Croydon home to South London’s best businesses

Croydon has proved it is home to some of London’s best businesses after two of its top companies won awards at the recent South London Business Awards.

International manufacturers of specialist medical equipment, SLE Ltd, won Best International Business while Croydon’s home-grown digital success story, dotDigital, secured Best Medium-Sized Business at the prestigious South London Business Awards, which were held in association with HSBC and organised by South London Business.

The awards were presented in front of an invited audience of 500 business men and woman at the South London Business Gala Dinner and Awards ceremony held at the Park Plaza Riverbank on Thursday, June 23rd.

Bernard Nelligan from SLE said: “I am so pleased we won this. It’s great that international manufacturing in the UK can get recognition for this.”

And he praised his team, including Asian Pacific Sales Manager Dougal Whalley who joined them from Australia for the awards night.

Presenting the award was Julian Hayes from category sponsor DHL International who said: “SLE helps dispel the myth that we don’t make things in this country or indeed South London anymore. This company exports to over 70 countries and is looking to break into Brazil and the US. They also work with local schools to enthuse young people about manufacturing and engineering.”

SLE Ltd, which won the Queen’s Award for international trade in 2009, designs and manufactures the neonatal ventilators used to help breathing in Special care baby units worldwide.

Simon Bird from dotDigital was equally excited about his company’s award. “We started about 10 years ago and we’ve had the most fantastic team of staff who have helped us develop to where we are today. This is a real thank-you to the team.”

Peter Lebreton, from category sponsors Towergate which sponsored the award, said: “dotDigital have retained their initial values through growth and flotation with people being the key to success. Employees are grown as individuals with impressive rewards and the company listen to and act upon suggestions from the workforce.”

Other Croydon companies recognised on the night were Future Supplies & Support Services which received a Highly Commended award for Best Medium Sized Business and a Commended award for Commitment to the Community, Kinghams of Croydon which was Commended for Best Business for Customer Service and Highly Commended for Best Business for Training and Development, OCS Group UK which was Highly Commended for Best Business for Sustainability and Malcolm John of Malcolm John Restaurants, who was the runner-up for Entrepreneur of the Year.