Lifetime achievement award for Telford company founder

The founder and chairman of a Shropshire manufacturing business has been honoured for his achievements with a lifetime achievement award.

Brian Seymour of Seymour Manufacturing International (SMI) was given the accolade at the annual Temperature Controlled Storage & Distribution Awards, held in Manchester.

More than 400 senior officials from the UK’s temperature control and distribution industry were at The Midland Hotel for last night’s event.

They were told: “This year’s Lifetime Achievement award goes to a man who has been inventing and innovating for more than 60 years.

“Since developing a fascination with the possibilities of plastic and rubber products during his early years at tyre company Goodyear, he has built a reputation as an award-winning pioneer in the field of   temperature control products.

“His industry-leading material, Tempro, protects food in transit for most of the big supermarkets and retailers.

“It also helps the armed forces . . . blood banks . . . pharmaceutical giants . . . and many more – not just in the UK, but across the world.

“His invention even protected intrepid adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes against life-threatening temperatures during an expedition to the Antarctic.”

The judges said: “Even after all these years he is still investing his time into our industry. He has seen it all and more, and received a true level of respect from the panel.”

Brian was sadly unable to attend on the evening, but sent a video message of thanks. The award was collected on his behalf by SMI’s regional sales manager Chris Davies, who attended the event with his partner Jowi.

SMI has its headquarters and UK manufacturing base at Stafford Park in Telford. The fast-growing company has just opened a new two-storey manufacturing area at its site, following a ten-fold increase of in-house manufacturing capabilities.