Double award delight for Weir Minerals Europe

Company scoops EEF Manufacturer of the Year award and EEF Health and Safety award

WEIR Minerals Europe have been named Manufacturer of the Year by the EEF (formerly Engineering Employers’ Federation) at the Future Manufacturing Awards in London.

The Todmorden-based company competed against other leading manufacturers, such as Jaguar Land Rover, Airbus and BAE Systems, to claim the title at the EEF’s annual national awards ceremony. Weir also triumphed in the Health and Safety award category.

The panel of judges, made up of business leaders, industry experts and academics, was impressed with Weir Minerals’ continued commitment to investing in technology and efficiency, in addition to their ‘zero harm’ workplace policy.

While the company has a strong focus on health and safety, it has invested specifically in addressing ergonomic and musculoskeletal risks, driving home the message across every service centre and office in its region, which covers Europe, North Africa, Turkey and Central Asia.

Jan Peter van Leeuwen, Weir Minerals Europe’s managing director, said the award highlighted both his team’s dedication to health and safety excellence, and the company’s culture of innovation. 

‘This is an incredible team effort,’ he said. ‘We are proud to have secured this ahead of so many leading companies and it is an acknowledgement of our exceptional people, who make these milestones possible. We must continue to work closely together to deliver outstanding solutions for our customers.’

Stephen Phipson, chief executive officer of the EEF, said: ‘Weir Minerals Europe is a fantastic example of a company that has moved health and safety from simply ‘compliance’ to true ‘innovation’ – reaping the rewards for their efforts.

‘This award is justly deserved, but their real award is the greater employee well-being and operational efficiency that high levels of health and safety engagement and standards bring.’

Weir Minerals were named as the regional winner for the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber in the Health and Safety category in November last year.

Representatives travelled to London for the national ceremony, on 25 January 2018, where the company was named Health and Safety winner before being awarded the overall title of Manufacturer of the Year.