130 countries and 20 sectors worldwide.
Strong Northern Powerhouse Competition
Hydraulics Online beat strong competition. A record number of 192 businesses entered the awards from across the North West region. And a whopping 42 entrants competing for a shortlist within the Manufacturing and Engineering category.
This first-class event will be held under the wings of Concorde in the purpose-built hangar and events centre at Manchester Airport on Friday 6th March 2020. The host of the evening is food writer and presenter Nigel Barden.
A Very Special Venue for the Family Business Awards
The event venue, which is home to Concorde G-BOAC (affectionately known as ‘Alpha Charlie’), is very familiar and close to the hearts of the Hydraulics Online founders. Aviation enthusiasm and large model aircraft building runs in the family and Hydraulics Online is proud of its long-standing collaboration with Heritage Concorde. To date, the company has designed and supplied the hydraulic system, which powers the ‘droop nose’ technology (allowing the visor and nose to be lowered and raised at any time) for three Concordes located in the United Kingdom. Concorde G-BOAC at the Manchester Airport Runway Visitor Park is considered to be the flagship of the fleet as she carries the registration plate BOAC – the initials of British Overseas Airways Corporation, the airline that merged with BEA (British European Airways) to form British Airways.
Helen Tonks, Co-founder, Hydraulics Online says:
We are absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted from an incredible 42 entrants who entered in the Manufacturing and Engineering category. 85% of UK businesses are family-owned, they’re the backbone of the economy, so it’s fantastic to see that there is clearly so much energy and ambition here in the North West with very nearly 200 businesses entering these awards altogether.
Founder and Co-director, NW Family Business Awards, Sue Howorth said:
We were inundated with some incredible entries and we have been burning the midnight oil to get through them as they came in right up to the wire. The judges had extremely difficult decisions to make, so the finalists should be extremely proud of themselves!
Co-director, NW Family Business Awards, Dave Clarkson said:
A huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to fill out an application form and enter. We’ve been absolutely blown away by the strength and diversity of applications.
Jacqui Jackson from Thomas Jardine & Co and 2020 NW Awards Chair of Judges said:
The number and quality of applications from across the North West has been outstanding, the businesses are clearly proud to be family businesses and the detail in many of the entries has demonstrated that they are very progressive and innovative.
The finalists will now receive a visit from a specially selected panel of expert judges who will then make their final decisions. The winners will be announced at the glittering ceremony on 6th March. You can find out more information about the awards at www.northwestfamilybusinessawards.uk
