The PD Ports Northern Powerhouse Export Awards has announced its nine winning firms with West Yorkshire’s Bluefin Trading named Exporter of the Year. The winning line-up also recognised the success of two of our ExportExchange patrons: Leeds-based medical lighting company Brandon Medical took the title of Emerging Markets Exporter of the Year; and Quality Bearings Online, also located in the city, won the Export Team of the Year award.

Based in Hebden Bridge, Bluefin Trading operates in the sports and wellness sectors, offering a range of sports and fitness equipment including kayaks, paddleboards, hoverboards and exercise vibration plates.

The West Yorkshire firm also took home the E-commerce Exporter of the Year Award, in recognition of its entrepreneurial and innovative take on e-commerce retailing and exporting.

Despite only starting its export journey a few years ago, the company now sells to markets around the world and has proven itself to be a strong ambassador for the Northern Powerhouse.

Speaking about Bluefin’s success, company founder Will Vaughan said: “We're chuffed, we came here not expecting to win anything. We've got the team here and we're so so happy to win the overall award.

“We genuinely think it will help us to grow again at a rapid rate, we've grown almost 100% in the last year and we think this will help us grow further by opening doors in Australia, the US and further afield in the places we want to.”

BE Group commercial director Bryan Hoare complimented Bluefin Trading on its entrepreneurial exporting success. He said: “Bluefin is just one of a whole bunch of entrepreneurial exporters from the North of England that we have seen enter the awards.

“We were inundated with entries this year which more than doubled to over 140 and we were pleasantly surprised by the depth and breadth of the entries. In Bluefin Trading we have found a real first-class exporter that the North can hold high in its regard amongst many other businesses trading successfully overseas. These awards are all about inspiration - saying to businesses across the North, you can do it too.”

Minister of state for trade and export promotion, Baroness Fairhead, said: “I’d like to congratulate Bluefin Trading on their outstanding success, not just in exports, but also in being named Northern Powerhouse Exporter of the Year.

“I’d also like to offer my congratulations to all the businesses shortlisted for this year’s awards. They have all contributed to the significance of the Northern Powerhouse to UK exports and the UK economy generally. Their export successes are genuinely inspirational.

“The DIT stands ready to help companies export. I encourage local businesses to get in touch with us to learn more about what we can do to help you make the transition from local to global.”

Frans Calje, CEO of PD Ports, added: "The winning companies have really shown what exporting is all about and have set the benchmark for fellow northerners to follow. Overall winners, Bluefin Trading, particularly impressed the judges with how they’ve developed their export strategy in such a short space of time.

“Encouraging exporting not only in the North, but across the country is vitally important to the UK’s economy and tonight’s awards show what companies can achieve and how others can further boost their business by opening themselves up to export.”

The list of winners:

E-commerce exporter of the year: Bluefin Trading
Entrepreneurial exporter of the year: BODA SKINS
Micro exporter of the year: Ethoss Regeneration Ltd
Small exporter of the year: Lattimer
Large exporter of the year: Clarke Energy
Export team of the year: Quality Bearings Online
Emerging markets exporter of the year: Brandon Medical
High growth markets exporter of the year: Kendal Nutricare Ltd
New to export: NHS Northumbria International Alliance & Wasp Rescue