Plasma etch, deposition and thermal wafer processing equipment maker SPTS Technologies Ltd of Newport, Wales, UK has won two more awards against other leading companies in Wales and the South West UK. This completes a year in which the firm was recognized for a variety of initiatives; from manufacturing excellence to company growth over the past 3 years, culminating in the Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
At the annual Insider's Made in Wales Awards held in Welsh capital Cardiff, SPTS won the Manufacturer of the Year Award. "The judges recognized our focus on continuous improvement in our internal operations and in our ability to execute on customer engagements," says executive VP & chief operating officer Kevin Crofton. The firm won the Technology category at the same event in 2011.
SPTS has also been honored by EEF Future Manufacturing Awards with The South West Investing in Skills Award. The award from UK-based manufacturers' organization EEF recognizes companies that invest to build skills, develop employees and harness the talent of its workforce. SPTS now automatically qualifies for the national finals, where it will compete against other regional winners from across the UK. "The skills required by our workforce are highly technical and specialized, and recruitment of new staff as the company grows is an ongoing challenge," says Tony Knowles, VP for global human resources. "It is vital we invest in our people to stay ahead of the technology curve and developments in the market," he adds.
"By taking bold steps and investing in its people, resources and technology, they have grown their business despite the challenging economic climate," comments Phil Brownsord, EEF Region Director for South West, about SPTS.
