The Wessex Region’s engineering excellence honoured

The Institution's inaugural Wessex Region Engineering Excellence Awards celebrated engineering talent from across the region, showcasing ground-breaking work by individuals and organisations across multiple industrial sectors.

As part of its commitment to improving the world through engineering, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers held its inaugural Wessex Region Engineering Excellence Awards on 9 October 2015. The awards celebrated engineering talent from across the region, showcasing the ground-breaking work undertaken by individuals and organisations across multiple industrial sectors. The awards were open to companies from all sizes across Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight, from SMEs to large multinationals. The black tie event, sponsored by Trant Engineering, Petrofac and QinetiQ was held at Winchester Guildhall. The evening was hosted by Joe Crowley, roving reporter for BBC’s The One Show, and television personality and racing driver Tiff Needell was guest speaker along with Professor Richard Folkson, the Institution’s President.

The award winning companies were announced as follows:

• Outstanding Product of the Year was won by Southampton based i2O Water for its Smart Logger. This innovative product offers a number of unique design features, is over 50% cheaper than previous products; exceeds temperature and humidity requirements and allows pressure surge diagnostics.
• Outstanding Project of the Year was awarded to Magma Structures who are based in Portsmouth. The company’s manufacture of the world’s tallest carbon composite freestanding masts, built using advanced composite manufacturing processes, was judged as outstanding in this category. 
• Manufacturer of the Year was won by Dorset-based Superior Seals which won the award for high volume, mass production of a range of seals using lean and efficient tools and processes.
• The overall Engineering Excellence award was presented to Magma Structures.

Individual awards were presented to Institution members as follows: 

• Engineer of the Year was won by Steve Austen for his work supporting the RNLI in Poole.
• Volunteer of the Year went to Steve Stubbing who works tirelessly in his spare time as a schools liaison officer in the Weymouth and Dorchester area.
• Young Member of the Year was awarded to David Tabner who has been instrumental creating the Portsmouth & Isle Of Wight Young Member Panel. 

Nick Schulkins, Chair of the Wessex Region, commented: “The Wessex Region is full of hardworking, dynamic and innovative engineers, and these awards have given them the chance to have their stories heard. With each of the winners receiving a profile piece in Professional Engineers Magazine, it’s a real opportunity to showcase the region’s engineering excellence.”

“I was incredibly pleased to be a supporter and guest speaker for the inaugural Wessex Region Engineering Excellence Awards” said Tiff Needell. “The awards were a fitting celebration of the outstanding work undertaken across the region and I was impressed by their determination, innovation, and how they contribute to the local economy.”

For more information about the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, or to find out how to get involved in next year’s awards programme, please visit http://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Wessex.