The LK Group are happy to announce that we are SME of the Year. The honour comes from the North West Regional Construction Awards 2020.

The Constructing Excellence Awards, in essence, connects every discipline of construction working. In addition, it recognises that SMEs are the backbone of our industry. To that end, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills suggests that up to 99.9% of UK construction contracting businesses are SMEs.

Originally to take place at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool, the awards streams live online instead. To begin with, Steve Rotheram, metro mayor of Liverpool, paying tribute to everybody in the North West construction industry. He especially highlights their resilience during this extraordinary year.

The judges, therefore, give SME of the Year to The LK Group, acknowledging that:

This SME recognises a specific challenge for the industry and by its very business model sets out to resolve this through innovation and smart working. (Plus) its investment in and development of its staff. Along with a wider awareness of the impact of the need to resolve the skills gap was particularly impressive.

Criteria for SME of the Year

This award category seeks to recognise an SME that demonstrates growth through:

  • best practice and organisational management;
  • employee investment through training and organisational culture;
  • improvement through smart working;
  • supply chain engagement to add value to projects and;
  • management of performance to improve on goals.

Conor Leyden, managing director of The LK Group, is happy with the honours.

We are incredibly proud to be recognised as SME of the Year in the North West. These awards serve to highlight the sheer determination and resilience of the construction sector in this unprecedented year. We know that best practice and a commitment to encouraging young people into the industry through support, training and development are key to the long-term futureproofing of our industry.

Well done to all the winners and thanks to our colleagues, suppliers and clients for all their support over the past 23 years.

The awards were hosted by the School of Science, Engineering and Environment at the University of Salford. As well as Constructing Excellence North West and the Centre for Constructing Innovation.