Flambeau Europe wins award recognition at the National Business Awards UK. We won the Best Leadership Award in the Manufacturing category and also became a finalist for Investment in Manufacturing.
This is a huge moment for everyone at Flambeau Europe. It means even more after everything the business has faced over the last 12 months. The recognition reflects leadership, resilience, investment and the drive to keep moving forward through one of the toughest periods in our recent history.
Flambeau Europe wins award after challenging year
The last year tested the business in ways few manufacturers would want to face.
At our Ramsgate site on Manston Road, staff dealt with two major incidents in 2025. In July, a targeted break-in and copper theft halted production. In November, a fire broke out at the site.
Both incidents could have caused serious long-term disruption to the business and local jobs. Instead, our team responded quickly. Under the leadership of Managing Director John Wingfield, supported by our Senior Leadership Team, employees worked hard to get the site moving again. We returned to full operation within one week after the theft and within just 18 hours after the fire.
Those moments were difficult, but they also showed what Flambeau Europe is made of. They showed the strength of our people, the trust of our customers and the resilience at the heart of the business.
Best Leadership Award in manufacturing
We are incredibly proud to win the Best Leadership Award in the Manufacturing category.
The award recognises the calm, decisive and people-first leadership shown throughout the last year. During both major incidents, leadership meant far more than reacting in the moment. It meant reassuring staff, speaking clearly with customers, managing press communication and making quick decisions that kept the business moving.
It also meant keeping the team together.
That effort showed across the wider business too. After the cable theft, staff stepped up during normal hours and outside them. Some gave up weekends to help recover lost manufacturing time and reduce disruption for customers. That level of commitment says a lot about the culture at Flambeau Europe.
Flambeau Europe wins award recognition while investing in growth
Alongside the award win, Flambeau Europe also became a finalist for Investment in Manufacturing.
In 2025, we invested in three new injection moulding machines:
- a 60-ton Haitian machine in April
- a 550-ton Bole machine in September
- a 35-ton machine in November
These additions took our fleet to 18 machines ranging from 35T to 1700T. That wider range helps us support everything from small precision mouldings to larger, more complex components.
The investment improved flexibility, efficiency and machine-to-component matching across the factory. It also helped us improve lead times, strengthen production performance and build long-term capacity. Reaching the final in this category is a strong endorsement of the progress we have made.
Stronger through adversity
This recognition matters because Flambeau Europe did not stand still during a difficult year.
Throughout the disruption of 2025, all key customer accounts stayed with us, including Makita, Volution, Nidec and Kennedy Hygiene. Development work with major customers continued. Trust in the business stayed strong.
Despite the production time lost through both incidents, Flambeau Europe still remained on track with our growth plan.
That progress matters. It shows that our resilience was not only operational, but it was commercial too. This reflects the trust our customers place in us, the dedication of our people and the confidence we have in the future.
A message from John Wingfield
Commenting on the award, Managing Director John Wingfield said:
“This award means a great deal to everyone at Flambeau Europe. The last 12 months have tested the business in ways that would have been incredibly difficult for any manufacturer, but throughout it all our people have shown real resilience, professionalism and togetherness. I’m incredibly proud of how the team responded, and this recognition is a reflection of their hard work and commitment. As a business rooted in Ramsgate, it also feels especially meaningful to be able to share some positive news after such a challenging year.”
Looking ahead
We are proud to celebrate this recognition, but we also see it as another step forward.
Flambeau Europe will keep investing in people, technology, customer relationships and the future of manufacturing in Ramsgate. Over the past year, we have strengthened our capabilities, modernised the business and continued to support our local community.
Flambeau Europe wins award recognition at an important point in our journey. It reflects the resilience of our team, the trust of our customers and the progress we have made through one of the most testing periods in recent years.
To everyone who has supported Flambeau Europe along the way — thank you.
