Winning the York Press/ LOCALiQ Business of the Year Award 2023 has helped a city business “show how far we have come” since it was began in 1996 in the owners spare bedroom.

Today, IQ Engineers has offices and a factory on the Northminster Business Park. It works with two-thirds of the UK water and wastewater firms and related businesses, exporting to many places, including the Middle East, and enjoys record sales.

In addition to winning the overall award, which this year is sponsored by York St John University, which runs a range of business courses at varying levels, it also won the large business of the year award, which will again be sponsored by YO1 Radio, a leading radio station for the greater York area and York Press media partner.

IQ Engineers co-founder Rachel Lewis told the Press: “We continue to see record sales over the past 3 years and to grow and develop as a business."

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“Underpinning this is our People who are crucial to what we do and how we do it. Over recent years we have really invested in their development to ensure that we are able to continue to deliver great work for our customers whilst looking after our employees and suppliers.

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“We continue to be a friendly and trusted business with a lot of knowledge to offer our customers. The water sector is seeing record investment and it is an exciting sector to be working in.”

This year, the company has doubled its production space by acquiring the neighbouring property, which also allows it to recruit more staff to support its continued growth.

It continues to work with customers, recruit further apprentices in 2025 and “and have some interesting overseas projects in the pipeline.”

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Rachel called it ‘unexpected’ and ‘a great surprise’ to win last year.

She continued: “To be celebrated and supported by the wider business community was phenomenal and the award helps us to demonstrate how far we have come as a business which started without an office or production space. It has taken a lot of hard work and commitment from some amazing people at IQ and was an award won by the entire team.”

Rachel advises entrants to be specific about their strengths and focus on where they are now.

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“Remember to look at all the things that make your business a great place to work or provide a great product or service and include it all as sometimes we assume every business does what you do and it is not always the case.”

The Press BUSINESSiQ Awards 2024 are free to enter and open to all businesses in The Press’s circulation area of York, North and East Yorkshire. They conclude with a glittering black tie dinner at the Knavesmire, this year on Friday November 29.

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There are 11 categories: Small Business of the Year, sponsored by Hethertons Solicitors; Large Business of the Year, sponsored by YO1 Radio; New Business of the Year, sponsored by the NFU; Retail, Tourism or Leisure Business of the Year, sponsored by York Data Services; Business Personality of the Year, sponsored by York Racecourse; Family Business of the Year, sponsored by JW Myers Monumental Masons; Business Sustainability, sponsored by Portakabin; Business Innovation of the Year, sponsored by Fera Science Ltd; Employer of the Year, sponsored by City Cruises; Manufacturer of the Year, sponsored by Parsons Accountants; and Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Merchant Adventurers Hall.

The headline sponsor is York St John University.

The closing date for entries is Friday August 16. To enter, go to https://forms.office.com/e/RhdjnF6UFH or use the QR code.