SP, global manufacturer of advanced composite materials and technology solutions and member of the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce & Industry, was named Business of the Year at the Chamber Awards 2004. It was the company’s increase in turnover from £6 million in 1998 to £70 million in 2003, and the development of a new processing technology called SPRINT® that led to the company winning the award.

An ambitious company
SP was founded on the Isle of Wight in the 1970’s. Originally concentrating on epoxies for the marine market, the company was also instrumental in driving forward a change in boatbuilding techniques in the 1980’s, moving away from conventional glass reinforced polyester and aluminium to advanced composites. SP now operates in three markets – marine, automotive and wind energy and through expansion, the company is now a key player in the global composites industry on a global scale.

With its headquarters remaining in the Isle of Wight, plus an office in Southampton, SP also has offices in Australasia, Spain and North America.

The company has a set of guiding principles that it encourages all employees to follow so that the company can achieve its vision of being the “undisputed leader” in its market. This covers area such as technical competence, delivering value, customer & supplier relationships, and health & safety.

SP has also developed a number of initiatives that allow the local community to benefit from the company’s success, such as The Awards for Excellence which rewards local individuals and companies.

What the award means to SP
Paul Rudling, CEO of SP, commented, “The Business of the Year award was a great accolade for the SP Group and we were honoured to receive the award from the BCC. SP is an ambitious and dynamic company that strives for excellence in everything it does. The British Chambers of Commerce support and recognition is incredibly valuable to us.”

It was recognised that winning the award would not have been possible without the efforts of the whole team at SP. Appreciation was expressed to each and every member of staff following the awards at a lunch hosted by Paul Rudling.

Life after the awards
Since winning the Business of the Year Award, SP has maintained a programme of R&D and product development, and has introduced two new products designed to offer composite manufacturers cost and efficiency advantages over traditional manufacturing techniques.