Three Blairgowrie businesses have been shortlisted in this year’s Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Business Star Awards.
Graham Environmental Services has been shortlisted in the Excellence in Customer Service Award category and A Proctor Group and Tank Driving Scotland have been shortlisted for the Excellence in Business Innovation Award.
The awards received a record number of entries from large and small businesses throughout the Perth and Kinross area and the winners will be announced at an awards dinner and gala evening on Friday, November 23.
Perthshire Chamber of Commerce chief executive Vicki Unite said: “We’re delighted with the standard of entries this year.
“The Star Awards celebrate those who have made the very most of opportunities they’ve spotted even in these tumultuous market conditions.
“The awards applaud those with outstanding expertise, flair, vision, sound business sense and – above all – entrepreneurial drive and passion.”
Ross Graham, managing director of the family-run Graham Environmental Services, based in Blairgowrie since its inception in 1993, is delighted to have been shortlisted.
He said: “This is the first time that we have entered the Star Awards and even to be shortlisted is a tremendous boost for our company.
“It has given us a good bit of exposure which is important when we are trying to grow the company and it is also a boost for the professional staff that we employ to see their hard work recognised in this way.
“There are some big companies in Perth and Kinross - Aviva, The Famous Grouse Experience, Stagecoach, SSE for example - so it is great that smaller companies outwith the city, such as ourselves, are able to compete with them in areas such as customer service and more than hold our own.
“We carried out more than 50,000 jobs last year and we make sure all our staff put a lot of emphasis on customer service to ensure continued repeat business.”
It is also the first year that Tank Driving Scotland has entered the awards. Rod Sim, managing director of Tank Driving Scotland said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted in the Excellence in Business Innovation category of the Star Awards.
“In the current economic climate it is vital to keep innovating and offering new and exciting products to our customers to ensure that they keep coming back and that we have a sustainable business model for the future.
“Being shortlisted for this award is testament to our commitment to this ethos.”
Keira Proctor, managing director of the Proctor Group, said: “Management and staff at the A Proctor Group are delighted to be shortlisted. Innovation within the building and construction industry has been key to the group’s success over the past 15 years.
“With the downturn in the construction sector, the need to establish our presence in alternative markets was identified, leading to the development of unique product solutions for the rail, maritime and automotive sectors.
“We are extremely excited about our new partnerships and future opportunities.”
