IQ Excellence Awards announces National Winners

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, all regional winners announced as national winners for 2020

THE Institute of Quarrying (IQ) Excellence Awards were launched in 2019 with the aim of celebrating the achievements and successes of individuals and teams across the mineral products sector.

In its inaugural year, the Awards generated more than 100 applications, six hours of judging and four regional awards ceremonies. Under the original plans, there was to be a glittering awards dinner in Buxton to present the best of the regional award winners with a national award. Understandably, because of the coronavirus pandemic, this event had to be postponed.

It is with great excitement, therefore, that IQ has announced all of its regional winners as national IQ Excellence Awards winners for 2020.

National IQ Excellence Awards Winners:

STANDARDS & PROFESSIONALISM
Best Personal Development Project

• Rema Tip Top Industry UK Ltd – Conveyor Confidence Through Understanding (North of England winner)
• Quinn Building Products – Quinn Safety Hub (Northern Ireland winner)
• Chepstow Plant International – Project Fusion (South & Wales winner).

Health & Safety Individual Excellence

• Ben Williams, managing director of EPC-UK (North of England)
• Mary Carter, director at ELC Vocational Assessment & Safety (South & Wales)
• Brian Binnie, Denfind Stone (Scotland).

KNOWLEDGE & INNOVATION
Most Effective Process Improvement

• Aggregate Industries – Wash Plant Improvement Project (North of England)
• CDE Global Ltd – SmartTech Pilot Study (Northern Ireland)
• Smiths Bletchington – Static Plant Remote Monitoring Project (South & Wales)
• BAM Ritchies – Glensanda Drill & Blast (Scotland).

Most Innovative Leader

• Robin Gillespie, area operations manager at Hanson UK (North of England)
• Philip Brain, Philip Brain Associates Ltd (South & Wales).

ENGAGEMENT, INFLUENCE & IMPACT
Best Community Engagement Project

• Longcliffe Quarries Ltd – Butterfly Conservation project (North of England)
• Raymond Brown Quarry Products Ltd – Raymond Brown Community Matters Initiative (South & Wales)
• Breedon Group – Highland Football League Sponsorship (Scotland).

Most Inspirational Leader

• Susan Arnott, IQ North of England (North of England)
• Kieran Hegarty, president of Terex Materials Processing Division (Northern Ireland)
• Emily Burridge, technical production manager Hanson UK (South & Wales).

PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS
Best Initiative to Engage Workforce or Team

• EPC-UK – Commit To Be Fit (North of England)
• Influential Management Ltd – The Interesting Health & Safety Podcast (South & Wales).

Most Promising Future Leader

• Tom O'Boyle, project manager at Hanson UK (North of England)
• Ryan Reid, graduate mechanical engineer at Roadstone Ltd (Northern Ireland)
• Daniel Jones, aggregate section leader at Tarmac (South & Wales)
• Bartosz Smoczek, trainee operations manager at Breedon Group (Scotland).

Sarah Fry, IQ’s head of membership and marketing, said: ‘Our congratulations to each of our national award winners. They are all shining examples of the dedication and commitment of professionals working in our industry.

‘We have been so grateful for the support we have had since the launch of the IQ Excellence Awards. They have been well-received by our members and the wider industry and we look forward to continuing with the Awards programme.

‘The aim of the awards is to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of people and teams across the industry, and as the recovery post-pandemic begins, we feel that it will be more important than ever to shine a light on those achievements.’

The IQ Excellence Awards will be open again later this year for new submissions and award nominations with an award dinner to be held on 23 June 2021 at the Devonshire Dome, Buxton. Award categories are aligned to the different quadrants of the IQ Skills Wheel and recognize the positive impact professionals make across the country.

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