Aycliffe Today Business Aycliffe Today Business Issue 38 | Page 19
The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 19
Matthew Stiller receives the Company of the Year
award at the 2017 Make Your Mark awards from
Business Durham managing director Brian Archer.
Fast-forward six years,
I’m now sitting with
Matthew Stiller, the
managing director since
2017, in an impressive
training room situated
within the firm’s new
state-of-the-art distribution
centre.
It may be futuristic, but
the firm’s history remains at
its core – and those images
are still there, wonderfully
displayed in a new pictorial
timeline.
With the story set to
continue, the final image
shows Matthew receiving
the 2017 Company of the
Year award at Aycliffe
Business Park’s Make Your
Mark awards last year.
It was a proud moment
for Stiller, which has been based on Aycliffe
Business Park for 18 years.
Matthew said: “When young local people
in Teesside and County Durham are looking
to establish a career for themselves, it’s very
easy for them to go and sign-up with the
very structured career programmes of large
multinationals in Newcastle or Leeds.
“But sometimes you only have to look
outside your front door to begin a great
career. There are many quality employers
within walking distance of where most local
people live, particularly in Newton Aycliffe.
“Awards are an excellent vehicle for
businesses trying to build their profile locally
as an employer of choice, and even just to be
shortlisted in a category will do that.”
Stiller was formed by former prisoner of
war Gunter Stiller in 1954 and he handed the
company to his son Paul in 1985, who led the
firm for 32 years and guided it through recent
history’s worst-ever recession.
The firm, which opened its new £2m
freight distribution centre last year, pipped
leading shower manufacturer Roman and car
parts manufacturer Arlington Automotive to
win the Aycliffe Company of the Year award
in 2017.
“There’s been a lot of very hard work done
by a lot of people at Stiller over the last few
years and it’s great to have been able to
share in some of the success of so many
companies on the business park and in the
North-East,” added Matthew.
“When you work in the high-pressure
environment of the logistics industry,
everything happens so quickly, with next
day delivery and all the work and pressures
associated with that, so you need to go
about your day with good humour and good
nature to enjoy it, but also to marry that up
with pragmatic thinking.
“That helps to build a strong team and
get the job done. Winning this award is a
special moment for the company and we’re
absolutely thrilled.”
Stiller’s award was handed over by
Business Durham managing director Brian
Archer.
Mr Archer said: “These awards really
demonstrate that Aycliffe Business Park is
somewhere that is making its mark.
“The latest developments at Forrest Park
will see the business park continue to grow
and ensure not only its importance to the
local economy, but its regional and national
significance.
“Stiller is a fantastic example of a company
that has grown and thrived in County
Durham, showing great resilience in the
highly competitive logistics sector.”
Stiller followed Tekmar Energy, Finley
Structures and PWS as previous winners
of the Company of the Year category of the
Make Your Mark awards.
Now in its fifth year, Make Your Mark
will again single out the business park’s
shining stars and recognise outstanding
performances from the last year during a
special event at the Xcel Centre, which is
being held on Wednesday May 1.
Businesses are now invited to enter the
nine categories available, including Company
of the Year, Engineering & Manufacturing,
Apprenticeships & Training, Employer of the
Year, Export, Apprentice, Newcomer, Service
Business and Small Business. As usual, an
independent panel of judges will decide on
the shortlists and eventual winners.
A limited number of sponsorship
categories are still remaining for firms looking
to support Make Your Mark while gaining
widespread recognition and profile across
the park.
ABPC chair Kerina Clark said: “Make Your
Mark is now firmly the annual event for
Aycliffe Business Park and we’re excited to
be looking forward to our fifth consecutive
event.
“Make Your Mark has already highlighted
lots of the brilliant success stories from
around Aycliffe Business Park – including
some of the lesser-known businesses as well
as the high-profile firms – and we’re hoping
this year’s event will unearth yet more of our
hidden gems.
“It’s always a fantastic evening – one huge,
collective celebration of our business park –
and we hope residents and businesses will
come together, as they always do, to support
it.”
ENTER MAKE YOUR MARK
There are nine categories in this year’s
Make Your Mark awards.
They are:
• Apprentice of the Year
• Apprenticeships & Training
• Company of the Year
• Employer
• Engineering & Manufacturing
• Export
• Newcomer
• Service Business
• Small Business
The deadline to enter the 2018/19
Make Your Mark is Friday April 5, and
businesses can enter easily and quickly
online at www.aycliffebusinesspark.
co.uk/awards
To ask for more details email
[email protected]
2017 ROLL OF HONOUR
Stiller (Company of the Year)
South West Durham Training
(Apprenticeships & Training)
Pixel Media (Newcomer)
Eldon Financial (Service Business)
Roman (Engineering & Manufacturing)
Arlington Automotive (Employer)
M5tec (Small Business)
Excelpoint (Innovation)
Crafter’s Companion (Export)
John Parnell (Aycliffe Ambassador)