Cotswold Life Engineering Manufacturing Innovation Awards 2016 is open for nominations

Following the huge success of the first ever Cotswold Life Engineering Manufacturing Innovation Awards last year, they have now launched the 2016 EMI Awards Programme.

More than 100 senior representatives from the region’s engineering and manufacturing businesses attended the 2016 EMI launch party held at Dean Close School earlier this month.  

Entering couldn’t be easier. There are five short questions for each category, which will guide the judges when the awards decisions are being made. The full list of categories and nomination criteria is available on the dedicated awards website:  emiawards.cotswoldlife.co.uk/category 

The Cotswolds is particularly rich in aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical and renewable energy companies, but many other sectors are also represented.  The Cotswold Life EMI Awards encourages entries from manufacturing, engineering, design, prototype and assembly companies from any industry sector, and is open to any business large or small, in the areas where Cotswold Life is sold: Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and North Wiltshire.

Nicky Godding, Cotswold Life’s business editor, said: “We launched these awards in 2015 because there were no other dedicated local recognition programme for the hundreds of successful manufacturing and engineering businesses in the Cotswold’s region. There is also a lack of public awareness as to how much value this sector brings to the region. Thousands people are employed in the sector but employers struggle to recruit the skilled people they need to grow their business. 

The awards programme aims to achieve three things:  To celebrate the incredible innovation and expertise that Cotswold engineering and manufacturing companies contribute to the UK economy, encourage more skilled people to recognise the career opportunities available to them in this region and to inspire more young people to consider the rich career path that this sector can offer them. “The Cotswold Life EMI Awards showcase the businesses in this sector both large and small, and the innovative work going on in the region. 

Thousands of local people work in the industry and just as importantly in the supply chain too and there is overwhelming support for these awards from companies and manufacturing support organisations across the region including, WMG, IMechE, Innovate UK, Catapult, UKTI and many more. We are delighted to have these awards sponsored by a diverse range of companies and organizations who offer their support to this sector, including headline sponsor BPE Solicitors, associate sponsor Lloyds Banking Group and event partners Oasis Events and WMG. 

The 2016 winners will be announced at the black tie awards gala dinner to be hosted on September 22nd at Cheltenham Racecourse. The awards evening will showcase and celebrate the Cotswold companies and people who invent, research, design, engineer, manufacture and export in a whole range of sectors.

Key EMI Dates: 

Closing date for nominations:  May 18

Tickets go on sale: June 17

Cotswold Life EMI Awards black tie gala dinner: September 22

For more information visit: emiawards.cotswoldlife.co.uk

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