THE winners in the Somerset Business Awards 2012 were revealed at a glittering ceremony in Taunton on Friday evening.

Over 280 people from the county’s leading businesses attended the sell-out event at Somerset County Cricket Ground.

Event organisers said the standard of the entries this year had been exceptional, while the number of companies entering was up by 20%.

Sponsored by Albert Goodman, which has offices throughout Somerset, the annual Somerset Business Awards are organised by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with a wide range of individual award sponsors from the private sectors.

The awards are also backed by Newsquest Somerset, publisher of this website.  This year’s winners are:

New Business of the Year Award sponsored by Glyder Ltd

1.Blackdown Shepherds Huts (Ilminster)

2.Step Success (Shepton Mallet)

3.Vintage Fair Arts Café (Yeovil)

New to Somerset Award sponsored by Into Somerset

1.Prolift Access Ltd (Wellington)

2.M5 Glass Centre (Highbridge)

3.LiteTile Ltd (Wells) 

Service Excellence Award sponsored by Blueloop Ltd

1.Cooper Associates Ltd (Taunton)

2.Myakka Ltd (Wincanton)

3.Thorne Segar (Minehead

Best Exporter Award sponsored by Foot Anstey LLP

1.Hilton Herbs (Crewkerne)

2.Unwin Safety Systems (Martock)

3.SCM Handling Ltd (Taunton) 

The Albert Goodman Family Business Award

1.Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre (Taunton)

2.South West Peninsular Training (Langport)

3.Gadsby (Bridgwater

Skills for Growth Award sponsored by Somerset Employment & Skills Board

1.BAM Construction Ltd (Bridgwater)

2.3 Dimensions Care Ltd (Chard)

3.ADPR Limited (South Petherton) 

Charity of the Year Award sponsored by Clarke Willmott LLP

1.Stand Against Violence (Taunton)

2.St John Ambulance (Bridgwater)

3.Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (Wellington) 

Collaborative Innovation Award sponsored by Open Innovation Initiative

1.Gary Gabriel Associates (Taunton)

2.Futures for Somerset (Bridgwater)

3.Gerber Juice Co Ltd (Bridgwater) 

Marketing and Promotion Award sponsored by ADPR Ltd

1.Higos Insurance Services Ltd (Glastonbury, Street, Langport, Somerton, Wells, Bridgwater, Worle, Crewkerne)

2.Hilton Herbs (Crewkerne)

3.Hall of Names Europe (Taunton) 

Energy Efficiency Award sponsored by Somerset County Council

1.Thorney Lakes Caravan and Camping Park (Langport)

2.Yarlington Housing Group (Yeovil)

3.Powrmatic Limited (Ilminster) 

Business of the Year 0-1 Employees Award sponsored by Somerset Chamber of Commerce

1.The Langport Leveller and Somerton Sentinel (Langport)

2.Eternity Crystal LLP (Moorlinch, nr Glastonbury)

3.Hall of Names Europe (Taunton) 

Business of the Year 2-5 Employees Award sponsored by Lentells

1.Pardoes Bevins Human Resources Limited (Yeovil, Chard)

2.Plum Communications & PR Ltd (Weston-Super-Mare)

3.Rubix Solutions UK Ltd (Taunton) 

Business of the Year 6-50 Employees Award sponsored by EDF Energy

1.Taunton Fabrications Ltd (Taunton)

2.Unwin Safety Systems (Martock)

3.Evosite Ltd (Taunton) 

Business of the Year 51+ Employees Award sponsored by Higos Insurance Services Ltd

1.Clarke Willmott LLP (Taunton)

2.Yarlington Housing Group (Yeovil)

3.Radstock Co-operative Society (Radstock)