Burts Chips win TWO Manufacturer of the Year Awards
- Including ICT in Manufacturing for achieving operational excellence with Access SupplyChain
Plymouth-based artisan crisp brand, Burts Potato Chips, is celebrating after winning not one but two awards at this year’s Manufacturer of the Year Awards sponsored by RBS – Small Sized Enterprise of the Year and ICT in Manufacturing.
Determined by a written assessment of the business, entrants to the prestigious Manufacturer of the Year Awards were reduced down to just over 60 companies across 14 categories, who were invited to present to judges prior to the awards ceremony on the 27th November. Burts Chips beat off competition from a diverse range of companies and effectively demonstrated excellence in all assessment areas.
Leane Bramhall, Marketing Director at Burts Potato Chips commented: “We are thrilled to have been recognised in the acclaimed Manufacturer of the Year Awards. To win one award is special but two is fantastic and we are immensely proud of the team and the achievements over the last 12 months.”
Gaining value ahead of the current market growth, Burts has experienced a strong year of sales and worth £15m has achieved a 14% increase in turnover and 280% increase in profit in the last year alone. Having invested £2.7m in expanding and improving its Devon factory earlier this year, the brand has doubled production capacity to facilitate an ambitious growth plan and expand into the buoyant snacks sector.
Dedicated to manufacturing excellence, Burts has increased product shelf life from 20 weeks to 26 weeks and also invested £1.2m into revamping the brand to strengthen its product, packaging and competitive edge. This has resulted in productive levels soaring, with over 100 tonnes of crisps produced each week and the brand successfully exporting to over 40 countries worldwide.
Bramhall continues: “At Burts we are committed to competitive manufacturing in the UK and are proud to be a role model for our peers in the industry. From an active product innovation programme to our operational and software systems, our 100-strong team works very hard to provide top level service to our customers and to continue to meet the consumer demand for great tasting snacks.”
The Small Sized Enterprise of the Year Award looks to identify the business that has delivered remarkable performance and results across the key areas for business excellence. In the ICT in Manufacturing Award Burts was recognised as best-in-class for implementing Access Group’s software system that enabled the company to achieve operational excellence in the production of its crunchy crisps.
Ian Roper, Divisional Director for Supply Chain Solutions at Access Group commented, “It’s fantastic to see Burts Chips reaping the benefits of their integrated ERP system and we’re delighted to support them in their ambitious growth plans. We look forward to working together as they extend the reach of their solution with business intelligence and human resource management.”
The awards ceremony, organised by The Manufacturer magazine and hosted at The ICC in Birmingham, attracted 1,000 guests from manufacturing companies and supporting organisations, a record crowd for the event.
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Notes to Editors:
Burts Chips has hand-cooked its award-winning crunchy crisps in small batches since 1997, taking pride in its creations and using only the finest and freshest natural seasonings, sourced locally where possible.
In addition to the core range of seven distinct flavours and the latest innovation, Lentil Waves, Burts’ licensed brands include two varieties of Guinness flavoured crisps and Levi Roots’ Reggae Reggae crisps. Visit www.burtschips.com for information on their delicious range.
About Access Group:
Access is a leading author of integrated business management software. The portfolio spans solutions for ERP, manufacturing, warehousing, finance, HR, payroll and business intelligence. More than 6,000 UK businesses and not-for-profit organisations use Access solutions to improve their performance, profitability and drive growth, unlocking their business potential through improved business insight.
About the Awards:
The Manufacturer of the Year Awards are dedicated to recognising and celebrating industry achievement and highlighting the diversity and strength of UK manufacturing as well as its important role in today’s economy. The awards cover the breadth of the manufacturing industry with finalists from nearly every sub-sector of manufacturing, from automotive to medical technology and defence contractors to food and drink inclusive of size from small SMEs to large multinationals.
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