A leading construction company has been hailed for pumping £50 million into the Flintshire economy after picking up a major award.

The Anwyl Group have been chosen as Flintshire’s Best Business for over 10 Employees at the Flintshire Business Awards just ten months after relocating to the county.

Gwyn Evans, Chairman of North Wales Federation of Small Businesses, sponsors of the award, said: “There is a real connection between the success of large businesses and that of small businesses and Anwyl’s arrival in Flintshire is a massive boost to the local economy.

“They are a company with very high standards and have an outstanding commitment to the communities in which they work through apprenticeships and the use of local sub-contractors and supply chains.”

Anwyl, who were recently given planning permission for a £35 million 16-storey student apartment development in Liverpool City Centre, part of a major expansion into the North West of England, moved into purpose-built headquarters at St David’s Park, Ewloe, in January.

The company, now run by the fourth generation of the Anwyl family, were founded in Rhyl in 1930 but have long been active in the region and their Homes division are North Wales’s largest private housebuilders while their construction division has a current portfolio of £100 million in projects.

The judges at the AGS Security Flintshire Business Awards said they were impressed with the Group’s ability to spot market change and opportunities and that it has remained nimble enough to act quickly to take advantage of such opportunities, while at the same time maintaining a clear vision focussing on future growth from its core activities.

They added: “The Anwyl Group has also shown a commitment to the local community and the judges were particularly impressed with its apprenticeship programme, working with local schools and a clearly defined objective of supporting local sub-contractors. Worthy winners!”

Tom Anwyl, Director of the Anwyl Group’s Construction division, said: “We are delighted to win this important award, especially as Flintshire is the economic powerhouse of the Welsh economy with many major companies across a number of sectors.

“Although we were founded in Rhyl the move to Ewloe was a logical one for us as it is close to the A55 and in an area where we were and still are very active.

“We are currently building on Croes Atti in Flint, North Wales’s largest single private housing development, as well as at Northop Hall and Buckley while we are also engaged in a major social housing scheme at Glan y Don, near Holywell.

“We have completed major award-winning schemes for social housing leaders Wales & West Housing at Mold and Flint as well as building their new headquarters next to ours at Ewloe.

“We do have a commitment to thoughtful and considerate construction and to using local labour, local supply chains and local building inspectors and this ensures that the value of these contracts goes to the local community.

“In Flintshire we use over 40 sub-contractors and suppliers ranging from electricians and scaffolders through joiners, tilers, bricklayers, plasterers, groundworkers and crane operators as well as materials suppliers and spend up to £15 million a year in the county – that adds up to a boost to the local economy of over £50 million annually.

“All that means we needed more people and larger, purpose-built premises and our move here has been very successful and helped set us up for a major expansion into the North West of England over the coming years.”

Jonathan Turner, Managing Director of AGS Security Systems, congratulated all the finalists, saying, “It is very rewarding for AGS Security Systems to return to the stage as the headline sponsor again this year.

“The variety and enthusiasm of Flintshire businesses never fails to amaze me and I am always excited by the quality of business in Flintshire.

“These Awards help to recognise the real talent and outstanding performance that we have on our doorstep, we need to think about the next generation and the education of our colleagues – we are all responsible for creating the entrepreneurs of the future.”

Anwyl have also fostered relationships with local schools, including the two nearest their headquarters, Hawarden High School and Ewloe Green Primary School, and they built the construction training workshops at Coleg Cambria in Connah’s Quay.

For more on The Anwyl Group go to their website at http://www.anwylgroup.co.uk/